The Fin

This week on The Fin podcast, Boss editor Sally Patten and reporter Hannah Wootton on why the gender pay gap exists, who are the worst offenders and what can be done to fix it. Further reading:  Bonuses, overtime drive 19pc gender pay gap The median pay gap at businesses with 100-plus employees has been revealed for the first time and professional services and banks recorded some of the worst disparities. These companies nailed the gender pay challenge. It wasn’t easy Companies such as Super Retail Group, Wesfarmers, PwC and Cotton On have the most balanced pay rates between men and women employees. Family choices explain part of gender pay gap, say bosses Corporate leaders say women taking more family responsibilities makes the dominance of men in the highest-paid roles difficult to shift. But some female directors said women “deciding” to take on lower-paid work was a “false choice”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, United States correspondent Matthew Cranston and senior writer Jacob Greber, who covered the last Biden-Trump race, give their predictions for the US election. They discuss why Nikki Haley is staying in the Republican contest, whether the legal cases will help or hurt Trump and how Canberra is preparing for the result. This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia. Further reading: Biden suffers strong protest vote in primary win The US president easily won the Democratic primary in Michigan, despite significant defections by voters in his party angry at his support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Your dinner party guide to the US election Will the November vote be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump? With primaries and caucuses in full swing, and candidates dropping like flies, here’s the lowdown. Trump, backed by Rinehart, dispatches Haley in South Carolina Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart backed Donald Trump to be the next US president as Nikki Haley vowed she would stay in the race despite losing her home state to the former president.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, workplace correspondent David Marin-Guzman and Boss deputy editor Patrick Durkin discuss the blurred lines between work and home, the push by some companies to get staff back in the office and whether the new right-to-disconnect laws will ever be used. This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia. Further reading: Why we still can’t agree on how to work from home Four years on from the onset of COVID-19, companies and individuals are as far apart on a consensus on this issue as ever. But this year could bring change. ‘Horse has bolted’: Burke consults over right-to-disconnect fix Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has initiated a last-minute consultation with business over a technical fix to the right to disconnect. Four-day week v office mandate: One size does not fit all Medibank’s Kylie Bishop says its workers on a four-day-a-week trial are less stressed, but JPMorgan says it needs its merchant bankers in the office every day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, Financial Review reporters Jenny Wiggins and Liam Walsh on how IAG became entangled in the Greensill Capital collapse, what’s next in the legal stoush, and why billions of dollars and corporate reputations are at stake. This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia. Further reading: The $7b hangover: How IAG was sucked into Lex Greensill’s vortex One of Australia’s most expensive corporate fights is in court. But how did the insurer targeted in the cases become entangled? The battle of Saughall fields: What Lex Greensill did next The fallen Australian billionaire tried to buy 200 hectares of farmland near a village in north-west England so the view from his home isn’t spoiled. Now the town is tearing itself apart over the plan. How the Greensill empire was brought down Skittish insurers, wary fund managers, a suspicious regulator and a sceptical press created a pile of tinder that only needed a few sparks to start a fire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, senior writer Emma Connors joins us from Jakarta to talk about who is in the race to be the next president of Indonesia and what that will mean for the region and Australia’s nickel miners. This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia. Further reading: Indonesia’s poll frontrunner has bad news for Australian nickel miners Prabowo Subianto has vowed to continue the turbocharged industry development backed by Chinese investment that has flooded the world with cheap nickel. This billionaire used Indonesia’s nickel to squeeze out Australia Xiang Guangda, founder of Chinese giant Tsingshan Holdings, has invested billions of dollars to elbow competitors aside. Why this man is the most disappointed politician in Indonesia The sudden entry of President Joko Widodo’s son into the election race has upset many plans – particularly those of the minister who thought he had a good shot at the vice presidency.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, Political editor Phillip Coorey on the government’s gamble on stage-3 tax cuts, why it will dominate this year’s political agenda and whether there could be an early election. This podcast is sponsored by Governance Institute of Australia. Further reading:Albanese’s version of integrity comes with a means test Aspiration is not part of this government’s vernacular – not right now at least.Tax cut for top earners halved under stage three changes The federal government will slash the stage three tax cuts for those earning $200,000 from $9075 to $4529.An ‘almighty wedge’: The PM’s big tax gamble There are eight winners for every loser in Labor’s reworking of the stage three tax cuts. By focusing on middle-income earners, the PM hopes to create big problems for the Opposition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Lauren Sams, Fashion editor for the Australian Financial Review, as she delves into the luxurious world of Bernard Arnault, the mastermind behind LVMH. The discussion highlights Arnault's impressive ascent to the top of the global wealth rankings and his strategic acquisitions that shaped the luxury landscape. They also explore the generational shift in luxury spending, particularly among Gen Z, and how brands balance exclusivity with broader appeal. Plus, insights into Australia's burgeoning influence in the luxury market make for an engaging conversation.

Former Rear Window editor Joe Aston, one of the Australian Financial Review’s most loved and feared columnists, discusses his evolution from gossip columnist to campaigning journalist. He shares his struggles, holding companies like Qantas and PwC accountable, and the importance of independence in his writing.

The podcast is on holiday right now so we are replaying some of our favourite episodes as part of a summer series. In June, The Fin spoke with AFR Magazine culinary editor Jill Dupleix about a trend in Australian dining that was bugging her. All the restaurant menus looked the same. She wrote a story for the magazine about this and on the cover was a photograph of a cracked plate with Kingfish crudo prepared in four different ways.  So please enjoy this discussion with Jill about the broken business model for Australian restaurants and why some food trends have lingered for more than a decade. Background reading: Why the world’s best restaurant is taking up residency down under Chef Mauro Colagreco is bringing a team of 20 to create a uniquely Sydney version of his three-Michelin star French diner Mirazur. Why top restaurateurs are opening spin-offs right next door You can do degustation at Ides in Melbourne, and now you can go next door to March and settle for a bar snack also prepared by chef Peter Gunn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Fin podcast, senior reporter Carrie LaFrenz and Chanticleer columnist James Thomson on the story behind the rise of Chemist Warehouse, how the deal with Sigma will work and whether the business’ low-profile founders will cope with being out in the open.This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors Further reading: Inside the Chemist franchisee world There are over 200 managing partners who are shareholders in the discount chain. They are all ambitious pharmacy owners, many with multiple sites. Chemist Warehouse's 100-year plan to be the next Walgreens Chemist Warehouse chief executive Mario Verrocchi, flagging a 100-year growth strategy, said it was a “life dream” to list the company, which has more than 600 stores in its network.Why Chemist Warehouse creates a quandary for fund managers After the initial burst of justifiable excitement generated by a chance to look at a business long hidden from public view, fund managers have started to ponder where, when and how Chemist Warehouse might fit into their portfolios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.