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Is there life floating in the clouds of Venus?
It's an extraordinary possibility - the idea that living organisms are floating in the clouds of Planet Venus.
But this is what astronomers are now considering after detecting a gas in the atmosphere they can't explain.
That gas is phosphine - a molecule made up of one phosphorus atom and three hydrogen atoms.
On Earth, phosphine is associated with life, with microbes living in the guts of animals like penguins, or in oxygen-poor environments such as swamps.
For sure, you can make it industrially, but there are no factories on Venus; and there are certainly no penguins.
So why is this gas there, 50km up from the planet's surface? Prof Jane Greaves, from Cardiff University, UK and colleagues are asking just this question.
They've published a paper in the journal Nature Astronomy detailing their observations of phosphine at Venus, as well as the investigations they've made to try to show this molecule could have a natural, non-biological origin.
But for the moment, they're stumped
Given everything we know about Venus and the conditions that exist there, no-one has yet been able to describe an abiotic pathway to phosphine, not in the quantities that have been detected. This means a life source deserves consideration.
"Through my whole career I have been interested in the search for life elsewhere in the Universe, so I'm just blown away that this is even possible," Prof Greaves said. "But, yes, we are genuinely encouraging other people to tell us what we might have missed. Our paper and data are open access; this is how science works."
Companies to review safety of China staff
The Australian Financial Review - Page 5 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Michael Smith - PortMac.News Summary
There is a degree of unease among Australian firms that have staff in China or are planning to send staff back as China's border restrictions are relaxed.
Their unease has been prompted by the detention of Australian journalist Cheng Lei by Chinese authorities, along with the recent removal of two other Australian journalists from their bureaus in China.
Risk consultants are of the view that the risk for business executives in China is lower than for journalists, while the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade is of the view that companies are best placed to assess the risks.
Australian companies with expatriate staff in China include BHP, Fortescue Metals, Treasury Wine Estates and Woolworths.
PM puts foot on the gas
The Australian Financial Review - Page 1 & 10 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Phillip Coorey - PortMac.News Summary
The federal government will give the energy sector a deadline of April 2021 to outline plans to replace the dispatchable energy of the Liddell coal-fired power station, which is slated to close in April 2023.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to announce that the government-owned Snowy Hydro Limited will build a gas-fired power station in the Hunter Valley to replace Liddell's electricity output unless energy companies develop a strategy.
Morrison will also reveal plans for an 'Australia Gas Hub', which will be based on the Henry Hub in the US.
Victorian regions in line for lockdown reprieve
The Australian - Page 5 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Rachel Baxendale - PortMac.News Summary
Victoria recorded 35 new coronavirus cases on 14 September, the lowest daily total since 26 June.
The state's death toll from the respiratory illness has risen by six to 729, after one death was removed from the daily total due to duplication.
Melbourne's 14-day daily average of new cases is now 56.9, still well above the target of fewer than five for lockdown restrictions to be further eased. However, the 14-day daily average of new cases in regional Victoria has fallen to 3.9, prompting Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton to flag the possibility that restrictions could be relaxed within days.
15-09-20 : The national death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 816.
Daniel Andrews plans outdoor dining to speed up Melbourne recovery
The Guardian - Page Online : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Matilda Bosely - PortMac.News Summary
The Victorian government will try to encourage Melburnians to take up outdoor dining as part of its plans to speed up recovery from COVID-19.
Small and medium businesses will be given $30 million to spend on outdoor dining equipment, while footpaths, car parks and public parks will be transformed into 'pop up' cafes and restaurants.
This will enable hospitality venues to seat more people while still complying with COVID-safe restrictions.
The $30 million to be spent on outdoor dining equipment is part of a $100 million plan to help the Melbourne CBD, while the government has announced an additional $190 million to support sole traders.
'Won't be an ordinary summer': Andrews' warning for Boxing Day Test, Aust Open
The New Daily - Page Online : 15 September 2020 - PortMac.News Summary
Premier Daniel Andrews says it is too soon to state whether Victoria's major sports events over the 2020-21 summer will be held in empty stadiums, despite great progress in reducing coronavirus numbers.
The MCG is still expected to host the traditional Boxing Day Test, although Cricket Australia has designated the Adelaide Oval as a backup in the event of a third wave of COVID-19 infections.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley recently expressed optimism that some spectators will be allowed to attend Australian Open matches in 2021.
Airport chief urges states to 'lead way out'
The Australian - Page 5 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Robyn Ironside - PortMac.News Summary
Melbourne Airport has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with passenger numbers failing from an average of about 100,000 per day to just 1,000.
CEO Lyell Strambi contends that the border between Victoria and New South Wales should be re-opened as soon as possible, noting that Victoria's daily case numbers are on track to make this is feasible.
Strambi suggests that Victoria and NSW could provide a 'road map' for other states in terms of opening their borders. He adds that Melbourne should be opened to international travellers again, with appropriate quarantine safeguards.
Where the bloody hell is the court decision on state borders?
The Australian - Page 10 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Adam Creighton - PortMac.News Summary
The High Court has delayed a decision on whether the shutting of state borders is legal under the constitution until November, and its verdict might take a few more weeks after that.
It is likely that the total cost of all the border closures amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars a week in lost income for businesses and workers, along with the emotional cost of events such as missed funerals.
It is high time the states released the medical advice on which they have based their decision to close their borders indefinitely.
JobSeeker cut tipped to slice $31bn off economic growth
The Australian - Page 4 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Rosie Lewis - PortMac.News Summary
A report from Deloitte Access Economic has concluded that scrapping the coronavirus supplement for JobSeeker recipients would cost 145,000 jobs over two years and reduce GDP growth by $31.3bn.
The supplement is slated to be reduced from $550 per fortnight to $250 on 25 September, and abolished completely at the end of 2020. Deloitte warns that people in regional areas will be hardest hit by the removal of the supplement.
The report was commissioned by the Australian Council of Social Service.
Third of businesses want tax rate lowered
The Australian Financial Review - Page 8 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Matthew Cranston - PortMac.News Summary
Accounting software company MYOB has asked companies what they would most like to see in the federal government's October budget to support business.
Thirty-one per cent of respondents stated that they would like a reduction in the corporate tax rate, while other popular responses included 'removal of bureaucratic processes' (26 per cent), 'support for training and apprentices' (24 per cent), and 'subsidies for employing young jobseekers' (22 per cent). When asked what had been the biggest benefit to them during the COVID-19 crisis, a third of businesses cited a more flexible way of working.
New Labor manifesto drops emissions targets for 2030
The Australian - Page 1 & 6 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Greg Brown - PortMac.News Summary
Labor's preliminary draft policy platform includes industrial relations reform, increasing the superannuation guarantee to 15 per cent and the introduction of a 'living wage' for workers in the gig economy.
Climate change policy is included in the 99-page document, including a net zero emissions target of 2050 and a goal of making Australia a "renewable energy superpower".
However, the short-term emissions reduction and renewable energy targets in Labor's 2018 platform have been removed. The draft platform has been endorsed by the shadow cabinet.
Unions to get muscle in ALP overhaul
The Australian - Page 6 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Geoff Chambers, Greg Brown - PortMac.News Summary
Labor's draft industrial relations policy recommits the party to abolishing the Australian Building & Construction Commission and repealing the Building and Construction Industry Act.
The draft policy states that a Labor government would aim to create an industrial relations system that lessens the "incidence of underemployment and insecure work", while Labor supports the payment of penalty rates for excessive or unsociable hours.
The draft policy also states that union representatives will be included alongside business and community leaders on boards, committees and consultative bodies that provide "advice to government".
'We can't cut our ties with Beijing'
The Australian - Page 6 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Joe Kelly, Greg Brown - PortMac.News Summary
Labor's new draft policy platform calls for Australia to effectively engage with China, while standing up for its democratic values and safeguarding its sovereignty.
The policy notes that Labor believes China is of great importance to Australia, its region, and the world as a whole, and that this will continue to be the case.
As far as international trade deals go, Labor's draft policy platform calls for legislation that would ban deals that waive labour market testing and which contain investor state dispute settlement provisions which enable foreign investors to sue governments.
Information could be 'weaponised'
The Australian Financial Review - Page 4 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Andrew Tillett, Angus Grigg - PortMac.News Summary
Liberal senator Amanda Stoker says revelations that Chinese military contractor China Zhenhua has compiled a database on more than 35,000 Australians demonstrates the need for people to protect their personal data.
Stoker and Education Minister Dan Tehan have both expressed concern that the families of Australian politicians have been targeted.
Tehan adds that assuming the reports of the database are accurate, it shows that Australia must do everything it can to address the issue of foreign interference.
How China's database targeted Australia's space industry
The Australian Financial Review - Page 1 & 4 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Angus Grigg - PortMac.News Summary
Key individuals and companies in Australia's space industry among those that have been targeted in the China Zhenhua database.
Gilmour Space's co-founder James Gilmour and three members of the company's board are profiled in the database, including former NASA space shuttle commander Pamela Melroy.
She says China typically identifies technology that has been developed and then seeks to obtain it via computer hacking. Melroy also says the fact that Australia's space industry has been targeted shows that the sector is attracting attention globally.
Keating proposes HECS-style loans to fund aged care
The Australian Financial Review - Page 6 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Finbar O'Mallon - PortMac.News Summary
The latest round of hearings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety are looking at funding and prudential regulation of the aged care sector.
Former prime minister Paul Keating told the commission on 14 September that a HECS-style loan system should be introduced to help fund aged care, with people to be given credits to finance their care, with their estate to be used to repay their debt once they died.
Senior counsel assisting Peter Gray, QC, told the hearing that the reporting regulations imposed on aged care providers were "inadequate", with providers not required to disclose how much they were actually spending on care.
'Stalked and harassed' female MP wants GetUp's bird-dogging wings clipped
The Australian - Page 6 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Olivia Caisley - PortMac.News Summary
Liberal MP Nicolle Flint claims she was the subject of "deeply sexist and misogynistic attacks" during the 2019 federal election campaign.
Flint claims aggressive behaviour towards her included her office being egged and her being shouted down at candidate debates, while she claims she was stalked by a Get Up member called David Walsh.
The joint standing committee on electoral matters has been told GetUp conducted a training session in 'birddogging', which is a US political term that refers to hounding or pursuing a candidate.
Flint has attacked the unions, Greens and Labor for failing to condemn the behaviour she experienced during the campaign, which saw her retain her marginal seat of Boothby.
Federal government in talks to buy out licences for Aboriginal flag design, Senate hears
The Guardian - Page Online : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Lorena Allen - PortMac.News Summary
Luritja artist Harold Thomas granted WAM Clothing the exclusive licence to reproduce the Aboriginal flag design on clothing and both physical and digital media in 2018. Thomas created the flag in 1971.
WAM Clothing has told a Senate inquiry that has held discussions with the federal government's National Indigenous Australians Agency about acquiring its exclusive licence.
Meanwhile, WAM Clothing's co-owner Ben Wooster has confirmed the clothes it sells which bear the Aboriginal flag are made in Indonesia.
Union go-slow to hit Port Botany
The Australian Financial Review - Page 12 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by David Marin-Guzman - PortMac.News Summary
The Maritime Union of Australia is set to launch stop-work action at DP World's container terminal at Port Botany in Sydney.
The union has already commenced industrial action at the terminals of rival stevedoring firms Patrick and Hutchison Ports.
Patrick's CEO Michael Jovicic says the industrial action has reduced production at the firm's terminal by 40 per cent in the last week.
He has criticised the MUA for pursuing industrial action during the pandemic, and notes that the average salary of the company's permanent employees is $155,000 a year, while some earn more than $200,000.
'Toxic soup' risks $17bn motorway
The Australian - Page 2 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Ewin Hannan - PortMac.News Summary
Concerns have been expressed about contaminants unearthed during construction of Sydney's $17 billion WestConnex motorway, with the contaminants including asbestos, lead and silica dust.
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union official Darren Greenfield says it is "outrageous" that workers have been exposed to what he has described as a "toxic soup of contaminants", and that the CFMEU will stop work on the project within a week if worker concerns are not dealt with.
He says workers at the M4-M5 Link Tunnels site have said that rubber soles on new boots have dissolved within two days of wear.
Koalagate : Berejiklian comes clean on koala 'flaws'
The Australian - Page 7 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Yoni Bashan - PortMac.News Summary
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has conceded in private that the koala protection policy that has caused so much division within her government has its flaws.
Berejiklian noted in a meeting with NSW Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro in the week ending 11 September that the property rights of landholders were of concern in the policy; these concerns had been previously raised at a meeting of Nationals MPs in August.
It is understood the koala protection policy will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on 21 September.
Miners underpin bourse's gains
The Australian - Page 20 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Samantha Bailey - PortMac.News Summary
The Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on 14 September, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.68 per cent to close at 5,899.5 points.
Rio Tinto was up 3.9 per cent at $103.73, National Australia Bank advanced 1.5 per cent to $17.40 and Starpharma rose 8.2 per cent to end the session at $1.73. However, Nearmap shed 6.5 per cent to finish at $2.30 and Cleanaway Waste Management was down 7.1 per cent at $2.34.
Macquarie Group flags $320m half-year profit hit
The Australian Financial Review - Page 15 & 27 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Michael Roddan - PortMac.News Summary
Investment bank Macquarie Group has advised that its profit for the six months to 30 September is likely to be 35 per cent lower than previously, at about $955m.
However, Macquarie has not provided earnings guidance for the first half of its financial year; it has warned that market conditions are likely to remain challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain outlook for the global economy. Macquarie has also indicated that a 'V-shaped' economic recovery is unlikely.
ASIC issues warning to banks: fess up and hand cash back
The Australian Financial Review - Page 18 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by James Frost - PortMac.News Summary
The Federal Court recently imposed a $57.5 million penalty on National Australia Bank after its subsidiaries NULIS and MLC Nominees were found to have made false and misleading representations.
Australian Securities & Investments Commission deputy chairman Daniel Crennan says the penalty might have been even bigger but for the NAB's decision to co-operate and make early admissions.
Crennan says other companies in similar situations should consider adopting the same strategy, as he says long and drawn-out court cases are not in anyone's interest.
Crennan said the NAB and other financial institutions need to lift their game when it comes to giving back money they owe customers.
Rising competition points to Afterpay US slowdown
The Australian Financial Review - Page 29 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Tom Richardson - PortMac.News Summary
Citi and Bell Potter are among the brokers who view the US as the most important market for 'buy now, pay later' provider Afterpay in the 2021 financial year.
However, competition in the US market is becoming more intense, with Afterpay's momentum slowing in August; the number of visits to its website rose by only one per cent on July, according to Citi.
The announcement that PayPal plans to enter the US buy now, pay later market by the end of 2020 is expected to impact on Afterpay's gross profit margins and user growth.
Early super fund claims slow to a crawl
The Australian - Page 15 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Lachlan Moffet Gray - PortMac.News Summary
Data from the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority shows that $33bn has now been withdrawn from superannuation funds via the federal government's early access scheme.
However, super funds paid out just $360m in the week to 6 September, marking a fourth consecutive week of record low withdrawals.
Paul Bloxham of HSBC says the early access scheme has helped boost the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic; he adds that the rate of withdrawal is likely to slow as the economy begins to improve.
Macquarie's top share picks for the next phase of the recovery
The Australian Financial Review - Page 29 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Luke Housego - PortMac.News Summary
Macquarie Research has identified 10 stocks that it expects to outperform over the next year.
They include stocks in sectors that were amongst the hardest hit by coronavirus lockdowns, but that could be among those that may benefit the most if an effective COVID-19 vaccine is developed.
These include casino operator The Star Entertainment Group, ferries and bus line group Sealink Travel, and shipbuilder Austal.
Virgin head office jobs face axe
The Australian - Page 15 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Imogen Reid - PortMac.News Summary
Virgin Australia CEO Paul Scurrah says the airline will commence immediate consultations with staff regarding roles that are no longer required, with a view to further redundancies.
He says up to 150 jobs are likely to be affected, in addition to about 250 employees at its head office who have already been impacted by the staff cuts.
Virgin had previously advised that about 3,000 employees - or one-third of its workforce - would lose their jobs following its acquisition by private equity firm Bain Capital.
Qantas has also announced large job cuts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rex gets reporting role as co-ordination with Qantas, Virgin authorised
The Australian Financial Review - Page Online : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Lucas Baird - PortMac.News Summary
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has given Regional Express (Rex), Qantas and Virgin Australia permission to share revenue and co-ordinate schedules on a number of regional air routes.
The routes include those between Cairns and Townsville, Port Lincoln and Adelaide, and Melbourne and Mildura.
As part of its final determination on the scheme, the ACCC has directed that Rex will provide it with monthly reports on the conduct of Qantas and Virgin. The ACCC had previously given interim permission for the scheme to proceed.
Cleanaway boss says sorry for 'unacceptable conduct'
The Australian Financial Review - Page 15 & 27 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Michael Roddan - PortMac.News Summary
Shares in waste disposal company Cleanaway fell by seven per cent on 14 September after it was revealed an internal investigation had found CEO Vik Bansal had created a "culture of bullying and harassment".
The investigation had been prompted by a whistleblower complaint in May. In a statement to the ASX that was authorised by Cleanaway chairman Mark Chellew and its board, Cleanaway stated that Bansal had accepted that his behaviour could have been better "and had expressed contrition".
Chellew said the Cleanaway board "will not tolerate any further instances of unacceptable conduct".
Fox and Seven to cut cash for rights
The Australian - Page 24 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Peter Lalor, Ben Horne - PortMac.News Summary
Seven West Media and Fox Sports are due to pay Cricket Australia a combined $60 million in broadcasting fees on 15 September.
However, Fox and Seven are believed to be only willing to pay part of that amount, in part due to dissatisfaction that Cricket Australia has failed to address their concerns about the length and quality of the Big Bash League.
Cricket Australia has not yet been able to release a schedule for the summer, as it is still waiting on state government approvals, but still contends it will be able to deliver a full summer schedule and therefore Fox and Seven are not entitled to any reduction in fees.
Facebook suffers blow in Australia legal fight over Cambridge Analytica
The Guardian - Page Online : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Christopher Knaus - PortMac.News Summary
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner launched legal action against Facebook in March, alleging that it had breached the privacy of over 300,000 Australians between March 2014 and May 2015.
The action followed revelations that Cambridge Analytica used Facebook data to try to influence voters.
The action was brought against Facebook Inc and Facebook Ireland, both of which exist outside Australia.
Their status meant that the OAIC had to convince a court that it had a prima facie case that both carried out business in Australia.
The Federal Court ruled in April that the OAIC had such a case, but Facebook Inc tried to have that ruling overturned in May. However, Federal Court Justice Thomas Thawley found against Facebook on 14 September.
Oracle wins bid for TikTok in US
The Australian - Page 17 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Georgia Wells - PortMac.News Summary
Oracle is expected to be announced as video-sharing app TikTok's "trusted tech partner" in the US, under a transaction not considered to be an outright sale.
US President Donald Trump has said a number of times that he would shut down TikTok in the US if it was not sold to an American company by 15 September, while the prospect that any deal might not involve an outright sale had been previously reported in the media.
Microsoft had teamed up with Walmart in the hope of doing a deal with TikTok's Chinese parent Byte Dancer, and Walmart has indicated it is interested in joining the Oracle group.
External pick of CEO the 'best Rio option'
The Australian - Page 15 : 15 September 2020 - Original article by Perry Williams - PortMac.News Summary
Peter O'Connor of Shaw & Partners says Rio Tinto should select an external candidate to succeed CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques.
He adds that a candidate who has previously worked for Rio Tinto may be a good option. O'Connor says Rio Tinto might also want to look at board renewal to regain investors' confidence.
Tal Lomnitzer of Janus Henderson has welcomed the departure of Jacques and two other executives over the destruction of ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge, arguing that simply cancelling their bonuses was not enough.
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