Government

More than a month after the Varanus Island gas explosion forced businesses across WA to curtail their activity, the state's building industry is continuing its operations relatively unscathed.

PEAK building and construction industry group Master Builders Australia has called on the federal government to provide compensation and tax concessions to offset the cost of bringing Australian build

Jani-King has emerged as one of the fastest growing franchises in Western Australia, measured by number of outlets.

After each federal election, State Scene scans the new ministerial line-up to see if any political maddies were appointed to head the foreign affairs and defence ministries.

The Bank of Queensland's aggressive push into Western Australia has highlighted a growing trend of franchising within the finance industry.

After buying a small, underperforming musical instrument retail and tuition business, Joondalup Music Centre, ten years ago, husband and wife team Peter and Genelle Picton-King now operate in three locations.

The proposal for an emissions trading scheme has already provoked some sharp responses from business, especially Woodside Petroleum Ltd, which operates the country's single biggest CO2 emission site.

Briefcase has previously predicted that economic conditions will deteriorate, both globally and locally.

The federal government has flagged changes to its skilled migration program, including the temporary 457 visa, which it says will give the states greater control in recruiting overseas workers.

LEGISLATION has been passed allowing businesses applying for the Export Market Development Grants scheme to take advantage of new scheme rules.

High density development may be top of the state government's planning agenda, but the target for infill in Perth is overly ambitious and needs to be significantly downgraded, with the city likely to fall short 131,000 dwellings, according to a report fro

Those who want to see 24-hour trading across the board in Western Australia will be disappointed with one of Perth's longest-running, non-stop retailer's decision to shut overnight for the first time in 17 years.

LEGISLATION has been passed allowing businesses applying for the Export Market Development Grants scheme to take advantage of new scheme rules.

The federal government is expected to complete its review of the franchising sector by the end of the year, following a state government inquiry into the sector handing in its final report in April.

The inevitable Sunday morning queue outside Lawley's Bakery on Beaufort Street would give anyone the impression that the low-key business has been part of the local retail landscape for decades.

Tourism Western Australia has welcomed a preliminary decision opposing plans to convert Rendezvous Observation City Hotel into residential apartments.

National company Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd has secured its first major contract with the state government, having been selected to design and construct stage two of the Geraldton Southern Transport Corridor.

Perth miner Straits Resources Ltd has been dealt a blow with the state's environment watchdog recommending against a proposal to build a $200 million solar salt farm in the Exmouth Gulf.

Nearly $93 million worth of contracts have been awarded by both the federal and state governments to improve road infrastructure in the Kimberley region.

West Perth-based intellectual property company ipernica Ltd has entered into a $16 million agreement to acquire geospatial media company NearMap Pty Ltd, which has selected Perth for its initial prototype testing.

Fortescue Metals Group is considering a number of finance options to fund expansion plans at its Chichester Range iron project, with a control estimate expected to be released within a few months.

First production at Atlas Iron Ltd's Pardoo project has been delayed by to December after it lodged an appeal over conditions recommended by the Environmental Protection Authority.

Australia's corporate watchdog has launched civil Federal Court proceedings against several companies and individuals linked to Firepower Holdings Group Ltd, claiming shares in the fuel technology group were sold without a prospectus.

While new motor vehicle sales rose by 1 per cent across the country over the month of June, Western Australia was near the head of the pack of states and territories to record a decline.

Western Australia's chances of being selected as the host of Inpex's $12 billion liquified natural gas plant have been put at risk after the Northern Territory today called an early August election.

South Perth-based bamboo flooring products company Style Ltd will write down the value of its assets by $1.3 million after exiting from its obligations at the Wanzai plantation in China.

The state Liberal party has revealed a leaked document from a government agency that had grave concerns about the condition of Apache Energy Ltd's Varanus Island pipelines last year.

Three Western Australian companies have been selected by the state government to install factory-built houses worth over $280 million in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.

Employers should be encouraged to recruit more overseas workers as permanent migrants, rather than relying on 457 visas, and a state-based approach to migration should be adopted, according to Immigration Minister Chris Evans.

I've been intrigued to find how the twists and turns in the debate over climate change creates new political allies and odd ideological pairings.

A new system for calculating developer contributions to the Water Corporation may be introduced by the state government, if recommendations by the WA Economic Regulation Authority are adopted.