This Month
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
From 40 red buses in Melbourne to $400m a year and a $4b payday
Bus company Kinetic is one of Australia’s unheralded success stories. In an industry full of family operators, no one has cracked it like Kinetic’s crew.
- Anthony Macdonald
May
Fifty cents for Qld trains, buses – but they’re still ‘old and slow’
The Queensland Labor government’s slashing of public transport costs has been welcomed, but an advocacy warned of major network issues failing passengers.
- James Hall
Miles’ 50¢ fares unlikely to save Queensland Labor
Queensland Labor’s $150 million pre-election cash splash follows a $1000 power bill rebate, but experts say most voters have already made up their minds.
- Gus McCubbing and Ronald Mizen
Macquarie readies sale of $450m-a-year Kinetic; seeks 10x multiple
Kinetic recently ruled off a $1.6 billion refinancing which Macquarie reckons puts it in a position to accelerate the decarbonisation of its fleet.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
April
More Queensland construction workers to get at least $200k a year
Civil contractors say the Queensland Labor government has “created a monster” with its civil project conditions that are lifting costs for everyone.
- David Marin-Guzman
OPTrust’s Kinetic secures $1.6b refinancing; 21 lenders tip in
Of note, Kinetic will bid farewell to more expensive, LBO-style debt in lieu of an infrastructure-style deal that would lower the group’s financing costs.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
March
Defining legacy: Brisbane’s messy path to the Olympics
It will be a long haul to transform the QEII stadium to Olympic standard. That’s just one of the hurdles for Queensland.
- Updated
- Zoe Samios, Michael Bleby and Tess Bennett
February
How Denmark is using its design knack to transform trains
The country is investing almost $3 billion in its new IC5 train fleet. Expect carriages fitted out to give passengers the feeling of “cosy friendliness”.
- Robert Bevan
Federal auditor to probe Labor’s $2.2b Suburban Rail Loop commitment
The auditor-general will examine whether the approval of Commonwealth funding for the $125 billion project was “informed by appropriate departmental advice”.
- Gus McCubbing
January
How a hot wellness trend is taking over in real estate
The real estate industry has picked up on the Blue Zone tag created to flag places with healthy lifestyles. But is it any more than a marketing tactic?
- Jane Margolies
OPTrust-backed Kinetic hires Macquarie for $4b-plus strategic review
Homegrown bus giant Kinetic Group has taken the first step towards a blockbuster $4 billion deal.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Australia’s No.1 bus operator on board for $4b-plus strategic review
Kinetic’s owners, OPTrust and Foresight Group, have been auditioning investment banks for a strategic review of the $4 billion bus operator.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
- Exclusive
- Victorian Parliament
Suburban Rail Loop to progress ‘regardless of federal funding’
Victorian Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson says pausing construction on the $125 billion Suburban Rail Loop will only add to the project’s cost.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
December 2023
Ventura bus auction nears destination with preferred bidder in tow
The Victorian operator, which has been owned by the Cornwall family since 1924, was put up for sale earlier this year by Goldman Sachs.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
November 2023
EV biz GoZero lines up $100m financing to expand fleet
Street Talk understands the EV outfit is in talks with Commonwealth Bank of Australia and a handful of other lenders.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Flyers for EV outfit GoZero hit inboxes; 50pc margin uplift predicted
GoZero is forecasting a “strong profitable growth profile”, underpinned by government and commercial contracts.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Last stop for Ventura’s $1b sale; binding bids in
Street Talk understands sell-side adviser Goldman Sachs collected binding bids on Friday and is due to pick a preferred bidder as early as next week.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Kinetic wants to ‘shake up’ Australian transport with rail assault
The group, which runs the red SkyBuses that transfer people from airports to city centres, is entering the race for train and tram contracts.
- Jenny Wiggins
October 2023
EV bus outfit TrueGreen Mobility preps $100m raise; MA Moelis mandated
Preparations for the capital markets trip come 2½ months after it acquired coach charter company North Sydney Bus Charters.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Pallas evokes Paris in defence of $200b rail project for Melbourne
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has defended the controversial $200 billion Suburban Rail Loop, saying “we need this for the state and the future”.
- Gus McCubbing
