This Month
- Investigation
- AUKUS
Morrison’s ‘longest night’: Inside the making of AUKUS
The military agreement is a mess and risks leaving Australia with no submarine capability at all by the late 2030s. The cloak of secrecy that secured the deal could now be its undoing.
- James Curran
- Investigation
- Investment banking
‘Marking their own homework’: Inside Australia’s $200b unregulated private credit boom
Credit products are being launched a mile-a-minute, promising plenty of returns buoyed by high rates. But behind the euphoria, there’s plenty of disquiet.
- Aaron Weinman and Jonathan Shapiro
June
- Investigation
- Property development
Bankrupt developer’s plan to repay $131m: start a new firm with mum
Andrew Bodnar’s empire went bust last year, taking self-funded retirees and a champion swimmer down with him. But he’s back in business to clear the massive debt.
- Larry Schlesinger
- Opinion
- Analysis
ANZ has a lot at stake as ASIC crawls over its bond trading activities
The rumblings in the market are that the investigation is making those on all levels of the bank uneasy. If it isn’t, it really should be.
- Jonathan Shapiro
- Exclusive
- Indigenous justice
‘Disgraceful’ government neglect costs Indigenous funds $1b
Two big government funds set up to benefit Indigenous people without native title rights were shackled for decades by the investment equivalent of stuffing money under a mattress.
- Ronald Mizen and Peter Ker
- Investigation
- Indigenous justice
Call to reform Mabo’s $1b native title dividend
Native title groups hosting Australia’s iron ore industry are holding more than $1 billion of net assets in trusts, but after 32 years of the native title regime, there is little to show for the vast majority of Indigenous Australians.
- Peter Ker and Ronald Mizen
- Investigation
- Decision making
At Star, only the executives got a Christmas party
At an end-of-year dinner with chief executive Robbie Cooke, the casino group’s top managers learnt they were in a war with their regulator.
- Aaron Patrick
May
- Investigation
- Rich List
For this Rich Lister, does the reality live up to the hype?
Property mogul and entrepreneur Shaun Bonett has a fortune of more than $2 billion, according to the Rich List. Those valuations might not live up to the hype.
- Primrose Riordan and Nick Bonyhady
April
- Investigation
- Shares
Broking bad: ASIC ‘threat’ fears about Morgans revealed
The corporate cop dealt with problems brewing at leading stockbroker Morgans for three years before a public crackdown. New documents detail the scale of its concern.
- Liam Walsh
- Investigation
- Food & drink
Jon Adgemis’ high-wire act is coming unstuck
The former KPMG dealmaker burst onto the hospitality sector after buying up a string of venues. Huge debts and angry lenders are threatening to push it over.
- Primrose Riordan and Sarah Thompson
- Opinion
- Opinion
James Mawhinney’s surveillance game of cat and mouse
While the Financial Review was following James Mawhinney’s investment schemes, it turns out he was trying to follow us.
- Jonathan Shapiro
March
- Investigation
- Retail
Cettire’s Texas hold ’em reveals questions about the value of luxury
The red-hot ASX-listed retailer appears to have one figure for customs and another for customers when it comes to its products.
- Jonathan Shapiro and Carrie LaFrenz
- Investigation
- Gaming & wagering
Laurence Escalante is living large off controversial gambling billions
At 42, he is one of the country’s youngest billionaires. But Virtual Gaming Worlds investors hoping for a big payday are increasingly concerned it may not come.
- Updated
- Primrose Riordan and Zoe Samios
- Investigation
- Retail
We spent $1300 shopping at Cettire. Here’s what happened
It’s the buzziest stock on the ASX, thanks to “eye-watering” sales and wide margins. Customer reviews aren’t all so glowing. What’s behind the success?
- Jonathan Shapiro and Carrie LaFrenz
February
- Investigation
- Mining
The country’s most secretive billionaires are about to get much richer
Angela Bennett never wanted the family business. The daughter of prospector Peter Wright almost sold it all. Now it’s about to become a bonanza.
- Primrose Riordan and Tom Rabe
- Investigation
- Insolvency
The $7b hangover: How IAG was sucked into Lex Greensill’s vortex
One of Australia’s most expensive corporate fights is in court. But how did the insurer targeted in the cases become entangled?
- Liam Walsh and Jenny Wiggins
January
Kingscliff hedge fund impostor found dead in Sydney hotel
Ken Grace, the man who created an award-winning hedge fund that raised money from sports stars and locals from Kingscliff, has been found dead.
- Jonathan Shapiro and Liam Walsh
- Investigation
- IPO
The cricket star, the drinks founder and a deal turned bitter
Entrepreneur Raj Beri hired former Test cricket captain Michael Clarke to help market his company and attract investors. Now, Innovation Beverage Group, the company he founded, is seeking to list on the Nasdaq, and is trying to raise more money from investors.
- Carrie LaFrenz and Max Mason
- Investigation
- Payments
Airwallex sought way around Hong Kong anti-money laundering rules
The chief executive of the payments giant, backed by Tencent, asked staff if it was possible to “remove” a requirement of customer vetting, messages show.
- Updated
- Lucas Baird and Jonathan Shapiro
December 2023
- Investigation
- Greens
Libs and Labor should put the Greens last over antisemitism
Australia’s elites in business, the media, and our cultural institutions have for too long humoured the Greens. It’s time for that to stop.
- John Roskam