Briefs: ANZ and FSU resume talks, ANZ not keen on Broken Hill, Buffett interested in local bank inve

The Finance Sector Union said ANZ agreed to recommence negotiations for a new enterprise agreement. The talks will start next month. FSU national secretary Fiona Jordan said: "If the bank comes to these talks with a new approach that is focused on fixing the problems instead of the negatives that forced nearly five thousand employees to vote down its last proposal, we could have something to talk about and vote on in August or September." In February ANZ employees rejected an enterprise agreement proposal by a margin of two to one.
ANZ is asking borrowers for a minimum 30 per cent deposit if they are buying a house in Broken Hill and other mining centres, according to an ABC report. The bank said its policy reflected "the localised downturn in a small number of towns dependent on the mining sector."
US investor Warren Buffett is looking to buy a stake in an Australian bank, according to Fairfax Media. Yesterday insurer IAG announced that it had formed a ten-year strategic partnership with Buffett's investment company Berkshire Hathaway, which involves Berkshire Hathaway agreeing to pay 20 per cent of IAG's claims in return for 20 per cent of its premium income. Buffett said: "Banking is something I have looked at, I am comfortable with banks, we have some big positions in US banks. I will certainly be looking at the [Australian] banks."