Optus seeks injunction against AFL
Optus will take on the AFL in the Federal Court on Thursday afternoon, in an attempt to gag its chief Andrew Demetriou from publicly accusing the telco of illegal practices.
ACT opposition staff to face audit
The ACT opposition leader's staff will be audited after allegations of irregular timesheets and payments for time they were not working for the parliament.
Lennons company convicted in past
A trucking company trading as Lennons Transport was among three firms convicted and fined thousands of dollars over numerous offences involving their vehicles.
Punters put big money on Gillard
The odds of Julia Gillard remaining prime minister after Monday's Labor leadership ballot have shrunk to just $1.15, Sportingbet Australia says.
Bligh silent on Rudd's chances
The Queensland Premier is refusing to say if Kevin Rudd will win federal Labor's leadership war after he dragged his "good friend" into the dispute.
About 300 nurses to walk out in Melbourne
Updated | About 300 nurses will walk off the job in Melbourne on Friday if the Victorian government does not agree to have the industrial umpire settle a pay and conditions battle, the union says.
Timeline | PMs kicked out of office
When Kevin Rudd left the prime ministership in 2010, he was far from the first Australian PM to be kicked out of his job.
Pokies war spills into leadership fight
Clubs Australia says supporters of Kevin Rudd last year encouraged it to continue its campaign against the Gillard government’s proposed crackdown on poker machines.
Orica labelled 'inadequate' over leak
Chemical giant Orica's handling of a chemical leak from its Newcastle plant has been described as "grossly inadequate" in a scathing report by a NSW upper house inquiry.
RBA sees no US-style housing meltdown
Australian homeowners should get used to periods of falling house prices but the country’s not headed for a US-style property market meltdown, senior RBA official Luci Ellis says.
Sony’s Vita faces smartphone battle
Technology giant Sony will today launch its handheld video game device, the PlayStation Vita. But analysts warn the device will struggle against popular smartphones games such as Angry Birds.
Rudd best to take on Abbott: Ferguson
Updated | The Labor leadership battle is increasingly polarising the cabinet, with Resources Minister Martin Ferguson joining other ministers lining up behind Kevin Rudd, declaring him the best person to take on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott at the next election.
- In quotes | Politicians take sides
- Labor’s leadership war goes to Twitter
- Punters put big money on Gillard
- Bligh silent on Rudd's chances
- Timeline | PMs kicked out of office
- ‘Saviour’ Rudd’s pitch for power
- Pokies war spills into leadership fight
- Labor tears itself apart
- Opinion | Revenge-fuelled and clinging to Kevin ’07
- Tingle | The People’s Prince rides once again
- Opinion | You want Rudd back? Why?
- Editorial | Time to end the uncertainty
- Kitney | Electoral reality hits Gillard hard
Cartoon gallery | Rod Clement
News, business and politics through the eyes of Financial Review cartoonist Rod Clement.
Mission into Asia: Emerson’s trade crusade
It was no surprise to anyone that one of the first cabinet ministers to come out fighting in defence of Julia Gillard’s leadership was Trade Minister Craig Emerson.
Do or die: Labor sets surplus in stone
Treasurer Wayne Swan went into the House of Reps at 10am yesterday to give Parliament an update on the global economy.
Gonski: beyond the spin
Christopher Pyne is right when he says the highest priorities in education are teaching, curriculums and more independent school management.
Hard lessons in quality teaching
The education challenge has shifted to quality of teaching, not quantity of funding, just days before the Gonski report is due.
Economy
RBA sees no US-style housing meltdown
Australian homeowners should get used to periods of falling house prices but the country’s not headed for a US-style property market meltdown, senior RBA official Luci Ellis says.
Mission into Asia: Emerson’s trade crusade
It was no surprise to anyone that one of the first cabinet ministers to come out fighting in defence of Julia Gillard’s leadership was Trade Minister Craig Emerson.
Politics
ACT opposition staff to face audit
The ACT opposition leader's staff will be audited after allegations of irregular timesheets and payments for time they were not working for the parliament.
In quotes | Politicians take sides
Politicians and economists give their take on Monday’s leadership ballot.
Education
End the reform inertia
The hardest thing to achieve in politics is system-wide change. Too often legislative measures presented as significant reforms achieve little.
Gonski disappoints on funding argument
The Gonski report on the Review of School Funding suggests a school resource standard be set by using the performance of high performing schools to determine future government funding levels.
Legal Affairs
Lawyers cash in on Canberra
A quick look at federal government tenders won by law firms in the past six months gives a window into the sorts of plum contracts national firms can win.
Floated firms cast lawyers adrift
For a senior lawyer at a firm which had floated, the prospect of ultimate ownership will have been extinguished, replaced by a salary, forever.
Workspace
Special touches help a workplace snap, crackle and pop
Whether it’s unchaining workers from their desks of creating offices staff never want to leave, different organisations have different priorities when it comes to creating workplaces of the future.
The problem with personality tests
The workplace search for consistent personality traits has been strikingly unsuccessful.
Arts & Saleroom
Arts briefs
Thirty investors ploughed $3.75 million into the Art and Investment Trust before its trustee was put into voluntary administration in December. But according to the administrators, the book value of the artworks in the trust is only $2.55 million.
Rural fair medals are prized buys
The National Museum of Australia has been a big buyer of medals – those given as prizes at rural fairs.
Government Business
PPPs can still be a perfect infrastructure match
The shrill response of some commentators to PPPs has revived a debate about the proper role of the private sector in delivering Australia’s infrastructure backlog.
PPP model needs better approach to risk sharing
Editorial | A major factor in failures in infrastructure involving private sector parties, including Sydney’s Lane Cove Tunnel, Cross City Tunnel, and Brisbane’s Rivercity Motorway, remains government greed.
Professional Services
Day’s work isn’t what it used to be
Greater workplace flexibility was not only about improving company performance, it was also about giving employees what they wanted, says Westpac boss Gail Kelly.
LinkedIn has ‘aggressive’ growth plan
Professional networking site LinkedIn plans a big push in 2012 to expand the tools it is offering business searching for the right employment candidate.
