Mark Beyer

Western Australia's Economic Regulation Authority has called for the establishment of a new government agency to faciltate private sector investment in the development of new water sources.

Junior exploration company Chameleon Mining NL has commenced legal action against iron ore miner Murchison Metals Ltd, even though Murchison has previously dismissed Chameleon's claims as baseless.

One of the big surprises of the new Labor ministry was the selection of fomer ACTU president Martin Ferguson as the resources and energy minister, in place of WA senator Chris Evans who held that role in the shadow ministry.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has substantially expanded its business advisory practice in Perth by purchasing management consulting firm GEM Consulting for an undisclosed sum.

Last weekend’s federal election was a resounding victory for Labor, which has been given a mandate to introduce significant shifts in key policy areas such as industrial relations, climate change, environmental management and education.

Gordon Martin has built two major Western Australian companies without having to list on the Australian Securities Exchange, and he has no intention of changing that.

Three major South African engineering and construction companies have entered the Australian market with a bang, and each has adopted a different strategy.

Lobbying firm Hawker Britton has a new team in Perth, led by former state government advisers Sean Walsh and John Whitelaw, who plan to educate their clients to have realistic expectations about dealing with government.

Coogee Resources chairman Gordon Martin has described last year’s failed public share offer as “probably the best thing that could have happened” to the company, which is proceeding with its $800m oil project in the Timor Sea under private ownership.

Engineering and construction contractor Clough Ltd has told shareholders the company has dealt with its problem contracts and can look forward to profitable trading in future.

Labor governments in NSW and Victoria announced today plans to lift their moratoria on genetically modified canola production, but their stance has not softened the opposition of Western Australian agriculture minister Kim Chance to GM crops.

Outgoing deputy prime minister Mark Vaile has become the latest coalition leader to quit, stepping down as Nationals leader in the wake of last weekend's crushing election defeat.

Outgoing defence minister Brendan Nelson has become the third senior Liberal to put up his hand for the party leadership, as Nationals' leader Mark Vaile today joined the former ministers choosing to exit politics.

The dispute over Western Power chief executive Doug Aberle's annual bonus has been resolved, following negotiations between the utility's chairman Peter Mansell and energy minister Francis Logan.

Western Australia’s biggest industrial company, Wesfarmers, has confirmed its status as Perth’s very own ‘millionaires’ factory’, with eight executives earning more than $1 million last financial year.

Two Western Australian chief executives stand out in our fifth annual salary survey, which also found a big increase in the number of million-dollar packages.

One of the major roles of newspapers is to shine a light on the communities they serve and highlight some of the important trends and issues.

Public sector executives in Western Australia continue to earn substantially less than industry leaders in the private sector but, despite that, government workers seem to attract just as much controversy.

There was a big increase in the number of companies paying very large cash bonuses last financial year, and at first glance its hard to reconcile some of the increased payments with company performance.

The former directors of uranium explorer Summit Resources reaped multi million dollar windfalls from share options earlier this year, highlighting just how lucrative options can be.

Prominent tax accountant Peter Moltoni has left the recently merged BDO Kendalls practice to establish a new firm in Subiaco.

The going rate for a non-executive chairman of a mid-sized listed Western Australian company sits between $120,000 and $170,000, judging by the data compiled by WA Business News.

Stockbroking firm Goldman Sachs JB Were has started the process of rebuilding its Perth office by making four appointments, including the recruitment of Tait Farrow Azure co-founder Jason Farrow.

Moly Mines Ltd has become the latest Western Australian mining company to gain backing from US investment group Harbinger Capital, which has also invested in Fortescue Metals Group, Poseidon Nickel and Po Valley Energy.

State-owned electricity generator Verve Energy has been selected to supply electricity to Gindalbie Metals' Karara iron ore poject, making it the winner of Western Australia's biggest contested electricity contract in more than a year.

One month ago, WA Business News published an in-depth report on Western Australia’s export boom, which highlighted the prominence of three giant resources sector producers.

A new report from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA has highlighted the scale of labour shortages facing Western Australia if current economic and demographic trends continue.

In the same week as the Commonwealth Bank consolidated its position as Australia’s biggest online stockbroker by acquiring IWL Limited, industry pioneer Steven Goh has emerged with a new low-cost service.

The founder of Sanford Securities, Steven Goh, has teamed up with Melbourne-based financial services company Bell Group to launch a new, low-cost online stockbroking service.

In its first detailed statement on the proposed takever of Rio Tinto Ltd, mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd has asserted that combining the two companies would facilitate accelerated development of the Pilbara iron ore industry.

The Western Australian government, like its counterparts in most other states, has been a given a "C" rating by the planning profession.

West Perth-based Vulcan Resources Ltd has been hammered by investors after disclosing that planning for its flagship Kylylahti project in Finland has been adversely affected by higher than expected costs and an unfavourable exchange rate.