RBA could be last to cut rates
The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to be the last major central bank to start cutting interest rates and economists predict the cash rate will remain on hold at least until November. The Fin
East coast buyers bet on AUKUS jobs, powering a Perth property boom
Perth is suddenly the country’s hottest property market as interstate and overseas migrants converge with east coast investors flooding the city betting that major defence contracts will boost rents and returns. The Fin
Sims queries viability of solar panel industry
One of Australia’s top green energy superpower advocates says it is unclear whether the nation has a comparative advantage in the solar panel industry that the Albanese government is propping up with $1 billion of support, including in regions facing the likely loss of thousands of coal-power station workers, some earning up to $170,000. The Fin
Ex-judges demand tax break on super
Several retired judges are demanding Labor exempt their lucrative judicial pensions from its plan to increase taxes on big superannuation accounts, saying their inclusion could be unconstitutional and treats them ‘‘more harshly’’ than other retirees. The Fin
ALP three’s migration law alarm
Three Labor senators have joined with Liberal and Green MPs to unveil an extensive list of concerns with the federal government’s emergency migration laws. The Aus
‘News a solution to Meta scourge’: Sims
The Albanese government should consider forcing Meta and other social media giants to host news content on their platforms to help combat misinformation, a former competition watchdog chair says. The Aus
‘Autism-friendly society’ plan
Employers will be incentivised to recruit autistic workers, companies pushed to include people with autism on boards and in senior management, under a national strategy unveiled by the federal government. The Aus
Lithium dip not all bad
The owners of the rich Greenbushes lithium mine have pocketed more than $6 billion in dividends after posting one of the biggest profits recorded in WA by a privately owned company. The West
The Australian Financial Review
Page 3: Almost one in three jobs created over the past year was in an industry servicing the ballooning National Disability Insurance Scheme, according to new research highlighting the scale of the challenge Labor faces trying to rein in the program.
Page 5: BHP’s top economist says Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ideological grip over state-owned enterprises risks damaging the Asian superpower and could exacerbate its decline in the second half of this century.
Page 7: Superannuation funds that nominate a director to the board of a company may fail in their efforts to change the organisation’s strategy and could lose flexibility to manage their investment, leading chairmen caution.
Page 9: Flights around the country could grind to a halt as aviation firefighters strike in protest over understaffing after safety documents revealed major airports could be at ‘‘extreme risk’’ from the lack of firefighting resources.
Page 9: Consumers who want ‘‘Australian made’’ solar panels will pay an extra $1,500 on a typical 6.6-kilowatt system, a premium of about a fifth over the $7,000 price of one the same size that uses higher-quality Chinese panels with a 25-year warranty.
Page 10: The powerful US audit watchdog has fined PwC Australia $US600,000 ($921,000) for failing to disclose it was being investigated by the Tax Practitioners Board for more than a year, in the latest fallout to hit the firm over its tax leaks scandal.
Page 14: Neoen has appointed Bank of America to sell 30 per cent of the French renewables group’s Australian business, raising funds that would accelerate the expansion of what is already the country’s biggest developer of wind, solar and storage plants.
Page 19: Cargill and CBH Group are working together on plans for a large-scale oilseed crushing plant south of Perth as they look to cash in on growing demand for biofuels.
Page 32: Home values climbed to a fresh peak nationwide, after lifting by 0.6 per cent in March, taking the upswing to its 14th consecutive month of growth, fuelled by sharp gains across Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, data from CoreLogic shows.
Page 34: Adam Neumann and several partners submitted an offer to buy WeWork out of bankruptcy for more than $US500 million, equivalent to $A766 million, putting one of the tech world’s most controversial founders a step closer to regaining control of his long-troubled start-up.
The Australian
Page 4: Doubts have emerged over whether the Liberals are serious about examining policy options to break up the big supermarkets, as National MPs concede they had little confidence.
Page 5: Private health funds are being accused of having increased the administration fees charged to consumers by nearly 30 per cent since 2017, with spiralling health management expenses driving up the cost of insurance premiums.
Page 6: An anti-doxxing crackdown including a potential for exemplary damages, online take-down orders and a tort of harassment have been backed in a submission to the federal government.
Page 13: The economy is in the middle of a “perfect storm” with insolvencies rising to an almost decade high last month as businesses struggle with crushing debt and lack of cash.
Page 13: The nation’s $100 billion private equity industry is getting squeezed between a growing need to return capital to investors and a looming glut of mature portfolio companies, creating a need for cash that could trigger a revival in asset sales.
The West Australian
Page 4: Business leaders are warning the Federal Government it isn’t listening to industry or the voters after poll numbers showed support for Labor in WA was dwindling.
Page 5: Perth’s property market has enjoyed such a strong year that the city is on the verge of no longer being the most affordable state capital.
Page 7: Australia’s lowest-paid workers should get a “fair and sustainable” pay rise but the level must be set at a rate that takes into account the impact on businesses that have to pay it, the state government has argued.
Page 17: The rescue bid to save the Perth Glory from collapse cost just $1 upfront, the Supreme Court has been told.
Page 17: WA’s biggest public infrastructure project could finally be near take-off after 3.5 years of frustrating negotiations with Federal environment regulators that have delayed construction.
Page 18: The boss of Perth biotech PharmAust says it could offer hope to the hundreds of thousands of patients with motor neurone disease and ALS using a repurposed veterinary drug approved for sheep drench.
