Victoria Business
Screen king makes a video play
VILLAGE Roadshow co-founder Robert Kirby has taken a stake in Melbourne start-up Linius Technologies on the eve of its launch of a new video product.
Masters’ fire sale to create a flood
BUNNINGS chief John Gillam and former Woolworths chairman John Dahlsen say the $500 million Masters fire sale will put intense pressure on a swath of Australian retail.
Wheels turning for fresh trends
IF starting a business is all about meeting unmet needs, then Mr Burger’s Dehne Bingham has managed to kill two birds with one stone.
Broo brewery bound for bourse
SORRENTO brewer Broo is hoping to raise $15 million in an initial public offering aimed at expanding its reach into the blossoming Chinese market.
$2m for ex-Murray Goulburn boss
THE former managing director of Murray Goulburn pocketed $2 million in his final 10 months, during which he issued deep cuts to the milk price paid to farmers.
Skating towards the future
A START-up trialling anti-cheating software for universities and another building an all-terrain electric skateboard have been awarded more than $500,000 to help commercialise their products.
How to teach dogs new tricks
FINDING his job in a life insurance claims department unrewarding, Tim Watson was pondering other opportunities.
Branches pruned as ANZ cuts costs
ANZ now has the smallest network of branches among the major banks after shutting scores of outlets over the past year, industry figures reveal.
Final nail seals Masters’ fate
WOOLWORTHS has drawn a line under its failed Masters experiment and will close all stores before Christmas after agreeing to sell its hardware division for $1.5 billion.
Interesting moment in time
THE death of Masters was announced by Woolworths yesterday on the very same day in August, on which 22 years ago Bunnings opened its first warehouse store in the eastern states, in Melbourne.
Unemployment rate falls but part-time jobs on the rise
ANOTHER healthy injection of jobs across Australia could be enough to satisfy the Reserve Bank but won’t mask a worrying slowdown in fulltime hiring, economists say.
CSL backs acquisition despite posting loss
CSL chief Paul Perreault says the road to recovery for the group’s Novartis flu shot acquisition will be bumpy but the turnaround is on track.
Moody’s: We’re still in triple-A club
THE Federal Government’s herculean Budget repair job has received a significant boost after Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its triple-A credit rating on Australia and maintained its stable outlook.
JB roars up charts on Dick’s demise
JB Hi-Fi shares have hit a fresh record high as the electronics and whitegoods retailer cashes in on the downfall of rival chain Dick Smith.
Stevedore in plea for intervention
VICTORIA’S newest stevedore says it is competing on an uneven playing field and the state treasurer needs to intervene and approve changes it wants at the Port of Melbourne.
ATO rises to phoenix challenge
THE tax office has made surprise visits to 13 business and residential sites involved with “phoenix companies” — believed mostly to be labour hire firms — across Victoria and Queensland.
Future sparkles for Michael Hill
ART influences almost every aspect of jewellery designer Sir Michael Hill’s life.
Tollway chief in express lane
TRANSURBAN chief Scott Charlton has collected a hefty $6.3 million in pay and perks after steering the tollway operator back into the black.
Southgate sold for $578m
MELBOURNE’S Southgate shopping and office complex has been sold to one of Asia’s biggest property trusts for a bullish $578 million.
Food Revolution’s pull of Gravity
HEALTH drink maker The Food Revolution Group will lease part of its plant at Mill Park, in Melbourne’s north, to a Singaporean company.
Bendigo in a bind
BENDIGO and Adelaide Bank has blamed historically low interest rates for a shrinking profit margin as lenders juggle the competing interests of customers.
DJs sees tough times for newbies
DAVID Jones chairman Ian Moir says the foreign fashion invasion is beginning to slow and not all who have made their way to our shores will survive.
DJs move south is ‘a no-brainer’
DAVID Jones chairman Ian Moir says Melbourne’s status as the nation’s fashion capital and deep retail talent pool make it a “no brainer” to house its new corporate headquarters.
On your bikes over Games ban
SMALL businesses backing Olympic hopefuls will have to put their celebrations on ice if the athletes win medals, due to advertising blackouts.
Welcome to the family
MELBOURNE’S prominent Myer family has installed a new chief at its private investment arm.
The next life of pie
A BOLD new era beckons for some of our best known food brands, writes Ian Royall.
Retail in the gun, report warns
A REPORT predicts a grim future for seven major Australian retailers, warning they face an “extreme risk” of financial collapse in the coming year.
Myer ushers in store of the future
MYER chief Richard Umbers says the road to recovery for the nation’s biggest department store chain will not be easy but there are clear signs it is on the right track.
BHP’s Samarco bill blows $3 billion hole
BHP Billiton’s damage bill for the Samarco mine disaster has topped $3 billion after the mining heavyweight revealed it was taking a colossal charge to cover rehabilitation costs.
