Edited announcement

Water Minister Graham Jacobs has today ruled out the damming of the Denmark and Styx rivers as potential water sources for the lower Great Southern region.

The South West's two biggest business groups have called on the state government to make a decision on the future of Millennium Inorganic Chemicals' solid waste disposal site.

Mirabela Nickel will ramp up production at its Santa Rita operation in Brazil over the next three months as it produces its first nickel concentrate.

Satterley Property Group has secured a $36 million contract from the state government to build 231 affordable new homes as part of the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Package.

Perth toy company Brainytoys will rethink its direction after entering into a recapitalisation agreement with the Athan Lekkas-backed Dalext as director John Walker steps down.

Psychiatric hospital Perth Clinic and pork abattoir PPC Linley Valley Fresh were among six winners recognised at the 2009 Work Safety Awards WA over the weekend.

Mirabela Nickel has appointed former Norilsk Nickel Australia managing director Ian Purdy as its chief executive, who takes over from Nick Poll who continues as executive director strategy.

Forge Group subsidiary, Cimeco, has won two contracts valued at $60 million for work at CITIC Pacific's Sino iron project and the Southern Seawater desalination plant.

Western Australia's South West region has made it into the top 10 most desirable holiday destinations according to travel guide company, Lonely Planet.

Engineering and construction company Decmil Group says it is in final stage negotiations over a $70 million contract for the Gorgon gas project while Ausgroup has been awarded $30 million worth of contracts for work on the Pluto operation.

The state opposition have highlighted Treasurer Troy Buswell's "incompetency" and "loose financial management" in reaction to the latest financial reports from the state government indicating WA currently has an operating deficit of almost $700 million.

The state government has called for expressions of interest for pilot water projects and associated works in the Pilbara worth up to $2.5 million a piece as part of the $300 million Royalties for Regions Pilbara Revitalisation Plan.

The state's peak business lobby group is calling on the state government to "urgently" streamline the public sector on the back of a new Economic Audit Committee report expected to be presented to the goverment in the coming days.

Gindalbie Metals has been given the all clear for its $1.86 billion Karara iron ore joint venture after it received the federal government's environmental approval.

Wolf Minerals has announced the completion of its $4 million placement to new strategic partners Traxys Projects and Resource Capital Funds.

State government tourism and events agency, Eventscorp, has been awarded this year's Premier's Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management for the Busselton Ironman.

The number of new home sales in Western Australia fell by 11.1 per cent in September, the country's second biggest drop and nearly three times national decline, following a strong surge in August, according to a Housing Industry Association (HIA) survey.

Australian businesses are the second slowest to pay their local suppliers, at an average 11 days late, with domestic customers taking two days longer to pay Australian businesses than thier international counterparts, a new global survey has revealed.

Perth house prices have grown consistently over the past three quarters, with September quarter median housing prices rising by 1.7 per cent.

Australian Renewable Fuels has struck a deal with Wesfarmers Premier Coal to supply biodiesel to the miner's coal operation.

West Perth-based Great Western Exploration will team up nickel miner Western Areas to jointly explore the Forrestania project in a $2.5 milion deal.

Perth-based TFS Corporation has signed a multi-million dollar agreement with a US-based biotech company to provide sandalwood for the latter's botanical drug.

The state government has been successful in its application to dismiss two native title claims over land in the Pilbara, including the towns of Dampier, Karratha, Wickam, and Point Samson.

Moly Mines says it has finalised its debt restructure arrangements for its remaining $US134 million interim financing facility after a $US700 million deal was struck last week with privately-owned Chinese company Hanlong Mining Investment.

State electricity generator Verve Energy and Fujitsu has struck a long-term partnership agreement over the creation of an 'energy trading management system'.

Bibra Lake-based Mineral Resources will earn a large share of the profits after it struck a farm-in agreement with Reed Resources over the Mount Marion lithium project in the Goldfields region.

Iron ore hopeful Aurox Resources has parted ways with engineering and mining equipment supplier FLSmidth, after the global financial crisis derailed the project financing process for the Balla Balla magnetite project in the Pilbara.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA is teaming up with employers acorss the state to lift awareness about workplace safety, after 22 deaths were recorded last financial year.

WA customers who bought items from collapsed white-goods retailer Kleenamid have today been given hope of a refund after a Victorian Tribunal ordered a linked credit provider to return loan repayments.

Nedlands-based Tox Free Solutions has secured a contract to supply waste management services for the $43 billion Gorgon gas project.

The merger between Subiaco-based Sylvania Resources and Finnish company Ruukki Group has been terminated due to difficulties experienced with the merger implementation.

Shares in East Perth-based Legacy Iron Ore have surged 67 per cent higher after it entered into a potential joint venture deal with Lachlan Capital Partners over its Robertson Range and Hamersley iron ore projects in the Pilbara.