Archived News for Finance Sector Professionals

Tap-and-go credit cards are convenient for consumers, but Victorian police say they are also convenient for thieves.

Hunter looks for game outside old oil

Investment fund Hunter Hall is ending its relationships with fossil fuel companies.

Levy mix change means less overall

New details show the financial services industry will pay $30 million less for regulation, with the release of the Federal Government’s levies to be charged to regulators.

Millions of jobs and trillions of dollars in open trade, BHP says

The chief of one of the world’s biggest mining firms says protectionist trade barriers set up to weather the storm of the GFC are no longer necessary.

Forethought on big council cut questioned

Department officials have been asked to to explain how a $1 billion cut to increases in council payments will affect regional Australia, and some are less-than-happy with the answer.

Post to stay public, as will submarines

The Finance Minister says Australia Post will not be privatised.

Round two in legal rates rights fight

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has lodged its appeal against a Supreme Court decision on the way councils can charge rates.

Slashing starts as toll taken on Tax

Four Australian Taxation Offices (ATOs) in Queensland will close, as the Federal Government winds down all regional tax centres.

Liberal slams CSIRO cuts for lack of federal understanding

Despite efforts to avoid it, millions of dollars in budget cuts will force CSIRO to close down several sites for world-leading research.

Sites on the line as coal bosses look at rough patch

Coal giants say the Australian industry is being squeezed to its limit by high taxes and strong local dollar.

Advice game-changer leaves next play unclear

Some authorities say the federal government's plan to diminish financial advice laws will cost half a billion dollars a year for consumers.

Past poisons big builder's figures, with possible billions to pay

Building products giant James Hardie may have doubled its revenue this year, but the company’s toxic past keeps knocking numbers down.

Anger over reforms allowing deeper dodginess

There is very little support around for Queensland Premier Campbell Newman’s latest legal moves, which critics say are designed to spare his government the embarrassment hitting the LNP in New South Wales.

Bond rights given to local government for new Chinese trial

China has given its local governments a small power boost, letting them sell and repay their own bonds for the first time.

Hope held for turnaround on states' missing billions

The architect of Australia’s significant education funding reforms has lamented their deterioration, just a few years after being put in place.

Value found in good government buying

As the tough federal budget continues to take a bashing, a new report may show how government businesses can find some more room to move.

Big fund risks missing goal from limited view

Some leading figures in the Australian research community say the $20 billion “medical research future fund” is a good idea, but will not work unless the policy-makers start listening to scientists.

Confused figures widen concern over NBN

The Communications Minister has been caught contradicting his own department’s figures in his attempt to spruik the Coalition’s NBN model.

Leighton leaks millions over misleading and management

An expensive few days at Leighton Holdings, as the engineering and construction giant pays out a $70 million class action and gives a $23 million golden handshake to two departing executives.

Uncertainty could keep green power dollars down

Analysts say the future of renewable energy investment in Australia is looking rough.

Federal fee shift to see reduced students paying more

Higher education changes mean students will now have to pay interest on their HELP loans, start repayments at a lower wage, and universities have had their cap on tuition fees lifted.