The search is on for the 2025 Best Places to Work.
ASX has best September quarter since 2013 amid worries it has peaked
More certainty of interest rate cuts and big economic stimulus sent the local sharemarket 6.5 per cent higher. But lower earnings growth is worrying investors.
- Exclusive
- Workplace disputes
Brookfield fired manager on maternity leave, kept replacement: lawsuit
Kelly Dyball, who the property giant featured in the media to boost its women-in-leadership profile, was made redundant while on maternity leave and replaced by the man hired to act in her job, a lawsuit alleges.
Income tax hits 25-year high in Chalmers’ surplus
The treasurer’s second budget in the black has been underwritten by the highest share of wages taxation since before the GST was introduced in 2000.
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Our fiscal strategy strikes the right balance
We are repairing the budget without hurting an already weak economy, putting people under more pressure or ignoring urgent and unavoidable spending, writes Jim Chalmers.
Why Queensland is a nightmare for political strategists
Queensland’s population surged by about 260,000 in the two years to the end of March, with more than 150,000 arriving from overseas and over 60,000 flocking from other states.
Palmer-proof election donations reform plan looms
Labor is close to finalising plans to overhaul Australia’s electoral laws, including new rules for real-time political donation disclosures.
Lending laws locking out home buyers: Bendigo bank
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rebuffed calls to ease mortgage lending laws after Coalition MPs and ANZ warned prospective home buyers were struggling to get finance.
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The hotly anticipated lists of who wields the most overt, covert and cultural clout in Australia.
Companies
Macquarie leads the pack in end-of-year mortgage scramble
Official figures show the financial services giant’s loan book rose at four times the pace of its big bank rivals in August.
Sumitomo Forestry to pay $115m for majority stake in Metricon
The home-builder deal is the latest by a Japanese property company looking to offset the effects of a shrinking population at home.
Perpetual faces investor backlash over bonuses with ‘no justification’
Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services, which had previously been supportive of the fund manager, is urging a vote against executive pay and board members.
Fonterra targets South-East Asia, keeps Aussie dairy arm for now
The burgeoning cafe and bakery scene across South-East Asia has boosted the milk giant’s appetite for the region.
Drifting former telco turned Austrian miner gets unstuck in Mongolia
Jade Gas has bounced around for three decades, and is trying its luck with coal seam gas in the ex-communist country. Could this be the ASX’s next gas giant?
Billionaire Bruce Gordon retires from WIN as succession questions loom
The future of billionaire Bruce Gordon’s expansive estate – regional broadcaster WIN, 25 per cent of Nine Entertainment, and countless properties – is anyone’s guess.
Minister was told ERA wouldn’t fight Jabiluka decision before it sued
Advisors to Resources Minister Madeleine King thought it “doubtful” Energy Resources of Australia would pursue legal action if she decided to cancel its mining permit.
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Markets
Iron ore rockets 10pc as ASX, China records tumble
The price of Australia’s key export soared above $US110 a tonne on Monday, extending a rally in mining stocks and lifting the sharemarket to a record.
ASX closes at all-time top, ends the quarter 6.5 higher
Shares reset record high; Synlait posts giant loss; Pacific Smiles rejects Genesis bid; AGL nabs new deal with Portland smelter; iron ore prices leap 7pc. Follow updates here.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
The ‘everything bubble’ is back. Here are five dangers to watch
Thanks to the Fed and China, markets are back at the levels reached during the 2021 frenzy. But it might not take much for investors to let a little air out.
Missed out on Nvidia and Ozempic? This fundie says it’s never too late
Northcape Capital’s Fleur Wright may have missed out in the early AI and GLP-1 investor frenzy, but she made other good calls that were perfectly timed.
- Opinion
- Sharemarket
The ASX’s ‘switch from hell’ has only just begun
The dominance of the banks over the miners in 2024 has been off the charts. But developments out of Beijing could be the catalyst for a final quarter comeback.
Opinion
Markets are on their best behaviour as the bulls take charge
The Fed is cutting interest rates and China’s policymakers are pumping its economy with money. Is there anything standing in the way of global sharemarkets?
Senior reporter
Why budget surplus is up, up, up
Jim Chalmers is claiming credit for delivering two budget surpluses in a row. He’s less keen to explain how much the high level of income tax helped.
Contributor
Chalmers isn’t a fair dinkum fiscal repairer like Keating and Walsh
It’s not unfair to look through Dr Chalmers’ two vanishing surpluses to the bigger budget picture: not enough has been done to tackle Australia’s long-term spending.
Editorial
Spending pressures make third surplus unlikely
The treasurer has delivered a solid second budget surplus of $15.8 billion on the back of booming income tax receipts, but future spending pressures are emerging.
Economics editor
Israel’s dream of a new Middle East order could become a nightmare
With its decapitation of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Israeli government hopes that it has finally seized the initiative in the battle with its regional enemies.
Columnist
No end to Australia’s love affair with solar
Rapidly declining solar feed-in tariffs could change the way Australian households manage their renewable energy. That is bound to be good for the grid.
Contributor
Reports
Technology - Valuation shift
This special report looks at shifting valuations for tech companies in public and private markets, plus how AI will change work.
Politics
Pro-Hezbollah protesters could evade punishment
The Albanese government is under pressure to take a hard line on supporters of Hezbollah following protest rallies at the weekend.
Why Queensland is a nightmare for political strategists
Queensland’s population surged by about 260,000 in the two years to the end of March, with more than 150,000 arriving from overseas and over 60,000 flocking from other states.
Misinformation laws could stymie public health debates: Coatsworth
The nation’s deputy chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic says Labor’s proposed crackdown on misinformation and disinformation goes too far.
- Exclusive
- Home loans
Own home becoming ‘just for rich’: Coalition weighs lending overhaul
Housing has become a key battleground for the major parties, as record prices and high interest rates combine to significantly reduce affordability.
Chalmers digs in on negative gearing advice
Treasurer Jim Chalmers again hedged when questioned if he had asked officials to model changes to tax concessions for property investors.
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World
Israel widens war as Iran vows to punish ‘criminal acts’
Dozens of Israeli planes hit targets in Houthi-controlled Yemen while also continuing to kill militant commanders in Lebanon.
Nasrallah’s funeral could coincide with IDF invasion
The Hezbollah leader’s funeral – like his speeches – is likely to garner considerable attention across the region and may be exploited by anti-Israeli forces.
US climate change targets threatened by tech energy surge from AI
The latest assessment puts the US trajectory even further from its national target to cut its emissions by 50-52 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels.
Israel strikes multiple fronts amid fears of regional war
Israel’s show of military force reached from Lebanon to the province of Hodeidah in Yemen, where IDF warplanes attacked power plants and shipping infrastructure.
How Israeli spies penetrated Hezbollah
The depth and quality of Israeli intelligence helped Netanyahu’s forces turn the tide against the Lebanese militant group.
Property
Riskiest real estate bonds are beating Nvidia’s returns
It’s a turnaround few could have predicted when landlords around the world were creaking under the weight of higher interest rates and changing work habits.
Di Pilla’s $50b funds dream inches closer with major mall deal
If it is finalised, the deal for a stake in the Sydney mall will be a fresh expansion of the rapidly evolving funds platform that went public five years ago.
Weak auction markets point to falling house prices
Auction clearance rates have fallen to their lowest level this year, suggesting buyers are worried there is little relief in sight from high interest rates.
Developers head to the regions to deliver housing
Many developers are seeing opportunities to build much-needed housing in regional areas experiencing strong population and economic growth.
The $620m makeover for Manly, Howard Smith wharves
Plans are afoot to transform the faded glory of waterside venues at Manly and in Brisbane to bustling tourist destinations. The locals have had their say, too.
Wealth
Financial advice for $88: Super funds launch low-cost tools
Superannuation funds have ramped up their financial advice offerings, but the type of advice they can provide remains limited.
Parents’ eye-watering education bills don’t end with school
Helping kids get started in life has arguably never been more expensive. Plan and save early, experts say. We’ve also found the most generous scholarships available.
- Exclusive
- Rich families
Rich Lister wealth secrets revealed after 30-year loophole ends
Two years after removing an exemption that allowed Australia’s richest families to keep details of their private companies secret, their financials are filtering through.
Technology
REA target Rightmove defiant in face of $12b fourth bid
REA Group chairman Hamish McLennan’s personal touch was not enough to get the deal, which was rejected on Monday, over the line.
- Exclusive
- Start-ups
Cannon-Brookes’ Startmate cybersecurity bet pays dividends
Startmate’s $35,000 stake in cybersecurity company Bugcrowd is now worth $2.1 million, delivering eye-popping returns for its billionaire backers.
Fast-growing OpenAI is burning through truck loads of cash
As the company looks for more outside investors, documents reveal consumer fascination with ChatGPT and a serious need for more money.
Work & Careers
- Exclusive
- CFMEU
CFMEU delegates investigated over ‘steeling’ claims
One of the union delegates under investigation for allegedly selling steel from a major government site is a former member of the infamous Bra Boys surf gang.
Qantas engineers strike goes national, targets peak-hour flights
Qantas engineers critical to aircraft maintenance will stop work at major airports around the country next week, threatening to disrupt peak-hour flights at the start of school holidays.
Life & Luxury
Unlimited ice baths and saunas: LA-style wellness lands here
Super Young’s most expensive membership package includes unlimited access to red light therapy, hyperbaric chambers and cryotherapy. All for $15,000 a year.
AFL grand final audience climbs to 4m
The clash between the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans was the most watched for the AFL since 2021.
This really was a discovery expedition
Helicopter flights from a ship exploring the Chilean Fjords revealed glaciers not previously charted.
Small ship, big adventures: Island-hopping in Portugal and Spain
This voyage aboard Windstar Star Pride included plenty of time ashore to explore volcanoes, deserts and tucked-away beaches.
- Drinks With Max Allen
- Japan
Heading to Hokkaido? The Nikka distillery is a must
When Masataka Taketsuru returned to Japan from Scotland a century ago he brought the expertise to make great whisky, a love of all things Caledonian and a wife.
