Regulation

The Reserve Bank has again held fire on interest rates, issuing more upbeat domestic commentary despite an uncertain global outlook.

The state’s environment minister has picked three legal professionals to conduct a review into the Environmental Protection Authority, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Roe 8 highway project last month.

The executive chairman of Wembley-based ACI Broking Services has been banned from providing financial services for four years by the corporate watchdog.

A Perth man who cheated Indonesian farmers out of more than $600,000 by falsely claiming to sell Australian cattle "greatly tarnished" business relations between the countries, a judge says.

The competition watchdog is seeking market feedback after a fresh undertaking by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure in its takeover battle for ports and rail operator Asciano, which includes the divestment of its bulk rail operations in Western Australia.

The Spud King’s battle with potato regulators is a flagship fight for those who want to cut red tape.

Fewer food operators were convicted for unsanitary and unsafe practices in 2015 than in the previous 12 months, but there were still nearly $240,000 in fines handed out to 16 venues across the city this year.

As Western Australia moves to follow NSW in legalising Uber, the taxi industry says the devil will be in the detail of the proposed reforms.

The corporate watchdog has banned a former Northbridge-based bank manager from providing financial services for stealing up to $515,000 during his tenure.

The consumer watchdog has decided not to approve GPC Asia Pacific’s proposed $43 million acquisition of Automotive Holdings Group’s Covs Parts business on the grounds that it would substantially lessen competition.

The building industry watchdog is taking 23 workers to the Federal Court for allegedly unlawfully laying down the tools while working on a new waste treatment plant for the Water Corporation in February.

The consumer watchdog has found retail margins in the petrol industry are at their highest level since monitoring began 13 years ago.

Supermarket giant Woolworths allegedly pressured more than 800 of its suppliers for make extra payments worth up to $60 million to shore up the retailer's profits, the consumer watchdog says.

A company has been fined $80,000 plus $6,000 in costs after a worker was severely burned when a tractor engine caught fire during an apprentice "challenge" in Western Australia.

The corporate watchdog has banned a third former Get Approved Finance broker from providing credit and financial services, after she was found to have engaged in misconduct.

A large-scale fish kill in Cockburn Sound was caused by an algal bloom, possibly associated with low levels of oxygen in the water, the Department of Fisheries says.

Seafood producer and one of Western Australia’s largest private companies, Kailis Bros, has been fined $10,800 by the consumer watchdog for misleading conduct.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is understood to be investigating Synergy following predatory pricing complaints from several players in the state’s electricity market.

Murdoch University has appointed Eeva Leinonen as its first female vice-chancellor, replacing Richard Higgott who resigned last year after being investigated by the Corruption and Crime Commission.

Australia Post has been given the thumbs up by the consumer watchdog to raise the price of a basic stamp by more than 40 per cent while taking longer to deliver the letters they are stuck on.

Having invested million of dollars over many years in an uncertain regulatory environment, Western Australian private power station developers are now facing further delays due to proposed changes to the electricity market.

The state government has introduced a number of red tape cuts expected to save Western Australians about $150 million over the next five years.

The environmental watchdog has given its nod of approval for the proposed expansion of a Hope Downs joint venture-owned iron ore mine near Newman.

NRW Holdings has accepted a payment of $30 million to settle its dispute with Samsung C&T over work on the Roy Hill iron ore project, despite having been awarded $35 million through adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act.

The corporate watchdog has permanently banned Marion Pearson from providing financial services after she was found to have engaged in ‘misleading and deceptive’ conduct.

Credit card surcharges of up to 23 times the average fee undermine consumer confidence and hurt business, a Senate inquiry has been told.

The competition watchdog has warned that the privatisation process for Fremantle Ports could deliver a high price to government but at the expense of port users.

The competition watchdog has given the go-ahead for Vocus Communications to merge with M2 Group in a $3 billion deal that will create Australia's fourth largest telco.

Westpac is offering refunds to more than 10,600 customers found to be paying for insurance they did not need.

ANZ Banking Group subsidiary Esanda has agreed to compensate more than 70 borrowers who took out car loans worth $1.38 million through Victoria Park-based broker Get Approved Finance.

An independent panel has endorsed the proposed development of a liquefied natural gas precinct at James Price Point near Broome, but the recommendation may have little impact as project developers led by Woodside Petroleum have shifted their focus to floating LNG developments.

A Perth man is behind bars, accused of playing a role in one of the world's biggest financial scandals.