May 2023
ACTU names companies in firing line over ‘same job, same pay’ laws
The ACTU wants the government’s same job, same pay laws to target corporate giants in construction, stevedore, mining and airline industries for ‘suppressing wages’.
- David Marin-Guzman
April 2022
Spotless fined for refusing to pay redundancy to long-term staff
Spotless has been fined for refusing to pay redundancy to three long-serving staff, including an accountant with 30 years’ service, following a landmark judgment against its group redundancy policy.
- David Marin-Guzman
December 2021
Spotless ditches its sports and events catering services
The Downer EDI business has sold about 60 small hospitality contracts and has put its remaining contracts up for sale, after losing the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- Jenny Wiggins
August 2020
Downer EDI to resume dividends after $150m loss
The contractor has not provided any earnings guidance for fiscal 2021, but said a $400 million equity raising had given it "a strong liquidity position".
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins
July 2020
Landmark ruling threatens redundancy blowout for Spotless
Unions have $670,000 in claims ready to go following a precedent-setting ruling that held contract services companies can't rely on redundancy pay exemptions for long-term staff.
- David Marin-Guzman
January 2020
Adamantem, Dixon plan to clean up, again
There's a touch of the band coming back together as Adamantem Capital pursues Spotless' dirty laundry.
- Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd
December 2019
French-listed behemoth Elis weighs bid for Spotless Laundries
French behemoth Elis is weighing a bid for Spotless' commercial laundries business.
- Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd
October 2019
Top two in linen, garments: Spotless pitches Laundries
Spotless has kicked off the sale of its commercial laundries business.
- Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald
September 2019
PwC helps Spotless consider putting laundries out to dry
Spotless Group is getting ready to air its dirty laundry - again.
- Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald
June 2019
Spotless to delist in headache for New York hedge fund Coltrane
Spotless Group, 88 per cent owned by Downer EDI, still has 787 shareholders and wants to save $200,000 by delisting, putting a NY hedge fund in a bind.
- Simon Evans
March 2019
Spotless shares jump as hedge fund Coltrane creeps up register
The services company's stock price has risen 55 per cent since August after hedge fund Coltrane bought more than 11 million extra shares.
- Jenny Wiggins
October 2018
Battery project breaks new ground in Victoria
A consortium led by AusNet is set to deliver Victoria's first grid-scale battery storage project and relieve a congestion point in the transmission network in the state's north-west.
- Updated
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
New broom on the way to clean up Downer's Spotless?
Downer EDI's takeover of Spotless has largely been a success so far, with one notable exception – its troubled Royal Adelaide Hospital contract which continues to cost the group more than $3 million a month.
- Updated
- Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald
December 2017
Downer-Spotless: Inside the capital markets story of the year
Downer Group's $1.3 billion bid for Spotless and associated raising was the capital markets story of the year. And it ain't over yet.
- Updated
- Anthony Macdonald
September 2017
Myer's next chairman Garry Hounsell believes in believing
Myer's new chairman Gary Hounsell believes in believing in belief, and will never stop believing that.
- Updated
- Joe Aston
Downer investors submit anti-Adani resolution for debate at November AGM
One hundred and fifty Downer retail investors have signed a resolution asking the company to stop taking on coal projects.
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins
August 2017
Downer's Spotless battle draws to a close ahead of contractor's results
Downer can get on with integrating Spotless after its $1.2 billon takeover bid closes on Monday night.
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins
Spotless CEO Martin Sheppard falls on his sword, Dana Nelson takes over
Spotless CEO Martin Sheppard has fallen on his sword but predator Downer is still being frustrated by a New York hedge fund.
- Updated
- Simon Evans
Downer extends $1.2b Spotless offer for seventh time
Downer cannot close out the Spotless takeover until Coltrane Asset Managements accepts the offer.
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins and Simon Evans
July 2017
Downer secures more than 80 per cent of Spotless
Downer confirmed it will now try to de-list Spotless when its offer closes
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins