September
Power list reveals diminished influence of Australia’s corporate sector
This year’s list reflects the fading voice of CEOs and the growing size, scale and power of the superannuation sector.
- James Thomson
August
- Updated
- Earnings season
Woolworths loses ground to Coles after tumultuous year
The major retailer recorded a slight fall in underlying profit, which were all but wiped out by a big write-down in its New Zealand business.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
Coles rewards shareholders as profit and margins jump
The result pushed Coles shares to a two-year-high, as major retailers face more political heat over alleged price gouging.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
July
Supplier survey suggests Coles has outperformed Woolworths all year
Ahead of financial updates from the major supermarkets next month, suppliers say Coles and Aldi are picking up market share over their rivals, small and large.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Woolworths’ trashed reputation will cost Banducci
Woolworths has gone from the 7th most reputable corporate in Australia to the 42nd, on figures that feed into its management scorecard.
- Myriam Robin
June
‘Deeply offensive’: ATO boss slams robo-debt comparison
New Tax Commissioner Rob Heferen was forceful in his first appearance before Parliament, rejecting criticism of a Tax Office program to chase small debts.
- Tom McIlroy
ASIC says it is probing three lenders for credit breaches
The admission comes just weeks after the corporate regulator accused lenders of creating “unnecessary barriers” that hindered under-pressure customers.
- Lucas Baird and James Eyers
May
Calls for power to break up Coles and Woolies split inquiry
The ACCC should get new legal powers to prosecute supermarkets found to be engaging in price gouging, a parliamentary inquiry has recommended.
- Tom McIlroy and Carrie LaFrenz
April
Green antics give corporates nightmares
After Nick McKim’s savaging of Brad Banducci, business may be wary of co-operating with Greens-led inquiries. Some, it seems, already are.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
Nick McKim’s Senate antics make it all worse
This is all entirely on brand for McKim, a man eternally promoting simple, populist solutions to complicated problems.
- Myriam Robin
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
After Woolies brawls, Coles busts supermarket profit myths
Political theatre and business bashing won’t deliver a magic bullet for bringing down grocery prices - because there isn’t one.
- Updated
- James Thomson
- Analysis
- Supermarket wars
Business may well wonder what is going on in Canberra?
It took 15 minutes for The Greens’ Nick McKim to threaten outgoing Woolworths boss Brad Banducci with six months’ prison and $5 million in fines on Tuesday.
- Tom McIlroy
ASX slumps 1.4pc; Banducci threatened with jail; AFP’s terror warning
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Updated
- Supermarket inquiry
Woolworths, Greens in fiery clash on profits
Outgoing Woolworths boss Brad Banducci was threatened with six months in jail for contempt of the Senate, in a fiery Senate hearing that went off the rails on Tuesday.
- Carrie LaFrenz and Tom McIlroy
March
Supermarket break-up push ‘a wider economic risk’
Frustrated by political interference, business leaders want major parties to rule out a Greens bill this week to bust up Coles and Woolworths.
- Tom McIlroy
ACTU calls for grocery prices panel, rejects divestiture push
ACTU secretary Sally McManus says the union movement does not believe so-called big stick powers to force retailers to sell off parts of their business should be the priority for government.
- Tom McIlroy
Consumers to lose from push to break up supermarkets
Shoppers would be among the biggest losers from any forced break-up of supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths, business leaders have warned.
- Tom McIlroy
Supermarkets could cause family farms to vanish in 10 years: suppliers
Growers have told a Senate committee into supermarket pricing that the loss of small farmers will eventually threaten Australia’s food security.
- Tom McIlroy
February
Woolworths chief Brad Banducci’s ominous temper flare
A Four Corners slip has made the Woolies CEO’s upcoming Senate appearance compulsory viewing.
- Myriam Robin
Growers lash out at Coles, Woolworths for ‘predatory’ prices
Fruit Growers Victoria says supermarkets wield so much pricing power that they are forcing growers to sell below the cost of production.
- Carrie LaFrenz