January
Greens promise $95b in new spending in one month
The minor party’s latest pitch is for Canberra to spend $8 billion over four years to underwrite 50¢ public transport fares, saving commuters about $2000 a year.
- Gus McCubbing
Changing gears: Kinetic’s sell-side revs up bidders with new pitch
Sell-side adviser Macquarie Capital has done some soul-searching over the Christmas break, fronting up to interested parties with a new pitch.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
December 2024
John Holland overhauls executive team as projects struggle
John Holland is searching for a new CEO and its major projects boss will leave in January.
- Jenny Wiggins
November 2024
Major train network to grind to a halt in pay stand-off
A train network used daily by more than one million people in Sydney could be out of action for days because of industrial action, throwing the transport system into chaos.
- Luke Costin
October 2024
- Opinion
- Driverless cars
Ride-sharing robopods are the future of cities
Self-driving, on-demand cars could change the way we move around cities and dramatically increase throughput of congested streets.
- Vinod Khosla
Tasmania ferry failures ‘farcical and embarrassing’
Tourists planning to pop their caravans on a big new ship to Tasmania and holiday around the Apple Isle could be stuck on the mainland after state’s “diabolical failure” to build a berth to handle new vessels.
- Jenny Wiggins
- Opinion
- Automation
Why Elon Musk’s robotaxis will have to share the road – or disappear
The day after Tesla revealed its driverless Cybercab, the company’s stock dropped 9 per cent. Seismic shifts in transportation happen slowly.
- Tim Rossanis
Bids delayed for Kinetic’s $4b auction; buy-side work in short supply
Street Talk’s tally on Sunday revealed no suitor has signed a buy-side mandate yet – an unusual if not unheard of move – ahead of non-binding indicative bids.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
September 2024
OPTrust’s bus operator Kinetic juices up forecasts for $4b-plus sale
The business’ geographical expanse – it owns Melbourne’s SkyBus as well as London’s red double-deckers – has befuddled investors and sparked expectations of a breakup.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Australia’s grand new transport hubs lure top restaurants and bars
Sophisticated drinking and dining is now just a ferry or a train-ride away as an explosion of new openings mark the completion of major infrastructure projects.
- Necia Wilden
August 2024
- Exclusive
- Start-ups
Uber scraps $105m Aussie car-sharing division
Uber will shut down its Carshare business, bringing the end to an Australian experiment it began in 2022 with the $105 million acquisition of Car Next Door.
- Paul Smith
July 2024
One-bed unit, no car park – the price? Almost $1m
There were not many takers for this nice, but expensive, property. But one buyer valued it differently – and was prepared to pay for that.
- Michael Bleby
June 2024
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
From 40 red buses in Melbourne to $400m a year and a $4b payday
Bus company Kinetic is one of Australia’s unheralded success stories. In an industry full of family operators, no one has cracked it like Kinetic’s crew.
- Anthony Macdonald
May 2024
Fifty cents for Qld trains, buses – but they’re still ‘old and slow’
The Queensland Labor government’s slashing of public transport costs has been welcomed, but an advocacy warned of major network issues failing passengers.
- James Hall
Miles’ 50¢ fares unlikely to save Queensland Labor
Queensland Labor’s $150 million pre-election cash splash follows a $1000 power bill rebate, but experts say most voters have already made up their minds.
- Gus McCubbing and Ronald Mizen
Macquarie readies sale of $450m-a-year Kinetic; seeks 10x multiple
Kinetic recently ruled off a $1.6 billion refinancing which Macquarie reckons puts it in a position to accelerate the decarbonisation of its fleet.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
April 2024
More Queensland construction workers to get at least $200k a year
Civil contractors say the Queensland Labor government has “created a monster” with its civil project conditions that are lifting costs for everyone.
- David Marin-Guzman
OPTrust’s Kinetic secures $1.6b refinancing; 21 lenders tip in
Of note, Kinetic will bid farewell to more expensive, LBO-style debt in lieu of an infrastructure-style deal that would lower the group’s financing costs.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
March 2024
Defining legacy: Brisbane’s messy path to the Olympics
It will be a long haul to transform the QEII stadium to Olympic standard. That’s just one of the hurdles for Queensland.
- Updated
- Zoe Samios, Michael Bleby and Tess Bennett
February 2024
How Denmark is using its design knack to transform trains
The country is investing almost $3 billion in its new IC5 train fleet. Expect carriages fitted out to give passengers the feeling of “cosy friendliness”.
- Robert Bevan