BILLIONAIRE Gina Rinehart's ambitious plans to produce tens of millions of tonnes of coal from the Galilee Basin in Queensland have hit a major hurdle.

MANY doubted the Clem7 tunnel traffic forecasts on which RiverCity Motorway's public float was based long before the cars failed to turn up.

INVESTORS have rushed to ditch shares in Cougar Energy - the gas company at the centre of a water contamination scare - slashing its market value in half.

ABC tycoon Eddy Groves is demanding $10 million from his broker Austock over a share deal he claims cost him his private helicopter and a luxury yacht.

The Australian share market on Friday ended the week with a third successive gain.

INVESTORS have sounded out the possibility of legal action against the troubled operators of the Clem7 toll tunnel who have reported a $1.67 billion loss.

THE former boss of failed MFS hosted an Elton John concert and got drunk with mates as his cash-strapped firm struggled to repay a creditor, a court heard.

STORE rejected $850,000 offer to settle just days before damaging harassment complaint lodged.

CLEM7 boss defends bonuses of more than $1 million paid to senior executives, saying payments linked to successful opening of tunnel.

A LOCAL action group has lost another round in the ongoing fight over developments on Mt Tamborine, south of Brisbane.