I52 Transport Support Services

Concerns over reef contractor’s humanitarian, environment record

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Original article by Jason Koutsoukis, Daniel Flitton
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 6 : 5-Sep-14

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been accused of using questionable labour practices in his native country. His Adani Group is involved in the development of coal mines in Queensland and the expansion of the Abbot Point coal shipping terminal. His companies allegedly used underage workers, provided workers with contaminated drinking water and used practices that damaged the environment in development projects in the province of Gujarat

CORPORATES
ADANI ENTERPRISES LIMITED, ADANI ABBOT POINT TERMINAL PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Visitors spend $30b

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 4-Sep-14

A survey by Tourism Research Australia shows that there was an eight per cent increase in international visitors to the nation in 2013-14. The 6.1 million international visitors spent a record $A30.1bn during their time in Australia, which is seven per cent higher than previously. Tim Quinn of Tourism Research Australia notes that the number of nights international visitors spent in Australia fell during the financial year

CORPORATES
TOURISM RESEARCH AUSTRALIA, TOURISM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TTF AUSTRALIA LIMITED TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM, TTF AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Disabled bay penalty $2000

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Original article by Kate Emery
The West Australian – Page: 5 : 2-Sep-14

The Western Australian Govenment will crack down on motorists who use parking spaces that are reserved for drivers with disabilities. At present the maximum fine for using disabled parking bays without a permit is $A140, but this will be increased to $A300. However, disability advocates believe that more severe on-the-spot fines are justified. Courts will be able to impose fines of $A2,000 under the reforms, compared with $A1,000 at present

CORPORATES
NATIONAL DISABILITY SERVICES LIMITED, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Qantas set to beat Virgin in race to get back in the black

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 2-Sep-14

Qantas and Virgin Australia both posted losses for the 2013-14 financial year, and cost-reduction measures will be a key strategy in their return to profitability. Analysts forecast that Qantas will book a profit of about $A66m for 2014-15, while Virgin is not tipped to be in the black until 2015-16. Meanwhile, Virgin will gain $A336m from the sale of a 35 per cent stake in its frequent flyer program to Affinity Equity Partners

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, VELOCITY FREQUENT FLYER PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AFFINITY EQUITY PARTNERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, ETIHAD AIRWAYS, VIRGIN GROUP LIMITED, TIGER AIRWAYS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Doctors fear health impact over north shore tunnel

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Original article by Amy Corderoy
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 6 : 1-Sep-14

The New South Wales (NSW) Government says air quality will be watched closely near ventilation stacks for the proposed NorthConnex tunnel. It will link the M1 and M2 motorways in Sydney and cost $A3bn, and has sparked concern about the impact of pollution in the upper north shore area among doctors of the Australian Medical Association’s NSW branch and the Asthma Foundation of NSW. Local resident and medical practitioner Ray Nassar is handing the Government a petition with 250 signatures by colleagues

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NSW) LIMITED, ASTHMA FOUNDATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, CROSS CITY TUNNEL PTY LTD, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD, LANE COVE TUNNEL COMPANY PTY LTD, WOOLCOCK INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH LIMITED, NEW SOUTH WALES. ROADS AND MARITIME SERVICES

Do bricks and mortar travel agents have a future?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Aug-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 4,715,000 Australians took an overseas holiday in the year to June 2014. Some 47 per cent used a conventionial bricks-and-mortar travel agent, while 16 per cent booked their holiday via an online-only agency. In contrast, 71 per cent of Australians booked an overseas holiday via a bricks-and-mortar travel agent in the year to June 2007, while just six per cent used an online-only agency

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Qantas frequent flyer float plan back on ice

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Original article by Michael Smith,Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 21-Aug-14

The frequent flyer program of Qantas boasted underlying EBITA of $A146m for the first half of 2013-14, and now more than 10 million members. The carrier is believed to be poised to abandon plans to sell 30-40 per cent of the Qantas Loyalty business via an IPO, and a number of analysts had concerns about such a strategy. Qantas will release its full-year results on 28 August 2014, and is tipped to post a pre-tax underlying loss of $A750m

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN,QANTAS FREQUENT FLYER LIMITED,SHAW STOCKBROKING LIMITED,BT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX BTT,COLONIAL FIRST STATE GROUP LIMITED,BALANCED EQUITY MANAGEMENT PTY LTD,WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW,MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG,CITIGROUP PTY LTD

More Australian holiday-makers choosing to cruise

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Aug-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 10,699,000 Australians aged 14+ took at least one holiday of at least three nights’ duration in the year to June 2014. Some 4.5 per cent of these people opted for a cruise holiday for their last long trip, compared with just 3.2 per cent in the year to June 2011. The South Pacific was the most popular cruise destination in the year to June 2014, while 33.4 per cent of Australians who opted for a cruise holiday were in the 50-64 age group and 37.5 per cent were aged 65+

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, P&O CRUISES AUSTRALIA LIMITED, THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY, ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LIMITED

Toll to return motorists to Parramatta Rd

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Original article by Jacob Saulwick
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 3 : 14-Aug-14

The environmental impact statement has been issued for phase one of the WestConnex expressway in Sydney, set to be a toll road. The document predicts that the fees of between $A1.50 and $A3.90 will have the effect of boosting traffic density on the free Parramatta Road and Victoria Road routes, as drivers seek out alternatives. The added users will include heavy vehicles and cause a deterioration in air quality in some neighbourhoods. However the addition of two lanes to the M4 will reduce travel times by up to 74%. New South Wales Roads Minister Duncan Gay argues the full benefits will emerge once all sections of WestConnex have been built

CORPORATES
WESTCONNEX, NEW SOUTH WALES. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, STATEWIDE ROADS LIMITED, INTERLINK ROADS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE GREENS NSW INCORPORATED

Map out roadwork: Transurban

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Original article by Damon Kitney, Mitchell Neems
The Australian – Page: 23 : 6-Aug-14

Toll roads operator Transurban has announced a 2013-14 full-year net profit increase of 44.5% to $A252.2m. The 12-month distribution is $A0.35, and a forecast of $A0.39 for the 2014-15 payout has also been confirmed. On 5 August 2014 the stock closed 0.9% lower at $A7.58. CEO Scott Charlton said the company applauded pledges by the State Governments of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland to improve their roads infrastructure, but it was also calling for more co-ordination that involved the Federal Government as well

CORPORATES
TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, TRANSURBAN CITY LINK LIMITED, WESTCONNEX, HILLS MOTORWAY GROUP LIMITED, QUEENSLAND MOTORWAYS LIMITED, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MACQUARIE EQUITIES LIMITED, MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED – ASX MBL