Austal sails into South China Sea, backed by US
Perth-based Austal is set to become a joint owner of strategically important shipyards on the edge of the flashpoint South China Sea, alongside a giant US private entity firm with strong ties to the Pentagon. The Fin
Uni students in net revolt
Students at Curtin University have rejected plans to abandon face-to-face lectures and shift them online permanently. The West
ACTU push for pent-up wage hikes
ACTU secretary Sally McManus has put employers on notice that unions will make a concerted push for pay rises if the improving economy avoids more lockdowns, declaring frustrated workers would have a “strong appetite for wage increases”. The Aus
Hard borders to delay recruitment
The skills crunch sweeping WA is about to worsen with the Federal Government taking a cautious approach to reopening international borders that will further delay recruitment of overseas workers. The West
Plan to Strike billions into Mid West
Strike Energy’s plan to cash in on WA’s burgeoning fertiliser production industry with a $2.3 billion urea plant near Geraldton could pump up to $7.8b into the Mid West. The West
Feds ‘consider’ halving WA travel cap
The Federal Government is “considering” Premier Mark McGowan’s request to permanently halve WA’s international arrivals cap to 530 people a week after a spate of COVID outbreaks from hotel quarantine. The West
Boom in work from home tax deductions
The number of Australians claiming tax deductions related to working from home grew by more than 1 million last financial year, with a quarter of taxpayers using a special shortcut for makeshift office spaces. The Fin
NDIS reform needed to rein in costs: PM
Scott Morrison says the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is at stake unless its costs are reined in, as he noted its price tag would surpass $26 billion next financial year and continue to increase beyond that. The Fin
Green energy shift triggers supply alarm
Australia is rapidly emerging as the world’s only Western democracy capable of shipping reliable supplies of lithium, cobalt and rare earth metals for countries making ambitious net zero carbon promises. The Fin
NAB: we have a head start on bad debts
National Australia Bank’s strict approach to customer loan deferrals has delivered a clearer picture of the amount of bad debt left over from the virus crisis, with NAB the first bank to reveal an uptick in overdue mortgages from customers that had been on deferral. The Fin
The Australian Financial Review
Page 1: China has moved a step closer to severing any future trade co-operation with Australia after suspending a key agreement for regular high-level economic dialogue in retaliation for the Morrison government’s decision to scrap Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Page 3: The number of Australians claiming tax deductions related to working from home grew by more than 1 million last financial year, with a quarter of taxpayers using a special shortcut for makeshift office spaces.
Investment banker John Wylie is teaming up with Transurban chairman Lindsay Maxsted and insolvency expert Ian Carson to launch a new $300 million fund to restructure local companies hit by the global pandemic.
Page 4: Scott Morrison says the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is at stake unless its costs are reined in, as he noted its price tag would surpass $26 billion next financial year and continue to increase beyond that.
Local gaming industry stalwarts have welcomed the new 30 per cent tax offset to be introduced as part of the government’s new digital economy strategy, but are quick to point out that their growing sector extends far beyond just game makers themselves.
Page 10: Australia is rapidly emerging as the world’s only Western democracy capable of shipping reliable supplies of lithium, cobalt and rare earth metals for countries making ambitious net zero carbon promises.
Page 15: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will maintain its current policies towards Taiwan and honour its alliance with the United States, when asked if Canberra would support the disputed island territory if it were invaded by China.
Page 17: National Australia Bank’s strict approach to customer loan deferrals has delivered a clearer picture of the amount of bad debt left over from the virus crisis, with NAB the first bank to reveal an uptick in overdue mortgages from customers that had been on deferral.
Page 20: Perth-based Austal is set to become a joint owner of strategically important shipyards on the edge of the flashpoint South China Sea, alongside a giant US private entity firm with strong ties to the Pentagon.
Page 21: JB Hi-Fi is seeking to reduce rent at underperforming stores and cut back-of-store costs as Australia’s largest consumer electronics retailer prepares for sales growth to slow following a COVID-19-fuelled spending spree.
Page 33: Rent collection by Scentre, the operator of Westfield centres and the country’s largest listed retail landlord, is back at pre-COVID-19 levels as foot traffic nears normal and its malls are close to fully leased.
The Australian
Page 1: ACTU secretary Sally McManus has put employers on notice that unions will make a concerted push for pay rises if the improving economy avoids more lockdowns, declaring frustrated workers would have a “strong appetite for wage increases”.
Page 3: Former attorney-general Christian Porter has sought to suppress parts of the ABC’s defence to his defamation action on the grounds it is scandalous or vexatious and an abuse of process.
Page 4: The recovery from the COVID-19 recession has sparked a new wave of entrepreneurship, with analysis of ASIC data by The Australian showing new company registrations in the year to April are running at more than 25 per cent above the seven-year average.
The Reserve Bank says expansionary monetary policy is pushing up house prices, hurting non-homeowners and raising concerns in parts of the community, but it will still keep interest rates ultra-low until 2024.
Page 13: A bidding war has broken out for Tabcorp’s wagering division and other units of the business, with the price of the combined assets set to surge above $4bn.
Page 14: Origin Energy’s new east coast gas deal with APA may have set off alarm bells for billionaire Andrew ‘‘Twiggy’’ Forrest.
Page 15: Free-to-air television and subscription streaming services will comfortably co-exist in the same industry for a long time to come, according to the local boss of Network Ten.
The West Australian
Page 8: Mask-wearing restrictions will ease from midnight tonight, with masks then only required on public transport and at big events.
The Federal Government is “considering” Premier Mark McGowan’s request to permanently halve WA’s international arrivals cap to 530 people a week after a spate of COVID outbreaks from hotel quarantine.
Page 9: The wife of Perth cricketer Jason Behrendorff says he only hopped on a plane to play in COVID-ravaged India’s rich Premier League competition because he was assured by Cricket Australia and other players that it was safe to go.
Page 14: Students at Curtin University have rejected plans to abandon face-to-face lectures and shift them online permanently.
Page 24: The chief executive of the WA Institute of Sport will not be involved in the investigation into allegations of alleged abuse of gymnasts amid perceived conflict of interest concerns.
Business: A Bunbury family set to pocket more than $100 million from the sale of one of the resources sector’s biggest bus companies says “a can do-attitude” has played a big part in its success.
A global credit rating agency has warned Australia’s economic recovery will be hampered if its COVID-19 vaccination rollout remains slow.
The skills crunch sweeping WA is about to worsen with the Federal Government taking a cautious approach to reopening international borders that will further delay recruitment of overseas workers.
Strike Energy’s plan to cash in on WA’s burgeoning fertiliser production industry with a $2.3 billion urea plant near Geraldton could pump up to $7.8b into the Mid West.