Edited announcement

Housing and works minister Michelle Roberts was in Albany today to release an afforable housing project at Mt Lockyer, and to open the first major park and sales office at its joint venture Oyster Harbour Development.

A board restructure by Como-based Nido Petroleum Ltd has seen managing director David Whitby promoted to the position of company chairman, replacing Gregor Dixon.

Former West Coast Eagles football player and Brownlow medallist, Chris Judd, has today partnered with Michael Kiernan's Territory Resources Ltd for a 12 month ambassador program focused on the Northern Territory.

The state government has announced an additional funding commitment of $84.7 million to mental health services accross Western Australia, bringing the total extra money it has allocated for mental health since 2004 to $507 million.

Plantation manager Great Southern Ltd has signed a five year contract, worth an estimated $130 million, to sell woodchips from Victoria and South Australia to a major Japanese pulp and paper company.

Subiaco-based zinc explorer, Ironbark Ltd, has raised $5 million through a placement of 7 million shares at 71 cents each with Africa's largest banking group, Standard Bank.

CBH Group has announced it will invest $50 million into its country receival network, as part of its capital expenditure program for the coming year.

The state government is seeking public comment on an informal type of credit known as 'book up'.

Chamber of Minerals & Energy president David Smith has resigned from the role after taking a new position with Rio Tinto Iron Ore in Africa.

Mid-tier mineral sands producer, Matilda Minerals Ltd, is aiming to raise about $6.7 million through a renounceable rights issue, to fund the expansion of its Tiwi Islands project and to accelerate the exploration program on its Cape York tenements.

Gold and nickel miner View Resources Ltd says its Bronzewing gold mine in the Eastern Goldfields is unlikely to meet a first quarter 2008 production target of 30,000 ounces, and has suspended development of the nearby Calista mine to reduce costs.

Wester Power has approved an access application by Eneabba Gas Ltd subsidiary, Eneabba Energy Pty Ltd, to connect to some 170 MW of power from the SWIS network for its Centauri 1 power station site near Dongara.

Careful monitoring of the Gnangara Mound's groundwater over the past 11 years has revealed that currently it is the lowest on record.

The board of West Perth-based Blue Energy Ltd has accepted the resignation of Sharif Oussa from the position of chief executive with immediate effect.

Pilbara nickel explorer and producer, Fox Resources Ltd, has entered into a new strategic offtake agreement with Jinchuan Group Ltd for the sale of a second stream of nickel in concentrate from the company's Radio Hill operations in Western Australia.

The Federal Court in Perth has imposed penalties totalling $125,000 on a number of educational services agents for fixing the price of placement services provided to students of Korean origin.

The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia said today's lift in the official cash rate by the Reserve Bank was disappointing but not surprising.

Base metals miner Perilya Ltd chairman Patrick O'Connor has taken an executive role to oversee a strategic review of the company during the March quarter of 2008.

Funds management group Ray White Invest and private property developer Blair Group have acquired the Currambine Marketplace from Woolworths Ltd for more than $50 million with plans to expand the property.

Orezone Resources Inc. has awarded GRD Minproc with the engineering, procurement and construction management contract for processing facilities at the Essakane Gold Project in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

Clean technology developer Carnegie Corporation Ltd has successfully deployed and begun initial operation of the first CETO Wave Energy prototype off a test site at Fremantle.

New figures compiled by the Retail Traders' Association of Western Australia show shoppers across the state spent a record $2.75 billion last December.

Premier Alan Carpenter and his cabinet are heading to Albany to meet members of the community, local governments and business representatives on Tuesday, March 4 and Wednesday, March 5.

Grange Resources Ltd has appointed Russel Clark as the company's managing director and CEO, effective March 6 2008.

Wine Grape Growers Australia has advised growers to trigger pricing disputes under their contracts with wineries to force a review of low 2008 vintage grape prices.

Harvey Industries Group, trading as Harvey Beef, has acquired the business assets of meat processing company Fremantle City Processors Pty Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Engineering and construction company Clough Ltd has been awarded a $25 million contract by Apache Energy for the Mars Phase 2A Project located on Varanus Island.

West Perth-based Golden Gate Petroleum Ltd has appointed Stephen Graves as its new managing director.

West Perth-based Rubicon Resources Ltd has entered into share subscription deed, evalution and farm-in agreement over its Warburton copper project with the world's second largest mining company by market capitalisation, Brazil's Vale.

Perth-based Total Staffing Solutions Ltd has secured a national footprint by opening its first South Australian office.

Perth-based engineering company, Neptune Marine Services Ltd, has completed the second tranche of a share placement launched in December to raise a total of $60.8 million.

Perth-based biotechnology company, NemGenix Pty Ltd, has secured a $500,000 investment from the Murdoch Westscheme Enterprise Partnership fund, which supports projects arising from the university.