Australian gold producer and explorer Focus Minerals Limited today announced that Shandong Gold International Mining Corporation has agreed to subscribe for approximately 4.55 billion new fully-paid ordinary Focus Minerals shares to raise A$227.5 million.

Pay-television provider Foxtel's A$1.9 billion acquisition of 100% of its regional counterpart, AUSTAR United Communications, creates one of Australia’s largest media businesses, with more than 2,500 employees, anticipated revenue of more than A$2.8 billion and a combined annual investment in original Australian content of more than A$500 million.

A core team from Minter Ellison's finance group advised the syndicate of banks on revolving and bridge facilities to the Foxtel Group.

Sydney Ferries has operated services on Sydney Harbour and its waterways for more than 135 years. Its fleet of some 30 vessels transports about 14 million people across the Harbour and the Parramatta River each year. In May 2012, the Government of New South Wales announced it had franchised Sydney Ferries to a private operator – Harbour City Ferries, a partnership between Veolia Transdev and Transfield Services.

A cross-disciplinary Minter Ellison team advised the Government on this high profile project.

Two important developments in the fast-moving telecommunications industry were announced by the Australian Government in February 2012 – the NBN Co's procurement of two satellites and the renewal of mobile spectrum licences.

The two satellites and associated tracking, telemetry and control systems are designed to deliver, along with the fixed wireless and fibre networks of the National Broadband Network (NBN), universal broadband coverage across the entire Australian continent and its external territories for the first time. 

Minter Ellison was closely involved in the delivery of both of these landmark outcomes.