August 2023
I wouldn’t have sold CBA, Albanese says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a former Commonwealth Bank employee, says keeping the bank in public hands could have been better for customers.
- Andrew Tillett and Lois Maskiell
July 2023
Thames Water back from the brink after investors pump in $1.45b
The £750 million of equity Thames Water will receive between now and April 2025 is less than the £1 billion it had said it needed last year.
- Sarah Young
- Opinion
- Opinion
Britain’s water industry is drowning in dysfunction
This is a simple story. Companies loaded up on debt to juice returns during a period of abnormally low financing costs, then got squeezed when inflation surged.
- Matthew Brooker
June 2023
UK in emergency plan to nationalise water supplier
Government ministers are on standby to intervene in the debt-laden business, amid questions over the future of the privatised sector.
- Sarah Young
- Opinion
- World markets
Thames Water is a disaster zone and a reckoning is overdue
Under Macquarie’s stewardship, the company was plied with £10.6 billion of debt, and its shareholders extracted nearly £3 billion in dividends.
- Ben Marlow
Super funds ‘unquestionably open’ to taking over more companies
Fund CIOs say private assets offer diversification and performance benefits, amid predictions the ASX is on track to shrink for the first time since 2005.
- Hannah Wootton
May 2023
Minns pursues anti-privatisation agenda
Six weeks after Labor claimed victory in the NSW election, Premier Chris Minns is moving to keep Sydney Water and Hunter Water in public hands.
- Samantha Hutchinson
March 2023
Unions ready NSW wage push
Within hours of Labor claiming victory over the Liberals, Unions NSW called the change an opportunity “to restart how we do industrial relations” in the state.
- Samantha Hutchinson
- Exclusive
- Energy transition
Transition to renewables will be much harder than people think: Broad
The former boss of Snowy 2.0 describes the energy market intervention as ‘madness’ and says consumers are paying the price for past mistakes on industry structure.
- Updated
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Baird: Voters hate sell-offs, but they love the rewards
The former premier, who steered a NSW privatisation agenda, says political leaders should keep an open mind on asset recycling in the next term
- Samantha Hutchinson
February 2023
Cost of living dominates a fiery NSW leaders’ debate
Labor leader Chris Minns attacked the government over asset recycling, and Premier Dominic Perrottet hit out at his opposition’s economic credentials.
- Samantha Hutchinson
December 2022
The spectre of future write-downs make the NBN a tough sell
Investment bankers who typically welcome the chance to sell government-owned assets are concerned the NBN could be re-evaluated as costs soar.
- Aaron Weinman
November 2022
‘Coal is declining’: Newcastle port gets closer to containers
The port will start building a container terminal as soon as possible after the NSW parliament agreed to scrap “outrageous” fees designed to crimp competition.
- Jenny Wiggins
August 2022
- Opinion
- Opinion
Why ‘privatisation’ should not be a dirty word for the NBN
The Albanese government is mistakenly moving away from selling public assets, by setting up $50 billion of funds to shower taxpayer money on special interests.
- John Kehoe
July 2022
VicRoads partially privatised for $7.9b
VicRoads will be partly privatised for four decades in a bid to generate $7.9 billion for the state.
- Tara Cosoleto
June 2022
- Exclusive
- Superannuation
IFM boss says US behind the times on privatisation
Chief executive David Neal says it takes a long time to change social attitudes towards privatisation in the US.
- Matthew Cranston
November 2021
Hockey says sell as NSW mulls privatising more assets
Former federal treasurer Joe Hockey says Canberra does not need to offer fresh incentives for privatising state assets.
- Finbar O'Mallon
September 2021
NBN Co outlines multi-year privatisation path to bond investors
If NBN Co’s pitch to US bond markets on Tuesday made anything clear, it’s that it has a defined - albeit lengthy - pathway to privatisation.
- Anthony Macdonald, Yolanda Redrup and Kanika Sood
Industry super eyes $1.8 billion motor registry opportunity
Industry and infrastructure funds are expected to partner with major tech firms eager to win a long-term joint venture to modernise Victoria’s $1.8 billion motor registry system.
- Tom Burton
July 2021
‘Cash cow’ privatisations need public reviews, says Rod Sims
The ACCC chairman wants public reviews of privatisation proposals before assets are sold off to stop consumers being hit with higher prices.
- Jenny Wiggins