During his two years at Business News, Michael covered public policy issues, with a broad interest in the relationship between business and politics. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Western Australia. michael.ramsey@businessnews.com.au
Belmont-based junior Tungsten Mining hopes to raise about $4.2 million through a heavily discounted share placement and entitlement offer to fund engineering studies at its Kilba tungsten project in the Gascoyne.
The Abbott government has moved to repeal legislation that would effectively extend Australia's migration zone to ensure workers on offshore oil and gas projects obtain visas.
Migration to Western Australia has fallen by more than 40 per cent in less than two years, with a slowdown in the resources sector driving a big fall in the number of workers moving west.
Education provider Navitas has recorded its strongest ever first-semester university programs enrolment figures, with the company attributing the growth to supportive regulatory and visa policy settings.
Investors in collapsed engineering contractor Forge Group have been dealt more bad news, with the company's liquidators declaring shareholders' stock holdings are now worthless.
Sundance Resources says it is confident of attracting financiers to its Mbalam-Nabeba iron ore project after securing a 10 year off-take arrangement with commodities trader Noble Resources International.
Papillon Resources has commenced a definitive feasibility study for its Fekola gold project in Mali, appointing Perth-based contractor Lycopodium as lead engineer for the study.
Monadelphous Group has been awarded three contracts with a combined value of about $250 million on the massive Australia Pacific LNG project in Queensland.
Mineral Engineering Technical Services has added Sanderson Consultants to its stable of engineering firms and signed an agreement to earn-in to Australia Minerals and Mining Group's Glenarty Creek mineral sands project south of Perth.
Automotive Holdings Group has announced plans to purchase a refrigerated logistics business and an automotive dealership group at a combined cost of $184 million.
Sipa Resources will tap shareholders for up to $5.6 million through an entitlement issue as it plans further exploration at its copper, precious metals and base metals projects.
Clean energy, aged care and disaster management are among the sectors highlighted as potential growth areas in the Western Australian economy in a new report by Deloitte.
West Perth-based juniors Anova Metals and Mining Group have each announced plans to raise $2 million through share placements to advance their respective projects.
The state and federal governments have committed $62 million towards widening a section of the Kwinana Freeway in a bid to reduce congestion on the major road.
Industry groups have slammed the Fair Work Commission's ruling that 20-year-old retail workers should be paid adult wage rates, claiming it will destroy young Australians' job prospects.
Perth-based explorer Gold Road Resources has raised $10 million through a share placement to institutional investors as it looks to undertake further drilling at its Gruyere prospect east of Laverton.
Prominent Perth company director Tracey Horton is among a group of business leaders appointed to a new federal Treasury advisory council designed to replicate the discipline provided by a private sector governance board.
iiNet founder Michael Malone has resigned as chief executive of the internet service provider, saying he wishes to dedicate his time to other passions.
An independent think-tank says Western Australia should follow the lead of the Newman government in Queensland and implement major spending cuts after recording the largest increase in operating expenditure of all states over the last three years.
Arafura Resources says it has found $500 million in capital expenditure savings at its Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory and is working towards trimming costs even further.
Shares in West Perth-based explorer Red Mountain Mining are trading higher after the company released a scoping study confirming low capital costs at its Batangas gold project in the Philippines.
Perth-based Atrum Coal has announced it will spin-out its coal exploration assets, with plans to launch an initial public offering for a new company on the ASX later this year.
Phoenix Gold has announced plans to raise up to $18.2 million through a share placement and entitlement offer to fund staged development at its Castle Hill mine near Kalgoorlie.
Chinese steelmaker Ansteel has taken majority ownership of the Karara iron ore project, lifting its stake above that of Gindalbie Metals after converting shareholder loans to new equity in Karara Mining.
Stockbroking firm Hartleys has been fined by the corporate watchdog over an inadvertent trading error in 2012 which resulted in a plunge in Tanami Gold's share price.
Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has secured another two contracts with mining giant Rio Tinto, taking the total value of work it has secured at Rio projects this year to $100 million.
