- Graphic Content
- Australia's China challenge
Morrison plea for China reset after 'repugnant' tweet
Scott Morrison has called for a reset in Australia-China relations after China's Foreign Ministry posted a fake image of an Australian soldier cutting the throat of a young boy.
- Live
- Markets Live
ASX to slip; Santos lifts guidance; GPT inks $584m sale
The ASX is poised to begin December weaker; Aussie dollar slips on month-end rebalancing; Kogan.com founder and CFO hit options payday; RBA rate decision ahead. Follow updates here.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Freedom Foods' accounting scandal is a shocker
As the legendary business columnist Pierpont would say, finance journalism owes Freedom Foods and commerce students a huge debt.
No new cases in Victoria; Qld finally opens the border
Victoria has reported no new cases or deaths today; the Queensland border has opened to Sydneysiders; Labor claims the Morrison goverment has failed Aussies overseas. Follow updates here.
Qatar moves to shut down $300m lamb trade
Qatar has abruptly ended a subsidy that underpinned the lamb trade with Australia for years - a move that some see as retaliation for protests over strip searches of Australian women.
- Exclusive
- Fintech
'Responsible' buy now, pay later rival fires shots at Afterpay
High-performing fintech stock Douugh says point of sale buy now, pay later services are 'a race to the bottom', as it exits a trading halt to launch its own entry into the sector following a $12 million raising.
- Live
- US votes 2020
Economic outlook 'extraordinarily uncertain': Powell
Joe Biden has named who will be the key members of his economic team; Janet Yellen joins Twitter; Arizona certifies results, and Biden's narrow victory. Follow developments here.
Companies
Santos upgrades 2020 guidance
Santos has lifted its guidance for production this year and lowered estimates on production costs thanks to strong operating performance and the delivery of cost cuts.
Freedom Foods reveals $591.5m cost of accounting scandal
External auditor Deloitte says it found significant deficiencies in the fast-growing company's accounts as the troubled manufacturer revealed a near $175 million loss for the 2020 financial year.
- Exclusive
- Hayne fallout
Hagger eyes hydrogen as Hayne heat fades
Former NAB executive Andrew Hagger credits his boss, mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, for aiding his personal and professional recovery from the 'searing heat' of the Hayne royal commission.
Penfolds' pivot away from China will take years
The boss of liquor chain Dan Murphy's says there's appetite for more Penfolds Grange and other luxury drops by customers in Australia, but a natural limit.
Woolworths, Aldi appoint independent arbiters under food code changes
The appointment of independent arbiters in disputes over supplies was one of the key recommendations of a review of the food and grocery code of conduct.
Santos fast-tracks net zero emissions goal
Santos has brought foward its net-zero goal for emissions by a decade, putting it ahead of peers on climate commitments by Australian oil and gas producers.
Power barons pocket $62m, slash Vales Point value
Trevor St Baker and Brian Flannery have slashed the value of the Vales Point power station by almost half despite posting a profit and pocketing a $62m dividend.
Markets
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
The two big winners from COVID-19 capital raisings
Bankers and fund managers did very nicely out of capital raisings during the pandemic. Retail investors were left to bear the brunt of the dilution created.
- Analysis
- Australia's China challenge
China's hardball tactics a minefield for investors
China is flexing its economic muscle and cares little if Australia gets hurt. There will be life after China – just not as profitable.
What happened on the markets overnight
Australian shares are set for a modest decline at the open, amid overseas weakness. Spot price of iron ore tops $US131 a tonne. RBA policy decision ahead.
A month to remember for global stocks as records tumble
The mammoth month for shareholders delivered a 10 per cent rise for the ASX 200, with another boost from the earnings upside on offer if the grand stimulus plan works its magic.
Hospitality rebound gives fuel to recession recovery
Profits, wages and inventories all point to a strong GDP figure on Wednesday.
Opinion
Beijing trolls towards uncertain end game
The only reason Beijing's chief Twitter troll, Lijian Zhao, knew about the alleged SAS war crimes is because they were exposed initially by a free media – something Beijing opposes.
Political editor
China's aggressive diplomacy-by-tweet against Australia
Tensions have now turned into a bare-knuckle brawl between China and Australia. How much worse can it get? Or will China's insulting tweet end up making its approach even less acceptable to other countries?
Columnist
China's weasel words on accountability
Beijing's calls for Australia to be held accountable merely demonstrate its poor understanding of the concept.
Editorial
Critics of Australia's China policy don't have much to offer
Rebuild 'trust'. Appease Beijing. Spurn our allies. There is some pretty poor advice being given on how the Morrison government should deal with an assertive China.
Columnist
Labor silent on Kathy Jackson's fall from grace
Following her conviction last week for stealing money from the mostly low-paid HSU members, Kathy Jackson is now just as big a crook as those she exposed.
Editorial
One tax reform Labor must back
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has put a good but politically risky reform on the table. Labor should make sure that he sticks to it.
Contributor
Politics
Inquiry urges expansion of backpacker visa plan
A parliamentary committee on migration has unanimously recommended the Morrison government expand a visa program to allow more people from a wider pool of countries.
China an 'exporter of human rights violations': watchdogs
Free nations and human rights watchdogs have long criticised China's abuses and growing repression under Xi Jingping.
Recovery will save $6b in JobKeeper payments in December quarter
Fresh numbers point to the government saving around $6 billion in the December quarter alone on its JobKeeper program.
PM vetoes plan to strip award from 3000 soldiers
The Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, says no decision has been made about revoking an award given to thousands of special forces soldiers, despite initial commitment to do so.
Australia to help develop hypersonic missiles
An agreement has been signed with the US to co-operate on developing missiles that can fly at five times the speed of sound and sink an aircraft carrier.
SPONSORED
World
Britain teams up with Japan's NEC to bypass Huawei
The British government is looking to back rival 5G providers, as it tries to ensure a Huawei ban doesn't leave it stuck with only Nokia and Ericsson.
Nuclear scientist killed with remote-control machine gun, Iran says
Iran has accused Israel of using satellite-operated weapons to murder one of the Islamic Republic's top military nuclear scientists.
EU pitches new post-Trump alliance with US in face of China challenge
Brussels' draft plan seeks to rebuild ties with common fronts on tech, COVID-19 and democratic interests.
Jill Biden's bikini prank to keep Joe from running
The incoming first lady had an unusual ploy the one time she didn't support her husband's presidential run; Joe Biden has named an all-women communications team. Fact-check Donald Trump's latest claims. Follow updates here.
China's factory activity expands at fastest pace since 2017
Upbeat data suggests the world's second-largest economy is on track to be the first to completely shake off the drag from widespread industry shutdowns.
Property
- Exclusive
- Hotels
Hotel developers look to recovery as Sydney tower gets green light
Construction of the 304-room hotel on Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD's Midtown precinct will begin in the second half of 2021 and be completed in 2023.
Mulpha launches $100m refresh at InterCon Sydney
The InterCon is one of a trio of hospitality assets Mulpha holds, including the Sanctuary Cove resort and the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort in Queensland.
Millennial buys home in online auction for close to $1m
Even though Melbourne's lockdown restrictions have eased, the agent kept the Richmond house auction online only because it suited his target market.
Top end underbidders left 'wounded' as Toorak fires up with $22m sale
Among the top end results in Melbourne, a historic Toorak mansion sold for well above its selling price range of $18.5m to $20.35m.
Mehajer wedding mansion sells for $7.2m as auctions boom
Nearly three-quarters of the more than 2000 homes that went to auction around the country this weekend sold, including a Sydney mansion.
Wealth
- Opinion
- Superannuation
What to do when SMSF income investing goes wrong
Some guaranteed income or fixed-interest style investments have caused SMSFs to forgo income because the underlying assets are impaired.
- Opinion
- Investing
Powerful bounce in sight for global economy
A vaccine should allow GDP in the US to exceed pre-pandemic readings by the end of next year but Australian growth won't be quite as strong, says Nathan Sheets at PGIM.
Bank of mum and dad may shut for Millennial first home buyers
Millennials expecting their parents to help them crack the property market might be in for an unpleasant surprise, according to Canstar's fourth annual Consumer Pulse Report.
Technology
- Exclusive
- Venture capital
OneVentures closes first instalment of new $200 million VC fund
OneVentures now has $500 million under management, after closing the first $75 million tranche of its fifth venture capital fund.
ACCC asks industry if Google's Fitbit acquisition plan will work
The ACCC wants relevant stakeholders to share views on whether Google's proposal to allow it to buy the fitness tech company is good enough.
- Exclusive
- Funding
Aconex founders back $6m construction tech start-up round
Buildxact sells software that lets builders provide quote estimates and manage their jobs. It raised capital after surprisingly growing during the pandemic.
Work & Careers
Bigger classes would mean more money for teachers
The Centre for Independent Studies has outlined a series of radical reforms to improve teaching.
Deloitte bid to stop Rio Tinto dragged into retirement case
Deloitte is trying to stop senior executives from its major client Rio Tinto being dragged into a court challenge against its alleged policy that partners retire at 62.
Life & Luxury
What it's like to spend Christmas at a five-star hotel
It's been a tough year for hotels. But despite COVID-19, these grand dames will still be ready for Santa on Christmas Day.
How foodies plan to celebrate this Christmas
The hospitality industry has suffered many blows this year, so how will people from across the industry let their hair down for the festive season?
The luxury e-commerce wars heat up
The luxury fashion industry's online space is an unmapped territory, within sight of many brands shying away from Amazon in the West and Alibaba in the East.
Our pick of luxe bespoke Christmas gifts
You could find something off the shelf, or you could make just the tiniest bit more effort and find something that is truly theirs.
MONA founder David Walsh says the museum is 'my hotted-up Torana'
As someone famously obsessed with sex and death, it makes sense that the iconoclastic art patron sees his famous Hobart museum as a tool to help him 'bang above his weight'.
