Matt Mckenzie

More than 13,000 Western Australian jobs were lost in January, including 9,900 by women, according to new labour market data.

Construction of the Mt Holland lithium mine and a Kwinana refinery will begin next year, Wesfarmers announced today, with the green light given to the mine development.

Aurizon manager Anna Dartnell talks about growing demand for rail freight and her leadership journey.

Bill Johnston has amped up Labor’s attack on an ambitious energy plan proposed by the WA Liberals, but opposition energy spokesman David Honey says he’s under no illusions it will be easy.

Consumers could save money and capital spending needs be delayed by adopting dynamic pricing for roads, public transport and electricity, a report released Monday contends.

An offtake deal to support 1.5GW of renewable capacity, a WA Liberal election proposal, could cost about $230 million a year, industry sources suggest.

A plan to remove level crossings on the Armadale line failed cost benefit assessment, with Business News last week revealing the Byford rail extension suffered the same fate.

Synergy would switch off its coal generators by 2025, keep gas on, and underwrite a 1.5 gigawatt renewable hub, in a Liberal election commitment.

ASX-listed Pilot Energy, which has proposed a large renewable hydrogen project off the Mid West coast, has entered a trading halt with plans to make an acquisition announcement.

Credit and debit card data has given an early indicator of how last week’s lockdown influenced spending in Western Australia, down 3.3 per cent against the same week in 2020.

Higher iron ore prices and a hot property market will boost the state government’s operating surplus to $3.1 billion, but that money doesn’t stay in the bank.

The Byford rail extension failed a cost benefit analysis and was not endorsed by Infrastructure Australia, but the federal and state governments will push ahead nonetheless.

The offshore oil and gas regulator has started a compliance action against Woodside for decommissioning issues at Enfield’s Nganhurra FPSO.

Retail sales were 14 per cent higher in WA in December than the same month in 2019, although they softened by 2 per cent compared to November.

A 9 per cent rise in sales to China helped Western Australia hit a record $186 billion of merchandise exports in 2020.

The ranking of WA’s largest private companies has changed dramatically over the past decade.

With bushfire smoke covering Perth and minimal wind, the state’s coal power generators ran at full capacity for a period in Tuesday afternoon’s sweltering heat.

The Waitsia expansion, a gas power station in the Pilbara, and a potash project near Laverton have received ministerial approval days before the government enters caretaker mode.

The NSW government has been the latest to place restrictions on travellers from Western Australia after Perth and the South West entered lockdown yesterday.

Three hydrogen innovation clusters could be created in WA after a $1.75 million seed funding boost by National Energy Resources Australia.

WA’s peak business body has backed the state government’s snap move for a five day lockdown, but the national retail industry association was less impressed.

Metropolitan Perth, Peel and the South West will enter a five day lockdown after 6pm tonight.

Mark Beyer and Matt Mckenzie discuss election costings, Rio Tinto’s new leadership, inflation, WA’s biggest private companies, craft brewing, indigenous business pioneer Daniel Tucker and Gamestop.

Newly listed businesses on the ASX returned 34 per cent in 2020, while 74 companies joined the bourse.

Peter Tinley has warned against a decline in Asian language education, weeks after Murdoch University reversed a decision to axe its Indonesian major.

Solar power installations in Western Australia hit a record level last year, according to consultancy Sunwiz, with Perth systems cheaper than those in other states.

Prices in Perth deflated 1 per cent in the December quarter, thanks to the government’s electricity credit, but there’s an underlying upward pressure.

In this week’s podcast, Mark Beyer and Matt Mckenzie discuss another big gas project for WA, some positive economic data, the debate over homelessness, Metronet, The Agency, and the future of interest rates.

Community organisations are stepping up to resolve the homelessness crisis in Fremantle, with a number of local people in need offered accommodation in recent days.

The state government has pledged $2 million for a Burrup renewable hydrogen project, after revealing it had 65 expressions of interest for an Oakajee hydrogen precinct.

About $2.5 billion of projects are likely or under way near Kwinana as the industrial precinct gains a greener tinge.

Fremantle’s tent city has become a political battleground this week, but community members have stories which are deeper than the soundbites.