Australia's critical minerals dream finds support from unlikely source
Tianqi chief executive Frank Ha dismissed fears from the ASX-listed co-owner of the Kwinana lithium processing facility, IGO, that the $1 billion operation was doomed to failure and attributed the gloomy outlook to the Australian company's short-term view.
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Americanisation of our culture': Tipping frequency, values on the rise in Australia
New research has shown Australians are tipping more and at higher amounts when they dine out, with one state leading the charge in the 'divisive' practice. Fresh data from Australian payment company Zeller has revealed Victorians are tipping higher amounts than any other state, with the value and frequency of tipping across the country increasing for the last three years. The frequency of tips recorded by the payment platform has increased 13 per cent year on year, while tipping values have risen 25 per cent. Zeller director of growth Josh McNicol said tipping is 'definitely a divisive issue because Australians can sometimes see it as the Americanisation of our culture'. 'Unlike in America where tipping really forms part of the server's wage, in Australia it's more about recognition of a great service or a great experience,' he said. 'It really comes down to the business owner, the restaurateur, to know how their customers would react to something like this and then decide (if) this (is) a feature in their payment terminal they want to switch on or off.' Though each state has seen a spike in tipping, it's less common in regional areas, where the behaviour has declined by 10 per cent. The controversial practice seems here to stay, with Aussies increasingly being prompted for tips when ordering food or drinks through a QR code, or paying on a rideshare app. While some venues have been criticised for adding gratuity to a bill automatically, Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association CEO Wes Lambert said it is completely legal and increasingly commonplace within the hospitality industry. 'The ACCC requires restaurants and cafes to inform diners and consumers about any mandatory fees, such as weekend and public holiday surcharges, on top of standard menu prices before they order,' Mr Lambert told 'Every business has a different revenue and cost structure, certainly when you go to hire a solicitor and the fee is $600-an-hour plus expenses, those expenses are variable but they let you know it exists. It's just like this and becoming more commonplace. 'So in practice, that is how it is supposed to work, but often times consumers might not read the fine print, and can certainly be surprised when it is added to the bill.' For those who do choose to pay on top of their bill, the nation's biggest tippers were Victorians at an average of $39.50 – more than double the average value of NSW residents' tips at $16.90. West Australians were the least generous state, tipping an average of $12.48. Mr McNicol attributed the disparity to 'Victoria, particularly Melbourne, has for a long time been recognised as the centre of Australia's dining and hospitality sector'. Restaurants that offer table service received the highest average tips of any individual sector. 'There's a cultural element there where Australians are happy to support the battlers and those people that are working to provide them a great service,' Mr McNicol said. 'Technology has really enabled the service industry to catch up and to allow tipping to become a little bit more a part of the natural flow. 'Whether Australians like it or hate it, it's something that we are steadily seeing more in our day-to-day lives.'
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
One of Honda's joint venture partners is getting ready to bail
Dongfeng is preparing to sell its stake in its engine joint venture with Honda according to filings with the Guangdong assets and equities exchange. A price for the state-owned automaker's 50 per cent share in the joint venture has not been set, and bids will be accepted until September 12. Honda has not committed to buying out Dongfeng's share, and it's unclear whether there are any other companies interested. In a statement to The Nikkei, Honda said it would 'consider various possibilities' about what to do next. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Established in 1998, the engine maker has 827 employees. Its assets are valued at ¥5.4 billion (A$1.2 billion), and it has ¥3.3 billion (A$715 million) in debt. Last year the engine joint venture lost ¥228 million (A$49 million) as Chinese consumers continued their rapid embrace locally-developed EV models. According to Bloomberg, Dongfeng's sales have been fallen dramatically over the past few years. After peaking at 3.8 million sales in China in 2016, the company's sales slid to just 1.5 million last year. Sales are reportedly down 10 per cent during the first half of 2025, and Dongfeng's profits have dropped 90 per cent. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Dongfeng operates joint ventures with Honda and Nissan. In addition to this it also manufactures cars for sale under its own brand, as well as Voyah, M-Hero, Aeolus, and Forthing. Nissan has been leaning on Dongfeng's 'new energy' platforms and technology to expand its plug-in hybrid and EV lineup in China. This year's launches include the Frontier Pro PHEV ute, and the electric N7 sedan. Honda has two joint venture partners in China: GAC and Dongfeng. For most of the models it makes and sells in China there are two versions, often with cosmetic and naming differences. The Civic, for example, is a Dongfeng Honda product, while the almost identical Integra is made and sold by GAC Honda. Neither Dongfeng or Honda have indicated whether the structure of their car manufacturing partnership is under review. Currently each automaker holds a 50 per cent share in Dongfeng Honda. When the Chinese government opened up the country's automotive market, they required overseas carmakers to form joint ventures with local manufacturers with a maximum 50 per cent stake for the foreign firm. In the last decade these rules have been loosened up. Foreign manufacturers are able to buy out their existing partner, although few have gone down this route, BMW being one notable exception. Overseas carmakers can also setup factories without a local partner, with one prominent example being Tesla. MORE: Everything Honda
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
One of Honda's joint venture partners is getting ready to bail
Dongfeng is preparing to sell its stake in its engine joint venture with Honda according to filings with the Guangdong assets and equities exchange. A price for the state-owned automaker's 50 per cent share in the joint venture has not been set, and bids will be accepted until September 12. Honda has not committed to buying out Dongfeng's share, and it's unclear whether there are any other companies interested. In a statement to The Nikkei, Honda said it would 'consider various possibilities' about what to do next. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Established in 1998, the engine maker has 827 employees. Its assets are valued at ¥5.4 billion (A$1.2 billion), and it has ¥3.3 billion (A$715 million) in debt. Last year the engine joint venture lost ¥228 million (A$49 million) as Chinese consumers continued their rapid embrace locally-developed EV models. According to Bloomberg, Dongfeng's sales have been fallen dramatically over the past few years. After peaking at 3.8 million sales in China in 2016, the company's sales slid to just 1.5 million last year. Sales are reportedly down 10 per cent during the first half of 2025, and Dongfeng's profits have dropped 90 per cent. Dongfeng operates joint ventures with Honda and Nissan. In addition to this it also manufactures cars for sale under its own brand, as well as Voyah, M-Hero, Aeolus, and Forthing. Nissan has been leaning on Dongfeng's 'new energy' platforms and technology to expand its plug-in hybrid and EV lineup in China. This year's launches include the Frontier Pro PHEV ute, and the electric N7 sedan. Honda has two joint venture partners in China: GAC and Dongfeng. For most of the models it makes and sells in China there are two versions, often with cosmetic and naming differences. The Civic, for example, is a Dongfeng Honda product, while the almost identical Integra is made and sold by GAC Honda. Neither Dongfeng or Honda have indicated whether the structure of their car manufacturing partnership is under review. Currently each automaker holds a 50 per cent share in Dongfeng Honda. When the Chinese government opened up the country's automotive market, they required overseas carmakers to form joint ventures with local manufacturers with a maximum 50 per cent stake for the foreign firm. In the last decade these rules have been loosened up. Foreign manufacturers are able to buy out their existing partner, although few have gone down this route, BMW being one notable exception. Overseas carmakers can also setup factories without a local partner, with one prominent example being Tesla.
