Embrace foreign investment: Nufarm’s Rathbone
Nufarm managing director Doug Rathbone says farmers must embrace foreign investment to capture the benefits of a global food boom, which is fuelling greater interest in Australian assets.
Spotless IPO slated for 2014
Spotless Group could be returning to the stock exchange as early as 2014 in an initial public offering worth $1.5 billion to $2 billion.
KordaMentha looks to turn businesses around
KordaMentha might be associated with administrations and receiverships of failed companies but increasingly its focus is turning to fixing up businesses, rather than cutting them up.
Republicans push US government closer to shutdown
The US government has edged closer to a shutdown as Republicans in the House of Representatives promised to reject an emergency spending bill approved by the Senate and push instead for a one year delay of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law.
Shorten calls for probe into Brandis, Joyce expenses
Coalition front-benchers George Brandis and Barnaby Joyce must address allegations they claimed thousands of dollars in taxpayer entitlements for attending a wedding, Bill Shorten says.
Berlusconi party puts Italian government on brink
Government ministers in former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's political party have announced their intention to resign their posts, a move that increases the possibility of early Italian elections.
Government breaks silence on ‘abandoned’ asylum seekers
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has issued a statement on the sinking of an asylum seeker vessel in which at least 21 people are feared drowned, saying authorities received a call about the vessel on Friday morning.
Banks told to limit payout in case of crisis
The Reserve Bank of Australia has issued a blunt warning to banks to not aggressively increase dividend payouts as they get set to sign-off on record annual profits of more than $27 billion.
Turnbull’s pre-election NBN rhetoric not just talk
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has brought the challenges he will face in implementing his broadband vision into sharp focus, after most of the NBN Co board resigned at his request.
Collins Street’s capital creep tops $3 billion
A $3 billion tide of commercial property investment is rising along Collins Street, the biggest surge on Melbourne’s blue-chip business boulevard in two decades.
AFL chief Andrew Demetriou eyes tennis move
The country’s most powerful sports administrator, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, could soon be leaving our shores.
Climate right for solar smart set
A start-up with Australian links, Sungevity, hopes an innovative financing model and satellite imagery could transform solar power into a dominant source of electricity.
IPO market eyes record-breaking year
After years of pain, the initial public offerings market is on the brink of an extraordinary recovery. At least eight larger floats are expected this year and more will follow if the global sharemarket rally holds.
G8 Education in $60m raising
Child care centre operator G8 Education is seeking to raise $60 million through a placement at $3.10 per share.
Tattoo as art: the history and science of body design
It’s become almost de rigueur for celebrities and the youthful to sport ink – some even by classical painters.
Film | The Turning point
Tim Winton’s 17 linked stories make for ambitious cinema, albeit with a stellar cast, but it helps to read read the book first. Plus Linda Lovelace’s dirty secrets..
How to reinvent a business after a partner’s death
Anna Dimond started Palas jewellery with her sister Eran but dramatically reinvented the business following her sibling’s sudden death in 2007.
Ctrl+Alt+Del command a mistake: Bill Gates
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has admitted that instead of Ctrl+Alt+Del as a remedy for the ‘blue screen of death’, he would have preferred a single button.
Three reasons why PayPal paid $800m for Braintree
PayPal has agreed to buy Braintree Payments Solutions as it looks to expand further into mobile commerce.
Foxtel revamps executive finance roles
Foxtel chief executive Richard Freudenstein has announced a management restructure in preparation for departure of COO Peter Tonagh.
Jammed Singapore going underground
Land is running out in the city state, which means there is only one way to expand – down.
Oracle’s anniversary win of Auld Mug brings back memories of Australia II
Bob Hawke, Alan Bond and John Bertrand shared a podium with Auld Mug to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the team’s 1983 America’s Cup win.
Meet the hedge fund owner investing in design futures
Daniel Droga’s award-winning Sydney warehouse conversion set him on a quest to broaden the appreciation of architecture.
Which country is the drunkest? The laziest? The fattest? Check the Sindex
Foreign Policy magazine has produced a “sindex”, listing the countries with the worst records for sloth, gluttony, vanity and more – and you may be surprised by the results.
National
Shorten calls for probe into Brandis, Joyce expenses
Coalition front-benchers George Brandis and Barnaby Joyce must address allegations they claimed thousands of dollars in taxpayer entitlements for attending a wedding, Bill Shorten says.
- Government breaks silence on ‘abandoned’ asylum seekers
- Winery founder says Shiraz acidic and unsaleable
- New copper network deal likely to be ‘complex and risky’: NBN Co
- Gas price headache only just beginning
- Hunt claims vindication on carbon tax
- ‘Someone else’ gets to grips with debt limit
- Self-managed super funds want equal compo terms
- Footy fever as AFL grand final kicks off
- Ron Medich to stand trial for Michael McGurk’s murder
Pyne to return power to teachers
Maths, science and languages will be returned to the core of schooling as the Abbott government pursues a more orthodox approach to education.
Opinion
Plentiful gas in NSW, for those who can afford it
That NSW has a gas supply problem was the only thing the 150 high-level delegates could agree on at Thursday’s energy security summit.
Labor should support Israel
Editorial | An attempt by the head of the Islamic faith in Australia to influence senator selection in the Labor party by threatening the party’s vote in marginal Western Sydney seats is unacceptable.
Good policy cuts out the climate extremists
The latest IPCC report will not bridge the ideological divide on climate change so it is up to governments to find the sensible centre.
World
Republicans push US government closer to shutdown
The US government has edged closer to a shutdown as Republicans in the House of Representatives promised to reject an emergency spending bill approved by the Senate and push instead for a one year delay of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law.
- Berlusconi party puts Italian government on brink
- UN deal on chemical weapons a ‘milestone’
- Indonesia row bad for business: Elders CEO
- Swiss govt urges voters to reject cap on executive pay
- Interpol seeks 7/7 bomber’s widow after Kenya mall attack
- JPMorgan’s Dimon holds talks over potential settlement
- Japan auto parts makers plead guilty to US price fixing
- Fed will lose face if it starts tapering in October: Lacker
- Heat on ECB as bank loans to euro zone businesses fall again
China eyes Shanghai free trade zone to spur growth
Three decades after Deng Xiaoping’s experiments with capitalism in Shenzhen began lifting millions from poverty, his successors are applying the same strategy to a free trade zone in Shanghai.
Business
Embrace foreign investment: Nufarm’s Rathbone
Nufarm managing director Doug Rathbone says farmers must embrace foreign investment to capture the benefits of a global food boom, which is fuelling greater interest in Australian assets.
- Melco Crown to invest $US5bn in Japan
- Spotless IPO slated for 2014
- Banks told to limit payout in case of crisis
- Collins Street’s capital creep tops $3 billion
- Kathmandu scales new heights
- Queensland Motorways talks up Clem Jones purchase
- Forrest vacates chairman’s seat at Poseidon Nickel
- News Corp Australia appoints Pannuccio CFO
- IMI signs up former Boral chief Mark Selway
Technology
BlackBerry’s Heins, Fairfax’s Watsa and the $US55 million handshake
Months before Fairfax Financial Holdings Inc bid $US4.7 billion for BlackBerry Ltd , Fairfax boss Prem Watsa played a role in securing a golden parachute worth as much as $US55 million for the smartphone maker’s chief executive, according to company filings.
- Turnbull’s pre-election NBN rhetoric not just talk
- Google looks for talent in BlackBerry’s backyard
- France moves closer to fining Google over data privacy
- New copper network deal likely to be ‘complex and risky’: NBN Co
- Lack of telco competition stifles innovation: Hilmer
- ‘We will be a great company for years’: Microsoft’s Ballmer bids farewell
- Telstra says sorry to Kogan
- Ctrl+Alt+Del command a mistake: Bill Gates
- NBN board ‘struggled’, Quigley ‘not right’ for job: Schott
One Windows to Rule Them All
Microsoft’s dream of having a single version of Windows across smartphones, tablets and PCs takes a step closer to realisation.
Markets
Banks told to limit payout in case of crisis
The Reserve Bank of Australia has issued a blunt warning to banks to not aggressively increase dividend payouts as they get set to sign-off on record annual profits of more than $27 billion.
- Sharemarket close to sealing best quarter since 2009
- Wall St falls as government faces possible shutdown
- Fed doves preach for patience on tightening policy
- US dividend payouts set to continue
- Italy crisis taints quarter-end for European shares
- Gold holds 1pc gains on US fiscal uncertainty
- Property plays on bubble hype
- House price fears will prevent rate cut: Citi
IPO market eyes record-breaking year
After years of pain, the initial public offerings market is on the brink of an extraordinary recovery. At least eight larger floats are expected this year and more will follow if the global sharemarket rally holds.
Personal finance
New retirement village contracts will benefit buyers
All those buying into a retirement village in NSW after October 1 – and all their relatives and advisers – face new contracts and new inquiry documents that better protect the rights of residents.
- Let your heart be the guide in rug affairs
- Bassanese | Why DIY super is not for everyone
- How to reinvent a business after a partner’s death
- Doctor’s slide has investors worried
- Joye | Trading on volatility becomes a profitable niche
- Small cap bonds spark little revolution
- RBA won’t admit housing headaches: ex-official
- Genworth Financial’s $800m float faces delay
Super tax threat puts splitting back on agenda
The prospect of super funds paying tax could resurface after changes in 2007 made it a non-issue for retirees. Commentators believe it is a possibility, with the Coalition government giving no indication of rescinding a proposed Labor tax on the investment earnings of funds in pension mode.
Lifestyle
Hotel review | Sails in the Desert
If you ignore the jail chic exterior, Sails in the Desert is friendly and a luxurious place from which to view The Rock.
Short, wide and super chic
The best Jaguars have combined pace with a compliant ride, and the new F-Type puts the brand back where it should be.
Odyssey for the appetite
French cuisine takes on a beguiling Asian dimension at a handful of restaurants in Japan.
Rymill creates purist cabernets worth seeking out
Rymill Coonawarra has refined its winemaking and put the bad-smelling brettanomyce years behind it.
Latest TV
Warrnambool sour on Bega bid
Australia’s oldest milk processor, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory, has told shareholders to reject the takeover bid by Bega Cheese, but will it matter? More AFR TV
Market Minutes | QE, $A important?
Auscap’s Tim Carleton doesn’t fret over Fed decisions and the Australian dollar, though is happy to take advantage of a market that does. More AFR TV
SMSF bemused by RBA attention
The self-managed super fund industry may be surprised by the Reserve Bank’s concerns about property investment in the growing sector, but Sally Patten says the central bank is justified. More AFR TV
Bank weighs in on bubble
ANZ Australia chief Phil Chronican says that a US-style housing bubble could happen in Australia, and has echoed RBA concerns about investment property within self-managed super funds. More AFR TV
