Mark Beyer

Four Western Australian medical research organisations are aiming to boost collaboration after moving into the Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute in Nedlands, which was officially opened this week.

Premier Mark McGowan has gently chided the mining and energy sector, saying it needs to lift support for local manufacturing, apprentice training and local employment.

BHP Billiton has cut its full-year copper production guidance and outlined plans to sell some of its US shale acreage, while also announcing record iron ore production and reaffirming plans for its South Flank development in the Pilbara.

Nearly 4,000 shareholders in West Perth company Moly Mines have effectively become stranded in the $63 million cashbox after a stand-off between its board and the ASX ended in a delisting of its stock.

UPDATED: Building commissioner Peter Gow has issued a clarifying statement today (Tuesday), essentially confirming the state government's view that lead leaching directly from brass fittings remains the only significant source of lead at Perth Children’s Hospital.

CPB Contractors has failed in its application for an injunction against engineering group JKC Australia, which is claiming $39.2 million of liquidated damages related to work on the Ichthys LNG project.

In this Business News podcast, Dan Wilkie and Mark Beyer discuss 457 visas, chief executive salaries, Chinese investment in WA and the state of the construction industry.

A Chinese consortium is set to take control of the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline and several power stations across WA after regulators and shareholders today approved the $7.5 billion takeover of listed company DUET Group.

National Storage REIT intends to acquire two properties in Perth for a combined $17 million while confirming plans to develop two further sites, believed to be at Yanchep and Martin.

Newly appointed chief executives in WA are on substantially lower salary packages compared with recent years, a Business News survey has found. 

The University of Western Australia could be forced to pay nearly $5 million to Bibra Lake business TSW Analytical after the Court of Appeal found its relationship with the spin-out company was largely undocumented and opaque.

In this Business News podcast, Dan Wilkie and Mark Beyer discuss house prices, training and apprentices, iron ore prices, apartment projects and student housing.

The Japanese owners of the Bluewaters Power Station near Collie face the prospect of substantial payments to the energy market operator, after an incident that has put one of its generating units out of service for up to six months.

Contractor Indigenous Construction Resource Group has suffered two setbacks, with its half-owned joint venture ICRG North expected to go into liquidation owing creditors about $4 million.

The new chief executive of HBF believes his international experience will help the not-for-profit health fund grow and prosper in the current challenging market conditions.

SPECIAL REPORT: Western Australian stockbrokers and companies raised nearly $1.1 billion in 104 transactions in the March quarter, with gold deals being a major driver of activity, according to new data compiled for the BNiQ Search Engine.

SPECIAL REPORT: OreCorp is the latest in a string of Perth-based gold companies to complete large capital raisings this year.

SPECIAL REPORT: The mergers and acquisitions market was eventful in the March quarter, with Chinese and private equity investors to the fore, multiple WA businesses on the block, and a surprise advisory switch on a key takeover.

In this Business News podcast, Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss property in Scarborough, Claremont, Elizabeth Quay and the Hyatt, Private capital boosts HealthEngine and Muscleworx, distilleries win gongs and March quarter deals environment.

The top Western Australian company in this year’s Energise accelerator program is developing an ambitious plan for robotic on-site manufacturing of equipment it believes will boost safety and dramatically cut costs at open pit mines.

Perth retail chain Muscleworx is poised for national expansion after buying its major competitor and securing backing from private equity investor Banksia Capital.

Perth-based HealthEngine has shown that investors still have an appetite for quality tech companies, announcing today it has raised $26.7 million from venture capital and private equity investors in a deal led by major global player Sequoia India.

Perth business executive Steven Noske faces the possibility of a gaol term after being found guilty and convicted on one count of insider trading in takeover target Westside Corporation.

Shares in gold producer Blackham Resources fell by 21 per cent today after the company revealed a raft of problems at its Matilda project, where operations have been affected by heavy rain and lowe

Loss-making livestock exporter Wellard is undertaking a share placement and entitlement offer as part of a $52 million capital raising it hopes will allow it to exploit a predicted improvement in trading conditions.

In this Business News podcast, Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss residential property, Quintis, insolvency law reform and oil and gas.

The competition watchdog is concerned that the proposed takeover of Bibra Lake-based wheat and barley seed breeder InterGrain by Australian Grain Technologies could substantially lessen competition in the barley seeds sector.

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.

Clive Palmer's Mineralogy has again failed in its long-running court battle with its estranged Chinese joint-venture partner over the Cape Preston port in the Pilbara.

The federal government has introduced draft insolvency reforms designed to offer more protection for company directors and make it easier to restructure faltering businesses.

Gold miner St Barbara has approved a major extension of its Gwalia operations, which will extend the historic mine to a depth of 2,000 metres below surface over the next seven years.

Perth-based director Andrew Chapman is at the centre of an escalating battle between the board and the management team at US-focused tech company 1-Page over control of the business and its $30 million of cash.