This Month
Albanese hopes to persuade China, US against a trade war
Ahead of world leaders’ meetings in South America, the PM says Australia’s middle-power status gives it influence with the two superpowers.
- Phillip Coorey, Andrew Tillett and Tom Rabe
October
Net zero push at risk without Australian critical minerals: King
Resources Minister Madeleine King says mining has improved its reputation but must keep working at it to counter efforts by the Greens and others to tear it down.
- Phillip Coorey
Luring investment in Aussie hydrogen a tough task: King
Resources Minister Madeleine King says drawing Japanese investment in Australian hydrogen projects was difficult because of existing global subsidies.
- Updated
- Jessica Sier
Gas ignites fight over energy future
Energy Minister Chris Bowen insists there is no reason to underwrite gas projects, but the Coalition and some experts say the technology is essential.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Exclusive
- Renewables
Korean takeover battle could be an electoral headache for Labor
The government is closely watching the fight for Korea Zinc because of the company’s extensive renewables and hydrogen assets in Australia.
- Ronald Mizen
September
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Not pulling the climate trigger shows needle Labor must thread
Anthony Albanese has overruled Tanya Plibersek on a deal with the Greens because he doesn’t want to hang a lantern over what a Labor-Greens minority government might entail for the mining industry, especially in WA.
- The AFR View
King to foreigners: start digging for critical minerals
Industrialised countries including Australia will be more interventionist in directing investment to strategic resources projects to break China’s stranglehold.
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- Mining
Why Australia’s miners are so alarmed by Albanese
The powerhouse industry is aghast at the government’s policies on industrial relations and environmental changes and has broken diplomatic cover to say so.
- Jennifer Hewett
Uranium mine shareholders try to delay Rio Tinto capital raise
The Takeovers Panel confirmed two of the uranium miner’s shareholders are trying to delay an $880 million capital raise backed by major shareholder, Rio Tinto.
- Elouise Fowler
BHP’s Labor whisperer goes global
George Wright was most recently the Big Australian’s group corporate affairs officer. But no more.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
PM’s secret dinner at mining HQ
Anthony Albanese dined with Chris Ellison and Meg O’Neill on Sunday after the former won a charity prize.
- Mark Di Stefano
- Opinion
- Perth
Why Albanese is talking big in WA
The Albanese cabinet is trying to prop up its electoral standing in Western Australia with the promise of new jobs and economic opportunities. The resources sector is highly sceptical of Labor’s agenda.
- Jennifer Hewett
August
Qantas, BHP warn on wage rises as IR tensions flare
Qantas has hinted at job cuts or fare increases to cover an enforced $60 million wage hike. BHP has reacted after being accused of peddling “hysteria”.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey and Tom Rabe
Labor warns on production credits as Libs flag $92b in spending cuts
Resources Minister Madeleine King says the Coalition will risk national security if it revokes production tax credits for critical minerals to fund tax cuts.
- Phillip Coorey
Santos gala a gassy second chance for Albo
We regret to inform the federal Labor Party that Woodside is not the only gas major with a milestone birthday this year.
- Myriam Robin
Iluka to halt rare earths refinery unless Labor caves in on funding
Iluka Resources says it won’t finish building a strategically important rare earths refinery unless the Albanese government comes up with more funding,
- Brad Thompson
Woodside hires ScoMo’s right hand
Amid a furore about who came to its party, the energy giant recently hired a Liberal power player as an external consultant.
- Mark Di Stefano
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Future Made in Australia is already running off the rails
The Albanese government has fallen into the trap of trying to achieve political wins at high economic cost. And nobody is stopping them.
- John Kehoe
Greens’ gas demands would weaken Japan, former envoy claims
Japan would be weakened and Australia’s reputation shattered, if export gas was redirected for domestic use, says Shingo Yamagami.
- Phillip Coorey
US blocks subsidies for Albemarle lithium made in Australia
Albemarle says a block to subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act had been a major factor in its decision to slash workforce and to curtail investment in WA.
- Brad Thompson and Elouise Fowler