Fraser Beattie

Engineering group Clough has won a contract for work on Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project in the Browse Basin, with the value undisclosed.

Panoramic Resources and Mincor Resources have announced plans to put their last operating mines on care and maintenance in response to the depressed nickel market, with Panoramic cutting 50 jobs today with more to follow at both companies.

The state government has pressed on with its red tape cuts initiative by removing a cap on fees charged by settlement agents and land valuers, while amending the codes of conduct.

Western Australia’s regional rental market was the weakest performer in the country in the last three months of 2015, with the Pilbara area taking a large share of the blame.

Perth company Subsea Engineering Associates has won a contract to provide its services to the Baltic gas project in the Polish section of the Baltic Sea.

West Perth-based Shaw River Manganese has become the third manganese miner to announce fallout from depressed ore prices, with the company entering voluntary administration this morning.

The state government has unveiled guidelines it will use to assess unsolicited bids from the private sector for state-owned land.

Up to 380 employees will be made redundant when Perth-based manganese miner Consolidated Minerals puts its Woodie Woodie mine in the Pilbara on care and maintenance next month.

Australia’s big four banks and one insurance company have been ranked within the top 100 most sustainable companies in the world, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia leading the charge for the nation.

Empired shares lost over a third of their value after the IT services provider announced it had been hit with unexpected costs and was facing lower earnings.

Perth-based contractor AusGroup has recruited former Southern Cross Electrical Engineering boss Simon High as chief executive of its engineering services arm.

The state government will spend $4.7 million on re-sealing parts of the Kwinana Freeway and Forrest Highway, with work to be carried out by a subsidiary of Boral.

Gold and nickel miner Independence Group plans to make about 40 employees redundant after announcing it would cut exploration spending by $20 million in response to weak base metals prices.

Engineering firm Wood Group has continued its run of contract wins in the offshore oil and gas sector, with the latest contract being for Shell’s Prelude floating LNG project.

The state government has appointed the former head of the Victorian Country Fire Authority to lead an extensive inquiry into the Yarloop bushfire.

Western Australia's only onshore oil producer has suspended production after being hit by the low oil price and the high cost of trucking its output to Wyndham rather than the much closer port at Broome.

Mining services company MACA plans to broaden its gold portfolio through the purchase of local private business Alliance Contracting for $5 million.

A $176 million construction contract for the $1.12 billion NorthLink WA project has been awarded to John Holland, with work set to begin on the major Tonkin Highway upgrade mid-year.

Apartment developer Finbar Group has been given the go-ahead for a $77 million, 194-dwelling project in Belmont, with construction set to begin next year.

The state government will lay underground power lines in areas of the South West after the Yarloop bushfire racked up a $26 million damage bill to the region’s electricity network.

Six construction companies including EMCO Building, Badge Construction and Pindan have secured a combined $102 million worth of work from the state government.

Dacian Gold has appointed GR Engineering Services to conduct a feasibility study on its $157 million Mt Morgans gold project near Laverton.

Wild Acre Metals has flagged a second attempt at acquiring technology company Nuheara after the target completed a working prototype of its wearable IQbuds hearing product.

Former CB&I manager Peter Bennett has returned to Perth to succeed Kevin Gallagher as chief executive of engineering services company Clough.

Shares in iron ore hopeful Sundance Resources were stripped of half their value after the company announced an aggressive cost reduction strategy that includes job cuts and a reduction in board size and remuneration.

Wesfarmers has announced plans to spend over $1 billion in the UK market after sealing a deal to buy the Homebase home improvement chain for $705 million and rebrand it as Bunnings.

Mining services firm Tempo Australia has won contract extensions with unnamed existing clients for construction, pre-commissioning and commissioning support services work, worth a combined $65 million for the year.

The battle for control of Aditya Birla Minerals has intensified, with bidder Metals X extending its $68 million takeover offer to late February while accusing the target of lacking transparency around expenses.

Bentley-based biotech company Recce has popped the cork on its first day of trading on the ASX, following completion of a $5 million initial public offering.

Perth Airport has welcomed news that Emirates will be adding a second daily flight between Dubai and Perth later this year.

Local miner Pilbara Minerals is threatening legal action against its former joint venture partner after discovering problems with the plant at its Tabba Tabba tantalite project, which was completed in November.

Mining equipment supplier Emeco Holdings has announced a deterioration of its Canadian operations as a result of the depressed oil price, but still expects to lift underlying earnings from a weak FY15 result.