Mark Beyer

The state government has rejected calls from the building and automotive industries for the introduction of new or expanded levies to boost skills training.

Ministerial staffers would be banned from holding senior elected positions in political parties if the state government adopts reforms currently being evaluated by Commissioner of Public Sector Standards, Maxine Murray.

The Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry has already claimed a pride of fallen scalps but the real implications lie ahead for lobbyists, ministers, bureaucrats and business.

Western Australia’s economic boom has not been all plain sailing for private companies. Our annual review of the sector identifies both winning companies and strugglers, and highlights the large number of sharemarket floats and trade sales.

Western Australia’s Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry has become a much bigger issue than any observer would have predicted at the outset – or even at the start of last week.

In 1994, while Lou Di Virgilio was working in the financial markets in New York, two of his younger brothers, Dominic and Robert, were running a small used car yard in Maddington.

Western Australia’s second biggest home building group, Alcock/Brown-Neaves Group, neatly illustrates the challenges facing private businesses trying to manage the combination of rapid economic growth and spiraling costs.

The automotive trade has traditionally been the exclusive preserve of private companies but that changed dramatically 16 months ago when Perth’s biggest car dealer listed on the stock exchange.

Shares in mineral explorer Ironbark Gold Ltd rocketed higher today after it agreed to acquire a zinc project in Greenland in a cash and scrip deal worth in excess of $20 million.

Swiss mining giant Xstrata is considering legal action after the Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry revealed it lost a $20 million law suit following a corrupted WA parliamentary inquiry into the closure of its Windimurra vanadium mine.

BankWest parent HBOS Australia has announced a 20 per cent increase in underlying profit before tax to $661 million for the year to December 2006, driven by rapid expansion of its retail and commercial banking activities.

Energy utility Alinta Ltd, which today reported annual results in line with its market guidance, has disclosed that a "small number of parties" were conducting due diligence on the business as part of its potential sale.

Financial services businesses, ranging from banks to stockbrokers and superannuation funds, have been warned they need to start preparing for new laws designed to counter money laundering.

Listed companies in Western Australia have delivered a succession of record profits over the past week, providing a solid basis for the strong rise in the sharemarket.

The revelations at the Corruption and Crime Commission are deeply disturbing.

Nedlands mortgage broker Mortgage Force has won a breakthrough victory against the state tax office by arguing that its sales representatives were consultants and therefore not subject to payroll tax.

Two more Western Australian government ministers, John Bowler and Kim Chance, appeared at the Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry today.

Gindalbie Metals Ltd has deferred the expected completion of the bankable feasibility study for its Karara iron ore project by six months to August 2007 but is still aiming to commence production by late 2009.

Perth-based Amcom Telecommunications Ltd has announced major changes to its board, including the retirement of managing director Eddy Lee, following a 200 per cent increase in half-year net profit.

Uranium miner Paladin Resources Ltd has agreed to proceed with construction of its second new mine after negotiating a development agreement with the government of Malawi, which has taken a 15 per cent stake in the project.

Uranium explorer Uran Ltd went into a trading halt today after press reports that the Czech government had rejected its proposal to acquire and expand the Rozna uranium mine.

Earthmoving equipment supplier Emeco Holdings Ltd has reported a strong increase in sales and profit for the half-year to December 2006 and predicted that it would achieve its full-year prospectus forecasts despite some difficulties in the business.

West Perth company Centralian Minerals Ltd has agreed to buy a 70 per cent interest in the Witbank coal project in South Africa for $21.5 million.

Iron ore miner Murchison Metals is continuing to pursue the development of a new railway line in the Mid West, despite its plans being affected by the relocation of a $2 billion radio telescope project.

Private NSW company, Primary Energy Pty Ltd, is pushing ahead at full speed with plans for a $180 million ethanol plant at Rockingham after gaining conditional approval from the Environmental Protection Authority this month.

Newly appointed Clough managing director John Cooper is planning to sharpen the engineering and construction group’s focus as it seeks to reverse a string of losses.

In 1997, gold explorer Westgold Resources bought a parcel of St Barbara shares from Perth investor, Ron Woss.

Perth companies Tox Free Solutions and Imdex are worlds apart in their core operations, but one trait they share is a desire to grow by acquisition.

Struggling animal pharmaceutical company Chemeq has won a court injunction that will restrain its convertible bondholders from appointing a receiver.

Waste management company Tox Free Solutons Ltd has made its third substantial acquisition in the past year, paying $13 million in cash and shares for privately-owned Kimberley Waste Services.

Perth gold explorer Carrick Gold Ltd has made a $23 million cash-and-scrip takeover offer for fellow Frank Carr-chaired gold explorer Shannon Resources Ltd.

Perth-based pearl producer Atlantic Ltd has gone into administration after incurrig its third successive annual loss.