Victoria Business
Rebooting Collingwood workplace is a Commons goal
WHEN school friends Cliff Ho and Tom Ye left the comfort of being employees for self employment they realised the countless things they took for granted, writes Claire Heaney.
Hazelwood closure: Waste not and want not
MAKING electricity from rubbish or enabling waste to energy is normally a non-economic process in Australia. But because of Victoria’s unique circumstances, it just might be worthwhile.
Slater & Gordon faces backlash over bonuses
HOUSEHOLD shareholders will take on directors at troubled law firm Slater and Gordon after boardroom fees surged in the same year the company posted a $1 billion loss.
‘Bathroom test’ brings out the smiles
IT IS a simple test that every beauty product developed by Melbourne-based cosmetics company The Heat Group must pass.
You can’t always get what you quant
THEY don’t call it casino banking for nothing. Analysts at investment bank Macquarie had the market aflutter yesterday after naming their top picks for the Melbourne Cup.
Spring price surge curbs housing affordability
HOUSING affordability has picked up over the past year, a report has found, although a springtime burst of price growth threatens to again stretch household budgets.
Murray Goulburn cries sorry over spilt milk
MURRAY Goulburn has apologised to farmers caught by the dairy processor’s surprise cut to its farmgate milk price, and will review its board structure and the way prices are set.
Trials of the city’s ‘samurai of suits’
LIKE many business owners, Tony Wu battled with cash flow problems.
Exit state left
VICTORIA’S oil and gas sector is being reshaped, with Santos selling the last of its assets here as it works to simplify its business and lower debt.
RBA flags housing risk as glut fears grow
A DOWNTURN in property and China’s growing debt are the two biggest risks to Australia’s financial stability, according to the Reserve Bank.
Transurban trumpets hedge against rate rises
TRANSURBAN chairman Lindsay Maxsted says the group has a “natural hedge” against any rise in interest rates given its tolls escalate in line with inflation.
Recycler awakens a sleeper issue
A VICTORIAN recycling company has ramped up calls for councils to ban mattresses going to landfill as it today launches Australia’s first fully automated mattress recycling plant.
Jeweller changes tack and nails it
WHAT started as an experiment by Anna Ross to create nail polish to match her bespoke jewellery range quickly became her core business.
Shareholders give CSL a bloody nose
BIOTECHNOLOGY heavyweight CSL has vowed to more clearly explain how it rewards top brass after copping a historic first strike over its executive pay.
Port of Melbourne’s robo-dock
THE world watches as VICT prepares to launch its automated terminal, writes John Dagge.
Rise of Melbourne’s mighty West
MELBOURNE is like no other city on the Australian continent. It is flipping. The western suburbs are being uplifted by an almighty demographic shift, says Bernard Salt.
Getting back on Target
THE former head of struggling retailer Target, Launa Inman, believes stablemate Kmart has succeeded in recent years partly by elbowing its way into Target’s traditional market, especially on price.
Supplier sizes up Kiwi rival
THE company behind Burson Auto Parts and Autobarn has lined up its first international takeover target, launching a bid to buy a New Zealand counterpart for more than $300 million.
Pyjamas flying off airport shelves
PYJAMAS and boarding passes are proving a successful mix for Melbourne-based retail heavyweight Premier Investments.
Room to do business in CBD
THE growth of city apartment towers and subsequent decline in office space is encouraging small investors to put their money into strata offices.
Taking the law into your own hands
Bullying, old school tie connections and even verbal abuse has prompted a Melbourne lawyer to set up Australia’s first law firm franchise.
’Toxic’ honey claim leaves lasting sting
CAPILANO has taken out a gag order against a beekeeper who has accused the honey maker of selling “toxic” imported honey - a claim it vehemently denies.
Growth at every stretch
COTTON On Body’s Bryce Telley tells John Dagge why activewear is a trend that keeps getting bigger.
Merger more than skin deep
COSMETIC treatments group Australian Skin Clinics has merged with a Hairhouse Warehouse business to meet what it says is a growing appetite for beauty services from image-conscious consumers.
Gandel eyes life after charter
RETAIL property billionaire John Gandel is selling his near $500 million stake in the Charter Hall Group and its listed retail trust.
Unit glut comes under scrutiny
WESTPAC chief Brian Hartzer says the nation’s apartment glut has spurred the bank to scrutinise individual apartment towers before approving home loans.
Sinking teeth into gap in market
WHEN Michael and Michelle Aronson couldn’t find a pleasant tasting fluoride-free toothpaste for their daughter they created their own.
Port of Melbourne sale a win for all Victorians
THE State Government’s sale of the Port of Melbourne has turned out to be an extraordinarily good and value-creating deal, writes Terry McCrann.
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