This Month
Australia’s biggest billionaire feud is over
The pair have been at loggerheads since 2022 over what Andrew Forrest claims was Kerry Stokes’ anger over mining trucks.
Biggest gift completes ‘unfinished business’ at National Gallery
The Canberra institution finally has a work by one of the 20th century’s most influential painters, Edvard Munch of The Scream fame, thanks to philanthropist Geoff Ainsworth.
Why John Howard thinks teals are done in WA
Western Australia’s affinity for gas could cost teal Kate Chaney her seat of Curtin, former prime minister John Howard says.
March
The reason Basil Zempilas believes he didn’t win big
Perth Lord Mayor and soon-to-be Liberal MP Basil Zempilas has blamed a $1 million Labor attack campaign for costing him crucial votes.
Billionaire Gerry Harvey takes major stake in PNG cement play Mayur
The Harvey Norman chairman now owns almost 7 per cent of the ASX-listed building materials hopeful, which raised $100 million last week.
The real reason WA Labor keeps talking about Basil Zempilas
The party’s focus on the former Channel 7 star has been labelled obsessive, but sources say there’s a good reason – the Liberal candidate is not as popular as he thinks.
Ben Roberts-Smith gets another (positive) chapter written
Former AFR correspondent and new Nightly writer Aaron Patrick is behind the latest move to rebuild BRS’ reputation.
February
Who owns the world’s largest TV? It might be Kerry Stokes
The veteran media proprietor has a 30ft television set, which one person guessed was a record breaker.
January
Frank Lowy trades up to private jet favoured by Bezos, Zuckerberg
The Westfield patriarch’s tail number was recently spotted on a top-of-line Gulfstream G700.
Transparency lacking in WA media and politics
Readers’ letters on conflicts of interest between Seven West Media and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, the Howard government bugging East Timor, the alienation of young men and ADHD treatments.
December 2024
Coverage of Basil Zempilas rival unfair, imbalanced: press watchdog
The Seven West-funded Independent Media Council has upheld three complaints about negative coverage of the Perth mayor’s opponent.
Stokes’ Seven misses out on BGC cement deal
Kerry Stokes’ Seven Group was the underbidder in the auction for the cement business owned by the late Len Buckeridge.
Shameless end to a very Kerry Stokes political coup
The media proprietor’s employee Basil Zempilas still insists he knew nothing of his campaign manager’s polling that almost rolled the WA Liberal leader.
Perth’s billionaire set is piling into this little-known medtech
The value of West Australian nerve repair biotech Orthocell has doubled since September as it beefs up its shareholder bases and prepares to break into the US.
November 2024
Zempilas’ ex-campaign manager linked to Liberal crisis poll
A marketing firm run by Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas’ former campaign manager commissioned polling on behalf of an unknown local business person that has triggered a Liberal leadership crisis in Western Australia.
The man who would be the new king of WA
Basil Zempilas is now the most high-profile name in WA politics, and he hasn’t even been elected to parliament.
WA Liberal leader slaps down speculation over her future
Libby Mettam has vowed to lead the party to the next state election amid renewed speculation that Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas might swoop on the position.
National Gallery handed $15m in biggest-ever donation
Kerry Stokes’ $15 million donation is about one-quarter of what the Canberra institution needs to raise for a new sculpture garden.
From one wheelbarrow and a ute to a $437m ASX listing
Symal Group founder Joe Bartolo started from humble beginnings in 2001 to build his construction group into a large enough player to float on the exchange this year.
October 2024
Irish giant CRH to buy CPE Capital-backed concrete infrastructure biz
Civilmart is the country’s No.2 manufacturer of concrete pipes and precast products, backed by John Haddock’s buyout firm CPE Capital.