1
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,560
Speaker 1: It's Thursday, the twenty first of August twenty twenty five.

2
00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,319
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Fast five Business News by Fear and Agreed,

3
00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:11,240
Speaker 1: where we give you the top five business stories you

4
00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,680
Speaker 1: need to know in just five minutes. Are Michael Thompson

5
00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,160
Speaker 1: and Good Morning Natalie McDonald.

6
00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,040
Speaker 2: Good Morning Michael, Natalie.

7
00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,000
Speaker 1: Five stories to race through in just five minutes, so

8
00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,880
Speaker 1: we better get going. Story number one. Australia's top CEOs

9
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,840
Speaker 1: and bosses have fired warnings at the Albanese government, demanding

10
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,120
Speaker 1: urgent reforms to lift productivity amid mounting global headwinds. As

11
00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,680
Speaker 1: the Economic Roundtable enters its third and final day.

12
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,720
Speaker 2: Leaders like Nabs Andrew Aurback emphasizing the need for actionable

13
00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,960
Speaker 2: outcomes from the Economic Roundtable, joining almost a shopping list

14
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,400
Speaker 2: of demands and critiques. The HP's Mike Henry said rivals

15
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,640
Speaker 2: were outpacing Australia in attracting capital. Well Woodside's Meg O'Neill

16
00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:55,080
Speaker 2: blasted delays to environmental approvals, warning gas shortages loomed by

17
00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,680
Speaker 2: twenty twenty nine. It's not just them, Tho Judo Banks

18
00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,920
Speaker 2: Chris Bayless, calling red tape a staggering burden, urging more

19
00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,080
Speaker 2: flexibility and tech investment, while my States Brent Morgan said

20
00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,920
Speaker 2: smaller banks face unfairly high costs, so the pressure is

21
00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,200
Speaker 2: on for Day three, which will focus on budget sustainability

22
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,760
Speaker 2: and tax reform, with attendees to include Victor Dominello and

23
00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:19,319
Speaker 2: economist Chris Richardson.

24
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,760
Speaker 1: There's also been a bit of criticism coming from a

25
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,720
Speaker 1: former chair of the Productivity Commission.

26
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,240
Speaker 2: That's Right, Gary Banks has slammed the Albanesi government for

27
00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,600
Speaker 2: wasteful spending and over regulation, warning its driving productivity to

28
00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,840
Speaker 2: sixty year lows. Speaking at a rival round table organized

29
00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,680
Speaker 2: by National Senator Matt Canavan, almost like a dupe round

30
00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,760
Speaker 2: table and held in a room above the Treasurer's own

31
00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,160
Speaker 2: round table in Parliament House, Banks said Labour's so called

32
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,120
Speaker 2: reforms in energy and industrial relations not only add red

33
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,800
Speaker 2: tape while billions flow into taxpayer funded jobs in health

34
00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:54,320
Speaker 2: and ndis.

35
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,280
Speaker 1: Story number two. Prime Minister Anthony Abernezi has said he

36
00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,720
Speaker 1: doesn't take personally comments by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Etnia,

37
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,960
Speaker 1: who calling him weak and accusing him of abandoning Australia's

38
00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:06,920
Speaker 1: Jewish community.

39
00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,520
Speaker 2: The rift follows the Albanese government's decision to recognize a

40
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,480
Speaker 2: Palestinian state at the UN next month, and to block

41
00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,200
Speaker 2: entry to far right Israeli MP Simcha Rothman prompting Israel

42
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,400
Speaker 2: to revoke visas for Australian diplomats in the West Bank.

43
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,800
Speaker 2: But there's been a real chorus around this netnya who's

44
00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,880
Speaker 2: scathing social media post angering Jewish community leaders labeling the

45
00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:34,120
Speaker 2: comments unseemly. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke saying strength is

46
00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,560
Speaker 2: not measured by how many people you can blow up

47
00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,720
Speaker 2: or how many children you can leave Hungary and opposition

48
00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,000
Speaker 2: leaders including Susan Lee and Andrew Hasty, rallying behind Albanesi,

49
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,600
Speaker 2: insisting Australia's leader deserves respect.

50
00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,440
Speaker 1: Onto story number three now and US President Donald Trump

51
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,960
Speaker 1: has met with Rio Tinto and BHP bosses in Washington

52
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,680
Speaker 1: as they push to advance the stalled Resolution copper project

53
00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,519
Speaker 1: in Arizona, which is one of the largest ante copper

54
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:01,880
Speaker 1: deposits in the US.

55
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,960
Speaker 2: The meeting featured Rio's incoming and outgoing chief execs, as

56
00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,440
Speaker 2: well as the boss of BHP, and followed a court

57
00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,040
Speaker 2: ruling delaying a key land transfer needed for the multi

58
00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,920
Speaker 2: billion dollar project after opposition from Native American tribes and

59
00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,919
Speaker 2: environmental groups. Critics argue the mine would devastate sacred tribal land,

60
00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,079
Speaker 2: drain water, and leave a massive crater. Donald Trump used

61
00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,440
Speaker 2: his Truth social platform to blast quote radical activists and

62
00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,160
Speaker 2: vow support for the mine, saying the project could deliver

63
00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,520
Speaker 2: three thousand, eight hundred jobs, bolster national security, and reduce

64
00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,520
Speaker 2: reliance on imported copper after his administration imposed a fifty

65
00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:45,120
Speaker 2: percent tariff on foreign supplies. Despite setbacks, rearn bhp in

66
00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,360
Speaker 2: sister mine remains viable, potentially producing twenty million tons of

67
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,200
Speaker 2: copper over forty years. Yeap.

68
00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,960
Speaker 1: That is a lot storry Number four. New polling shows

69
00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,200
Speaker 1: Australians want more flexibility at work, and in big numbers,

70
00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,880
Speaker 1: two two thirds of vote backing a legal right to

71
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,000
Speaker 1: work from home and a four day work week.

72
00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,520
Speaker 2: Victoria's premier, jacent to Allen, has promised to guarantee two

73
00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:09,840
Speaker 2: days a week from home, a move that builds on

74
00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,360
Speaker 2: Labour's attack against Peter Dutton's push to send public servants

75
00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,679
Speaker 2: back to the office. But the result Political monitor shows

76
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,360
Speaker 2: support cuts across party lines, with even a slim majority

77
00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,080
Speaker 2: of Coalition voters on board. Nearly ninety percent of people

78
00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,200
Speaker 2: who already work remotely back the idea. Now that's not

79
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,320
Speaker 2: really a surprise, of course, but what is interesting is

80
00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,000
Speaker 2: that so to do just under two thirds of those

81
00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,599
Speaker 2: who never have union leaders put the idea of a

82
00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,599
Speaker 2: four day work week ahead of the Economic Reform Summit. However,

83
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,640
Speaker 2: Productivity Commission Chair Daniel would dismiss the need for government intervention,

84
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,719
Speaker 2: claiming employers and professionals were finding a sweet spot where

85
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,159
Speaker 2: hybrid work is concerned.

86
00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,680
Speaker 1: Okay, last one, story number five. Robbie Williams, the British

87
00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,919
Speaker 1: pop star, has taken a minority stake in Australian no

88
00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,400
Speaker 1: alcohol beer company Heaps Nor, after discovering the brand while touring.

89
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:03,440
Speaker 1: This is a great story.

90
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,040
Speaker 2: It is Williams, who has been sober for more than

91
00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,600
Speaker 2: twenty years, joins the growing global trend of consumers choosing

92
00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,640
Speaker 2: low and no alcohol options. Co founder Andy Miller said

93
00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,719
Speaker 2: he was stunned to receive a FaceTime called directly from

94
00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,039
Speaker 2: the singer I Think as you would be. Founded in

95
00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,320
Speaker 2: twenty twenty, Sydney based Heaps Normal has seen revenue rise

96
00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,479
Speaker 2: twenty percent in twenty four twenty five year and is

97
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,359
Speaker 2: now expanding into the UK and US as its eyes

98
00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:30,680
Speaker 2: A series B capital raise in the next year to

99
00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,640
Speaker 2: support growth. Research shows the percentage of adults drinking alcohol

100
00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,560
Speaker 2: in the US has actually fallen to a ninety year

101
00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:39,120
Speaker 2: low at fifty four percent.

102
00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,560
Speaker 1: All right, there we go the top five business stories

103
00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,960
Speaker 1: in five minutes. Thank you very much, Natalie, Thank you Michael.

104
00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,920
Speaker 1: It is Thursday, the twenty first of August twenty twenty five.

105
00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,120
Speaker 1: Remember to hit follow on the podcast and if five

106
00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,919
Speaker 1: minutes just isn't enough, you can find our longer daily

107
00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,040
Speaker 1: show called Fear and Greed whereever you listen to. Podcasts

108
00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,240
Speaker 1: are Michael Thompson and that was the fast five business

109
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,960
Speaker 1: news by Fear and Greed. Have a great day, h