Fraser Beattie

The number of people living in regional Western Australia fell last year for the first time in at least a decade, with mining towns such as Leinster, Meekatharra, Kambalda and Coolgardie driving the decline, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows.

There may have been little growth in new home sales last month Australia wide, but Western Australia helped keep the national figures in positive territory, with an industry figure foreshadowing a bottoming-out in the state over the year.

The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has revealed 10 Perth suburbs where properties are selling faster now than during the mining boom, with four of the top 10 in the western suburbs.

After a failed attempt at a backdoor listing in 2015, geospatial data intelligence company Takor Group has announced new plans to list on the ASX by way of an $8 million initial public offer.

An extraordinary twist has emerged in the Quintis saga, with founder and managing director Frank Wilson resigning to work with an unnamed overseas corporation that is planning a takeover proposal of the Perth-based Indian sandalwood producer.

Quintis temporarily put the brakes on its falling share price by entering into a trading halt this morning, as it compiled a lengthy response to queries raised by the ASX.

Todd Corporation-controlled BBI Group has signed an agreement with a Chinese firm for construction of the $6 billion Balla Balla iron ore project in the Pilbara.

Freshly renamed Indian sandalwood producer Quintis has suffered another share price slide, prompting a query from the ASX, following short-seller Glaucus Research Group’s scathing report into the Nedlands-based business yesterday.

The Western Force is calling on the public to purchase $10 million worth of shares in the club in what it has labelled a “last call” to save it from being cut from the Super Rugby competition.

Indian sandalwood producer TFS Corporation has blasted US-based short-seller Glaucus Research Group for a scathing report which accused the Perth company of operating a Ponzi-like business structure.

Renewable-focused Carnegie Clean Energy has announced it is developing a $20 million, 10-megawatt solar power station in Northam, which it says will generate enough electricity to power 4,000 homes for 25 years.

A major shareholder in failed manganese company Mesa Minerals has lost its bid to have administrators replaced after the Supreme Court ruled there was no evidence of bias between Pitcher Partners and Mesa’s largest stakeholder, Mineral Resources.

Western Australia's biggest gas retailer, Alinta Energy, has been bought by a Hong Kong jewellery and property conglomerate, with Premier-elect Mark McGowan saying the deal confirmed his opposition to privatisation.

ANALYSIS: Freshly recycled Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan has been fast tracked into Premier-elect Mark McGowan’s new cabinet, even though she will not formally start her term in the Legislative Council until mid-May.

Engineering contractor Laing O’Rourke has taken 800 of its workers off the $US37 billion Ichthys LNG project in Darwin due to a pay dispute with its Japanese supplier.

Perth-based junior explorer Amex Resources is set to be wholly acquired by one of its shareholders after a lucrative takeover proposal was made, valuing the iron ore hopeful at $54 million.

Gold and nickel miner Independence Group has expanded its presence in the Fraser Range after entering into an agreement to farm-in to Orion Gold’s tenements in the area for an initial $2 million in cash and scrip.

Niobium explorer Cradle Resources has recommended shareholders accept a takeover offer from joint venture partner Tremont Investments, which values the target at $55 million.

The third LNG train at Chevron’s Gorgon facility on Barrow Island is ramping up to begin producing ahead of schedule, with the milestone set to be achieved by the end of the month.

Lithium Australia’s $23.8 million takeover bid for rival Lepidico appears to be heading for rejection, with the target company not confident about the operational methods of Lithium’s core asset.

Gold miner Red 5 has revealed the financial extent of having to temporarily shut down its Siana mine operations, today flagging a $70 million impairment in its half-year accounts.

Woodside Petroleum boss Peter Coleman has received $2.9 million worth of shares in the Perth-based energy giant as part of a short-term incentive under his executive employment contract.

The investment vehicle of Pakistani meat producer Tariq Butt has sold its remaining 9.5 per cent stake in Wellard to private company Heytesbury, at a premium to the listed agribusiness’s recent trading price.

Perth home prices are now 10 per cent below the market peak of 2014, after the sector lost gains made in January to fall 2.4 per cent last month.

Marine services company MMA Offshore will sell its Dampier and Broome supply bases to Toll Group for about $53 million to pay off debt, as the company revealed a $323.7 million half-year loss on the back of a large impairment charge.

Macmahon Holdings has called out CIMIC Group for what it says is a low-ball takeover bid, saying the Spanish-controlled company should be aware of the improving market for mining services. 

Subiaco-based lithium explorer MetalsTech has enjoyed steady gains on its first day of trading on the ASX, after completing a $4.3 million initial public offering.

The competition watchdog has raised concerns over South32’s proposed $US200 million acquisition of Peabody Energy Corporation’s Metropolitan Colliery in NSW, on the grounds that it may lessen competition in the region.

Dacian Gold has reignited plans to undertake a large equity raising, announcing today a $110 million placement and entitlement offer to fund development of its Mt Morgans gold project near Laverton.

Outgoing Wesfarmers boss Richard Goyder has been revealed as successor to Michael Chaney as chairman of energy giant Woodside Petroleum, a week after we was named the next chairman of the AFL.

Wesfarmers is considering a spin-out of its profitable Officeworks business, which contributed to strong earnings growth for the Perth-based conglomerate in the first half alongside Bunnings and Kmart.

Incoming Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott, who will formally take his new job late this year, says the business will continue to thrive on the back of its diversity across markets.