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Patrick Durkin

Today

Gender diversity is increasing on ASX 300 boards.

Push to delay ASX diversity rules until 2026

Key members of the ASX Corporate Governance Council will push to delay diversity reporting for listed companies until 2026, at a meeting of industry CEOs on Friday.

This Month

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan at the Labor function for the Werribee byelection on Saturday night.

Allan concedes safe Labor seat ‘on a knife edge’

Labor was ahead – just – in the Victorian state seat of Werribee which it has held since 1979 with half of votes counted in an important byelection.

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Labor candidate for Werribee John Lister, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and deputy Labor leader Ben Carroll at a press conference at Werribee Outdoor Pool.

Allan orders full-court press to stave off historic byelection loss

Jacinta Allan has gone chips in on the Werribee byelection, with defeat potentially spelling the end of the state Labor government, according to pollsters.

Directors warn of investment delays amid Trump, election uncertainty

Company directors from Macquarie, Fortescue, Dexus and Perpetual say Donald Trump and the upcoming election will lead to projects being delayed or paused.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill.

Too late to avert energy crisis in Victoria, CEOs warn

The heads of Woodside Energy and Beach Energy say the Victorian Labor government has spent more than a decade demonising gas as a transition fuel.

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Robert Lervasi MD of SPC.

Food producers taking a hit on power prices in Victoria

Victoria-based food, juice and infant formula maker SPC Global says power price rises are out of whack with other states, and that’s hurting the bottom line.

Premier Jacinta Allan.

Allan forced to release Victoria’s secret solar modelling

The Victorian government has released secret energy modelling warning about the impact of rooftop solar on the energy grid after a one-year legal battle.

Severe storms swept across Victoria including Phillip Island, leaving more than 45,000 homes and businesses without power amid a heatwave.

Frustrated Sims warned Victoria on gas shortages a decade ago

The former ACCC head says his warnings to Victorian Labor were ignored, as wild storms in the state left more than 45,000 homes and businesses without power. 

Premier Jacinta Allan (centre) at the Midsumma Pride March.

Victoria’s byelections pave Dutton’s path to The Lodge

Former Victorian leader Jeff Kennett says if Labor loses the safe seat of Werribee in Melbourne’s west, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s leadership is at risk.

Melburnians enjoying the beach at Williamstown on Sunday as the temperature soared past 36 degrees.

Victoria on blackout alert amid south-east heatwave

A three-day heatwave across south-east Australia is expected to push Victoria’s energy grid to the limit with experts urging the government to secure gas supplies.

January

Pratt’s granddaughter married in lavish Raheen wedding

The lavish garden wedding at the Pratt family mansion took place on the same day another branch of the clan were fighting it out over the $23 billion family empire.

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Kath Van Der Merwe from Telstra, Michelle Williams from Lottery,  christine Parker from Westpac, Jane Franks from ASX, Nicole Reid from Xero, Elisa Narone, from REA.

The workforce challenges keeping these HR bosses up at night

BOSS talks to six human resources executives about challenges they face in 2025. Rethinking diversity programs may not be one of them, but there are many others.

Paul Bassat says the government should have acted more quickly to stamp out antisemitism.

‘Out of control’: Australian Jews express anger and alarm

Prominent Jewish community members blamed the PM for not acting faster to quell the rise in antisemitism after the discovery of an explosives-laden caravan.

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Alex Waislitz and Heloise Pratt are fighting in the Supreme Court of Victoria over the control of Thorney Investment.

Pratt denies she ‘abdicated responsibility’ to Waislitz

Billionaire Visy heiress Heloise Pratt rejects claims by her ex-husband that she failed to pay attention to the couple’s business affairs, new court documents reveal.

Officials say scrutiny of the financial management of universities is legitimate, but a witch-hunt on vice chancellor pay or staff underpayments is unwarranted.

Universities warn against ‘witch-hunt’ governance inquiry

The Labor-dominated committee will focus on financial management, but officials are worried about knee-jerk responses to tension about vice-chancellors’ pay and wage theft.

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Jillian Broadbent, Macquarie director.

‘You would be tone-deaf’ to ignore Trump’s ESG backlash

Macquarie Group director Jillian Broadbent says companies need to be sensible about their push for greater diversity, particularly when faced with immediate challenges such as a cost of living crisis.

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Daniel Andrews, Jacinta Allan and Tim Pallas.

All of a sudden, Allan is running out of time in Victoria

New polling that reveals a record slump in support for Victorian Labor will have Prime Minister Anthony Albanese worried too.

ASX CEO Helen Lofthouse wants to emphasise the corporate governance principles are if not, why not.

ASX governance council splits over DEI

Business groups want to water down the proposed rules for boards to report on diversity characteristics, amid a backlash following Donald Trump’s re-election.

Elizabeth Johnstone, chair of the ASX Corporate Governance Council.

ASX diversity rules in limbo amid Trump DEI backlash

New rules requiring listed companies to report on diversity measures remain up in the air, after the ASX’s governance council refused to put a timeline on finalising the changes.

Craig Drummond says DEI policies will continue, but they need to consider all perspectives.

Directors brace for Trump’s DEI dismantling

Australian company directors are not willing to backtrack on hard-won gains in gender diversity and inclusion, but are preparing for employee and customer pushback.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/patrick-durkin-j7gb7