Summary: Interview with La Porchetta CEO Sara Pantaleo, a former Franchise Woman of the Year (2010) and a Telstra Business Woman of the Year Finalist (2012). Interview with PricewaterhouseCoopers economist Jeremy Thorpe. Leon and Garry discuss issue including: · The tide turning against Eurozone austerity as Eurozone divisions over austerity policies championed by Germany deepen with Italy's new government joining France in demanding a change of direction for the crisis-hit bloc. Meanwhile, The Cypriot parliament narrowly approves a controversial 10 billion euros ($A12.76 billion) bailout deal agreed with international lenders to stave off bankruptcy · The US Commerce Department reporting that US consumer spending grew 0.2 per cent in March · Prime Minister Julia Gillard confirming the budget will take a $12 billion hit on a fall in tax revenues to levels that mark a "return to normality" as the mining boom ends. · A Medicare-style levy to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme · The consultancy Macroeconomics warning that a one-off cut of $15 billion in federal government payments is needed to begin repairing the deficit · The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expecting the Australian economy to return to trend growth in 2014, despite the damage being caused by a high Australian dollar. · Insolvency specialists are forecasting more agricultural operations will be placed into receivership as a Rabobank survey shows that rural sector optimism is continuing to slide with more than a third of the nation's farmers expecting the agricultural economy to worsen in the coming 12 months. · Reserve Bank data showing that private sector credit growth rose by 0.2 per cent in March, following an identical lift in February and January. · For the six months to March 31, ANZ posts a record cash profit of $3.182 billion, a 10 per cent rise on the $2.896 billion posted in the previous corresponding period. ANZ Banking Group chief executive Mike Smith says the bank will consider a dual listing on an Asian stock exchange in order to support its dividend payout · Telstra shares finishing within a breadth of breaking the $5 barrier, the highest level in almost eight years. It is one of the best-performing blue-chip stocks on the ASX so far this year as investors seek a safe haven given recent volatility in equity markets and especially after the dramatic collapse of the gold price. · The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says profits are up but service at Australian airports has fallen across the board and Sydney Airport is the busiest and worst performing · The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission planning to probe the pending $3.4 billion GrainCorp Ltd takeover, after the grain handler welcomed a sweetened bid by America's Archer Daniels Midland. · BIS Shrapnel warning that the 12-year boom in engineering construction activity in Australia is about to end · Deutsche Bank finding that Australians pay among the highest prices on the planet.
