Industry News

Institutional investors in Australia can now venture lower on the credit spectrum, with a new fund allowing managers to invest in a portfolio of institutional or corporate loans with credit ratings from A to BB.

Insurance industry players are calling for a new standard, to create a uniform policy for managing insurance in natural disasters.

Export revenues could be hit by a new $700 levy on visitors applying for a visa onshore, in a move blasted as a ‘revenue grab’.

The Deputy Prime Minister has commented on the Govenrment’s figures for education reform in Queensland, saying there is an increase available for every school in the state of the next six years.

Queensland schools should be limited to student populations of 600 to 1000 people says one education lecturer, with fears of super-sized Queensland schools on the horizon.

The New South Wales government is shelling out for a boost to school safety, with a $13 million spend on installing and upgrading flashing safety lights.

Coaching clinics touring Queensland schools are teaching students to tackle bullying, with the help of Rugby League legends.

Australia’s head of investments for UBS Wealth Management has left his new job, heading back Hong Kong after just six months at the post.

Embattled mining magnate Nathan Tinkler has had another chunk sliced from his personal empire, after a key hedge fund backer seized his stake in Whitehaven Coal on Wednesday.

The former head of Australian investor relations for Newcrest Mining is back at his old post. Reports today say Steve Warner has been filling in the firing line position for compatriot Spencer Cole in recent days.

The finance market is evolving at a rapid pace and banks must look toward future innovation to stay relevant, says Ubank General Manager Alex Twigg.

Banks’ income from businesses is up again, rising for the fourth consecutive year, but it seems money’s being saved on the domestic end with income from fees at home dropping for three years straight.

In Melbourne, the mercury dropped to a low of just 3°C, giving more than 100 CEOs a perhaps realer-than-expected experience of homelessness in the state.

Expectations for Australia’s manufacturing sector remain “marginally positive”, despite some high-profile disapointments in the last quarter.

The Federal Government is getting friendlier with foreign students, with the launch of a new online service to encourage more international learners to Australian shores.

The Tax Agents Services Act will “create havoc” for financial advisors in Australia, according to the Financial Services Council.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has launched a new financial education program specifically for young people aged 16 to 25. The MoneySmart Rookie initiative will sit alongside the existing MoneySmart program, offering financial literacy tools that are easy to understand.

Mining and petroleum giant BHP Billiton has sold a 15 percent stake in the Jimblebar mine in West Australia to two Japanese conglomerates.

The Federal Government has released more figures for funding allocations under national education reforms, this time covering payouts for Queensland.

The Federal Government has kicked off a review into its proposed $2.1 billion Digital Education Revolution program, which should see the integration of new information and communication technologies in Australian schools.