December 2025
Prime minister’s science winner hunts his next prize with $60m fund
Some of Australia’s richest families are backing award-winning scientist Andrew Wilks’ new biotechnology vehicle, which is close to raising $60 million.
Calvary snaps up two Healthscope hospitals in latest break up move
The Calvary transaction is another blow to Healthscope chief executive Tino La Spina’s hopes to revive the ailing company as a not-for-profit.
Healthscope receivers sell Canberra hospital to Ramsay for $251m
Ramsay Health Care has bought one of Canberra’s largest privately operated hospitals from its distressed owner as receivers break the group apart.
Mayne Pharma under earnings pressure after failed takeover deal
Mayne says it made just $11.5 million in underlying earnings from July to November compared to $22.4 million over the same period last year.
HotDoc auction on track to sign pre-Christmas; two PE firms in mix
Sources close to the process said PEP and Potentia were competing with an offer from a strategic party.
British anger (and culture wars) erupt over face masks for flu crisis
Hospitals are battling an unprecedented level of cases for this early in winter, and politicians have seized on a return to face masks.
Feds will go it alone on health if states reject $23b hospital boost
The Albanese government has warned the states it will explore “other options” if they refuse to sign up to its final hospital funding offer.
Healthscope CEO ‘appalled’ at plan to sell hospital to private equity
Tino La Spina has told staff that he would be “shocked” if the stricken healthcare giant’s receivers decided to offload key assets to buyout firms.
IFM Investors set to pay $400m for SA’s Benson Radiology
The chunky bolt-on acquisition has raised eyebrows, given it comes just weeks after IFM Investors boss David Neal said he will shut down the $1 billion private equity unit.
Ozempic is already changing what we buy, from clothing to holidays
GLP-1 weight-loss drugs will play a huge role in society. Even now, they are reshaping the consumer economy and what companies are doing to adapt.
New DigiCo CEO appointed, targets AI boom amid energy worries
Despite explosive demand for AI computing space, DigiCo’s value has plunged with short-sellers circling. A former AirTrunk heavyweight will take the helm.
Affinity swoops on a Perth radiology biz once coveted by Crescent
The pan-Asian private equity fund has moved in at the last second and signed a deal over the weekend to acquire Western Radiology.
Hospitals heading for a ‘fiscal cliff’ without funding fix
Soaring inflation and wages have prompted Catholic Health Australia to warn the survival of some hospitals cannot be guaranteed more than three months out.
Tobacco tax should be slashed: AFR readers
In other survey results, nearly a third of readers expect to spend less on Christmas this year than previously, and ChatGPT leads among preferred AI platforms.
Saluda Medical shares sink in worst ASX debut in decades
Former Cochlear boss Catherine Livingstone sits on the board of the US-based company which lost more than 50 pct of its value on the first day of trading.
How your personal AI doctor will transform healthcare
Genetic mapping of individuals at birth and sensors on their bodies as they go about their day-to-day lives are among advances that will improve health spans.
Doctors concerned Australians are dumping gold-tier health policies
More Australians are abandoning top-level private health insurance as premiums have doubled since 2008.
Why the NDIS could drag Australia into a UK-style economic rut
After the productivity roundtable, policymakers should have the guts to introduce price signals and market discipline into the fastest-growing government program.
How the tobacco tax backfired and fuelled a black-market boom
After decades of declining smoking rates, doctors fear the black-market tobacco is creating a new smoking boom, as the government loses a key source of revenue.
Dennis Bastas’ rise from aspiring car designer to $5b pharma king
The son of Greek immigrants signed a mega-deal this year for his pharmaceutical and beauty empire that propelled him to the upper echelons of the Rich List.