Viva Energy has posted a rise of 10.3 per cent to $192.1 million in its half-year net profit, with a strong performance in its refinery business. In its 2024 half-year results, the company’s refinery business reported growth of 390 per cent to $112.4 million, up from $22.9 million on year prior. Despite the rise in net profit, the company has cut its dividend payouts by 21 per cent on the previous year to 6.7 cents per share. Scott Wyatt, CEO and Managing Director of Viva Energy, said it was a strong performance with both fuel sales and EBITDA growing by 6 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. “Cost of living pressures and illegal tobacco trade are having an impact on consumer demand within our convenience businesses, at the same time that wage and cost inflation are driving up the cost of doing business across all our business units.” “In…

Significant changes have commenced as of 26 August 2024, following amendments made to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act) by the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No. 2) Act 2024. Two of the most pressing changes for employers are the introduction of the right to disconnect, and changes to casual employment. What is the right to disconnect? Before considering what the right to disconnect is, it may firstly be helpful to outline what the right to disconnect is not. The right to disconnect does not prevent employers from contacting their employees outside of the employee’s normal working hours. The right to disconnect instead gives employees the right to refuse to monitor, read, or respond to communications from their employer (or third parties related to their employment, such as suppliers) outside of their working hours, unless that refusal would be unreasonable. This entitlement is also a workplace right under the general protections provisions of…

APCO has published its 2030 Strategic Plan, setting a bold path to increase recycling and meet national packaging targets. The APCO 2030 Strategic Plan was unveiled on 19 August 2024. This plan will provide economic incentives for material circularity, establish mechanisms to achieve national packaging targets, and enhance the social license for brands using packaging. For the first time, a new fee model will create financial incentives for packaging design and direct the targeted expenditure of Covenant funds within the system. Our strategy introduces an innovative membership fee model, supporting increased recycling activities and fostering a sustainable packaging future. This will incentivise those brand owners that eliminate and reduce packaging, adopt reuse models, and transition to materials and formats that are easier to recycle. Importantly, funds raised through the new fee model will be invested in the downstream system to overcome economic barriers that have hindered progress towards national packaging…