Tag Archives: Australia

As the sun set in Canberra today, another Shakespearean-worthy political plot was thickening. Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s colleagues in his Liberal Party rallied around a former Goldman Sachs banker and the member of parliament from Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull. Members caucused and voted 54-44 to oust an increasingly unpopular Abbott and replace him with the country’s top polling politician, Turnbull. Turnbull …

The New Zealand dollar traded close to parity with the Australian dollar amid speculation weak Australian inflation data today could push it through the historic milestone. The kiwi touched a record against the euro on concern about whether Greece will exit the common currency. The kiwi hit 99.59 Australian cents overnight and was trading at 99.51 cents at 8am in …

Fulton Hogan, the privately held construction firm, says first-half pre-tax earnings dropped 10 percent as Australia’s economic woes kept a lid on spending in the resources and state sectors, while the strong kiwi dollar eroded profit earned across the Tasman. Pre-tax net profit fell to $83.4 million in the six months ended Dec. 31 from $92.8 million a year earlier, the …

“Governments that understand the need for reform must find a way of countering this lazy, reactive style of politics, just as John Key’s government has done in New Zealand.” In its first two terms the Key administration made an effort to reduce the size of government, enhance the scope for growth and tackle seemingly intractable problems in tax, welfare and …

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is appealing am Australian Federal Court ruling clearing carriers Air New Zealand and PT Garuda Indonesia of fixing prices for international air freight services. The competition regulator’s appeal is focusing solely on the court’s finding that the activities did not occur in the Australian market, it said in a statement. In October, Justice Nye Perram dismissed the …

Freightways, the listed courier and data management company, will spend up to A$30 million on Australian information management firm LitSupport. The Auckland-based company paid A$17.1 million upfront, and will add potential earnouts of up to A$12.1 million based on LitSupport’s 2017 performance, in a deal that’s expected to generate A$17 million of annual revenue and A$3.8 million in operating profit, Freightways said …

The Reserve Bank of Australia said its currency, near a 4 1/2-year low, remains over-valued and needs to decline further to assist the economy across the Tasman, which is growing at a moderate pace. The central bank kept its cash rate unchanged as expected at a record low 2.5 percent, where it has been since August 2013. Governor Glenn Stevens issued a statement …

Australia’s free trade agreement with China heralds a renewed focus to diversify the country’s economy away from a reliance on mineral exports to soft commodities and intensifies competition in a “hotly contested” market. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott labelled the deal between New Zealand’s two-largest trading partners, “at least as good as New Zealand’s” while unnamed government officials said it gives …

Vital Healthcare Property Trust, the country’s biggest listed medical and healthcare property investor, has signalled development plans totalling A$15.5 million in Australia, and has sold a New Zealand property as it looks to exit low-growth assets. The property investor has a A$9.5 million redevelopment plan to expand its Belmont Private Hospital in Brisbane and A$6 million upgrade of its Hurstville …

Infratil, the infrastructure investor, has lowered earnings guidance for the coming year by as much as $40 million, reflecting the sale of its Australian energy assets. The Wellington-based company now expects annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and asset valuation changes will be between $520 million and $545 million in the year ended March 31, 2015, from a previously advised range of between …