Mark Beyer

The state government has committed to pay $7.3 million per year in fees to the manager of an accommodation village in South Hedland, irrespective of occupancy levels, after tipping in $53 million to support the original development.

Mining services contractor Viento Group has forecast a trading loss in the current half year after disclosing that recently acquired subsidiary HVLV has run into problems on one of its contracts.

BGC is still WA’s largest private company, but Hancock Prospecting looms large.

Rail infrastructure company Aurizon is positive but cautious about the West Pilbara iron ore project, with chairman John Prescott saying today that, on balance, he expects the development to proceed.

A Perth technology company that boasts a track record of sales growth and annual profits is planning to list on the ASX after launching a $2 million initial public offering.

Canning Vale-based seafood producer Kailis Bros has maintained its status as one of Western Australia’s largest private companies, with annual sales of $433 million last financial year.

Leaner times in the junior mining and exploration sector have resulted in widespread cuts to chief executive pay, but the restraint has not been shared equally across the sector, with some actually lifting salaries.

Macmahon Holdings shareholders have registered their displeasure with the company’s poor finance performance, with nearly half voting today against the granting of performance rights to managing director Ross Carroll.

Privately owned construction, engineering and property development company Georgiou achieved a bumper result last year, lifting revenue by 54 per cent and budgeting for continued strong growth.

Wesfarmers has appointed Maya vanden Driesen to the position of group general counsel, putting her in charge of a national team of 42 in-house lawyers.

The top end of the accounting profession in Western Australia has nearly doubled in size over the past decade, whereas the state’s major law firms have recorded minimal growth, according to employment data compiled by Business News.

Global private equity group Denham Capital has teamed up with former Karara Mining chief executive Steve Murdoch to establish a venture that will invest in a handful of new and established mining projects.

Pluton Resources has disclosed that its joint venture partner at the Cockatoo Island iron ore mine wants it removed as manager of the project and has called for it to halt mining operations.

The price that Empire Oil & Gas will pay, to buy out joint venture partner ERM Power from their Perth Basin assets, has been cut to $15.1 million.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett says he's fighting fit and intends to stand for re-election in 2017.

Gold miner Doray Minerals is hoping for a market re-rating after announcing a scrip takeover of Mutiny Gold today, but its goal of becoming a two-mine mid-tier producer failed to impress the market.

Perth engineering firm Clough is targeting small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects as a new growth area, after signing a ‘teaming’ agreement with global company GE Oil & Gas.

Kerry Stokes is one of Australia’s wealthiest and most private business leaders, but that has changed with the release of two biographies in two years. However conspicuous gaps in what we know about his deals and erstwhile partners remain.

The combined wealth of WA’s richest public company directors fell by around $3 billion in the past year, but some individuals bucked the trend.

Murdoch University announced late on Friday that its vice-chancellor, Richard Higgott has resigned, five weeks after he was stood down on full pay, in the midst of a Corruption and Crime Commission investigation.

Business leader Kerry Stokes says the Western Australian economy is heading for its toughest period in two decades, but expects the state will resume healthy growth within a couple of years.

PYBAR Mining Services is positioning itself to take on the two dominant contractors in underground mining, after making two acquisitions in Western Australia and being named as preferred contractor for a new mine.

Santos has called on the state government to provide more certainty on its domestic gas reservation and offsets policies, to encourage new investment in ‘domgas’ supplies.

Law firm Clifford Chance has lost the two partners who established the forerunner to its Perth office, after Michael Lishman accepted an offer to join corporate advisory firm Gresham Partners. His move follows the retirement of Ian Cochrane at the end of last year.

The state government has agreed to increase the price it pays Premier Coal for its coal supplies, as uncertainty continues over the fate of fellow Collie producer Griffin Coal.

New and established players in the management consulting sector are beefing up their practices, undeterred by the slowdown in project work in the mining industry.

The successful ASX listing this week of Regis Healthcare has focused attention on the value of other players in the sector, with Western Australia’s largest being Aegis Aged Care Group.

Wide-open spaces, spectacular coastal cliffs and even a spot of golf on the Nullarbor are some of the highlights from the drive across Australia back to Perth.

Premier Colin Barnett has strongly criticised Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, accusing the major iron ore producers of flooding the market and hurting the state.

The state government has announced plans for the private sector to design, build, finance and maintain eight new public schools, using a contracting model that has previously been employed in four other states.

The drives across Australia’s south-east, take in spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, making it very hard to select the best.

Sydney is an amazing city with lots of iconic attractions, so it’s hard to summarise a week there in short-form, but I’ll try – I love visiting and experiencing what it has to offer, but have no great desire to live there.