Edited announcement

Since announcing their on market buy back of up to 10 million shares in May this year, West Perth-based oil and gas production and exploration company Tap Oil Ltd has bought almost 600,000, at a cost of just over $1 million.

Perth-based skin and burns treatment company Clinical Cell Culture Ltd today announced that Canada's health products regulatory body had approved its ReCell tissue harvesting device for commercial sales in Canada.

Coming out of yesterday's trading halt, Perth-based property developer Aspen Group Ltd has announced that it has raised $50 million via a conditional placement of shares within the institutional sector.

West-Perth based Oil exploration company Oilex NL hopes to raise $20 million through a share placement to fund its development and exploration programs in India, Oman and Australia.

WA Premier Alan Carpenter departs Perth today on an 11 day trade mission to Japan and Korea.

Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance has called on the Federal Government to rethink the Fuel Tax Bill, which threatens the future for a biofuels industry in Western Australia.

Henderson-based shipbuilders Austal Ltd today announced it expected to perform above market expectations of $36 million net profit in its full-year result, due to "once-off benefits".

Former Queensland Rhodes Scholar and political scientist Professor Don Markwell has been appointed to lead The University of Western Australia's academic programs as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education).

Former WA Newspapers chief executive Ian Law has made his first move as chief of Australian Consolidated Press Magazines Ltd, offloading the company's events and exhibitions arm, Exhibitions and Trade Fairs Pty Ltd, to commercial services company AAV Ltd

Increasing demand for beauty and health products in Hong Kong and mainland China has prompted Austrade, the Australian Government's export promotion agency, to recommend Australian business take advantage of opportunities in the region.

Nedlands-based industrial services provider Tox Free Solutions Ltd has acquired Kalgoorlie waste management company GrimeFighters FluidClean Pty Ltd for $2 million cash, plus shares in Tox Free to the value of $440,000.

The state government has created the new role of land release coordinator to free up more land for housing, a pressing issue raised by the property industry.

Trade in West Perth-based Oilex NL shares was halted earlier today pending an announcement.

The State Government has launched plans to identify the future skills needs of Western Australian industry to win more national defence contracts.

Canadian company Gemcom Software International Inc has made a $14.6 million private placement deal to help fund its $34 million acquisition of West Perth-based mining software provider Surpac Minex Group Pty Ltd.

The Australian Government today introduced to Parliament a new Independent Contractors Bill to enshrine and protect the status of independent contractors and encourage independent contracting as a wholly legitimate form of work.

Councils will be able to better measure the cost of delivering services to the community with the release of an alternative measure for cost budgeting, according to the Western Australian Local Government Association.

New figures from Australian Communications and Media Authority show radio had an strong profit surge in 2004-05, jumping 37.8 per cent across 274 reporting commercial radio licensees for a combined result of $170.3 million.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Jon Ford today announced a new $3million program to assist groups of local governments co-operate and collaborate on the delivery of services to their communities.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd, through its subsidiary Woodside Eastern Energy, has lodged a claim against fellow oil and gas player Anzon Australia Ltd alleging Anzon's termination of an agreement between the two was wrongful.

Western Australian Auditor General Des Pearson has warned of worrying signs in the management of the public service workforce as the state's economy grows and the labour pool shrinks.

Perth-based junior explorer Indo Mines Ltd and its partner Compass Resources NL are to move ahead with the purchase of the highly prospective Nangali epithermal gold project in Peru.

Balcatta-based brake system specialist Safe Effect Technologies Ltd has announced a $750,000 capital raising to expand the take-up of its braking system products in the mining industry.

The state government will introduce Australia's toughest illegal fishing legislation into parliament today.

Existing board member Kate Lamont has beem appointed chairperson of Tourism Western Australia and five new members will also join the board.

Design tenders for two development lots in the Leighton marshalling yards redevelopment near Fremantle opened today.

Subiaco based oil and gas explorer Nuenco NL has increased its exposure to the San Joaquin Basin, California, with the $6.7 million acquisition of a 50 per cent interest in private Canadian oil and gas exploration company Surf Petroleum Inc.

The capacity of WA businesses to absorb cost increases is coming to an end, with many poised to increase their prices during the next quarter according to a survey released today.

Perth-based neurology research company NeuroDiscovery Ltd's wholly owned subsidiary, NeuroSolutions Ltd, today entered into a new revenue-generating contract with a major multinational pharmaceutical client for $200,000.

Subiaco-headquartered property manager Wentworth Mutual Ltd has announced a market update on its earnings performance for this financial year, as well as forecasting record earnings for 2006-2007.

Wagin MLA Terry Waldron has urged the State Government to underwrite the purchase of electricity generated from future oil mallee processing plants across the WA Wheatbelt.

West Perth based precious and base metals explorer Universal Resources Ltd has signed an agreement with the Kalkadoon people of North West Queensland - the traditional owners of the land at the company's Roseby Copper project.