Fraser Beattie

Civil and construction contractor Brierty has recovered $2.5 million from a weather-related insurance claim on a project with Main Roads Western Australia, but is yet to reach a resolution with regards to an outstanding $6.6 million dispute.

The state’s largest agricultural lobby group has reported its first operating surplus since 2010, which was largely attributable to a reduction in costs.

Perth dwelling values took a surprise positive turn in the last month of 2015, but a property analyst predicts growth in the local housing market is still at least a year away.

After plans for a backdoor listing fell through in 2014, former New Tel boss Peter Malone has signed up Patersons Securities as lead manager for a $4 million initial public offering for his sunscreen and cosmetics company Skin Elements.

A major figure in the local building industry has been elected the 2016 national president of Master Builders Australia.

AWE and Origin Energy plan to spend $17.5 million on the first stage of their Waitsia onshore gas project in the Perth Basin after an offtake agreement was finalised with Alinta Energy.

Watpac Civil & Mining and BC Iron have flagged legal action against each other, with Watpac seeking about $12.5 million from the iron ore miner.

Perth-based Swick Mining Services has won a number of new contracts and renewals with Newmont Mining, with 15 rigs expected to be in operation by early next year.

Oil and gas company Buru Energy has flagged job cuts and the sale of acreage in the Canning Basin to save costs, as a drilling contractor employed at Buru’s Ungani project falls into administration.

Shipbuilder Austal has won a $US51.7 million ($A71.8 million) contract to provide upgrade services to the company’s biggest customer, the US Navy.

The competition watchdog is seeking market feedback after a fresh undertaking by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure in its takeover battle for ports and rail operator Asciano, which includes the divestment of its bulk rail operations in Western Australia.

The Turnbull government has sought to head off a Labor-trade unions scare campaign on weekend penalty rates by leaving any change to the independent workplace umpire.

Crane hire company Boom Logistics has flagged an $18 million impairment in its half-year profit, with a portion of the write-down relating to costs associated with the shutdown of its transport business in the Pilbara.

Telco giant Telstra and national contracting companies Service Stream and BSA have been awarded contracts for the building and maintenance of the national broadband network (NBN).

Perth-based explorer IMX Resources has announced a restructuring of its Tanzanian assets, involving plans to spin-off its graphite portfolio into a new ASX-listed entity, while retaining its base and precious metals portfolio.

Cedar Woods Properties has purchased a 3.8 hectare infill site in Queensland for $24.6 million, while also announcing the extension of a $135 million loan.

Diversified contractor SRG has won a new contract plus an extension to an existing contract to provide its services to several of Evolution Mining’s gold mines, worth a combined $150 million.

Social networking company migme has announced the acquisition of two Indonesia-based companies, while finalising a $3.5 million convertible note issue.

Data and networks solutions business Amcom Telecommunications has won a $12.9 million contract to provide its services to SA Health over a three-year term.

As Western Australia moves to follow NSW in legalising Uber, the taxi industry says the devil will be in the detail of the proposed reforms.

Gold producer Troy Resources has raised $10 million from investors to fund ongoing work at its Karouni project in Guyana.

The corporate watchdog has banned a former Northbridge-based bank manager from providing financial services for stealing up to $515,000 during his tenure.

Singapore-listed contractor AusGroup has announced a number of contract wins and extensions worth a combined $100 million, including with Woodside Petroleum, which today flagged lower capex and increased production for the year.

Premier Colin Barnett has expressed his ‘extreme’ disappointment at yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on the Roe 8 highway project, as the environment minister announced a ‘third party health check’ into the Environmental Protection Authority.

Memory technology company 4DS Memory has wrapped up its first day of trading on the ASX, closing well below its opening price but above the price of its recent capital raising.

Local companies Triton Minerals, General Mining Corporation and Orinoco Gold have announced plans to raise a combined $24.6 million to fund ongoing work at their respective projects.

The consumer watchdog has decided not to approve GPC Asia Pacific’s proposed $43 million acquisition of Automotive Holdings Group’s Covs Parts business on the grounds that it would substantially lessen competition.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources says it will suffer a $25 million pre-tax charge to its profit as a result of the decline in the Australian government bond rate.

Perth-based Tiger Resources has finalised terms of a $US162.5 million ($A225.5 million) finance facility with two investment groups to refinance its debt and fund expansion of its Kipoi copper project.

Nemex Resources has dropped plans to acquire a majority stake in Wavefront Biometric Technologies after losing support from its major shareholders.

Tap Oil has flagged a range of cost-cutting strategies while announcing a $6.75 million capital raising to pay back debt, after final terms of a refinancing deal with Macquarie Bank fell through.

The building industry watchdog is taking 23 workers to the Federal Court for allegedly unlawfully laying down the tools while working on a new waste treatment plant for the Water Corporation in February.