Special Reports

Changes to Wesfarmers’ remuneration policies have shone a bright light on the company’s results.

Five years of WA salary surveys show some chief executives appear to be remarkably well paid relative to the size of their business and the returns they have delivered, while others offer great value for money.

THREE trends stand out when the salary packages of newly appointed chief executives at Western Australian companies are examined.First,the bigger the company the higher the salary.

Executive remuneration is a hot political issue but the controversy does not seem to have slowed growth in pay packets at WA companies.

WHETHER a matter of corporate social responsibility or a condition for an operating licence, a tactical stop-gap measure or just the right thing to do – the adoption of measures to improve indigeno

Western Australia is riding high on the mining and resources boom but it’s the construction, retail and health sectors that are pulling the most workers.

Chantal Haskett says companies need to stop trying to compete with the resources sector by offering their staff more money.

The growing skills shortage is forcing more and more WA employers to look overseas to secure skilled workers.

IT is a familiar tale in the online business world – a local innovator offshores its development work in an emerging market and then seeks to crack a big market like the US as a company maker.

COULD the state government do more to encourage investment in IT?

Political debate over the NBN may be highly charged, but there’s no agreed position within industry as to the best plan for the nation’s future needs.

THERE is a new reality in banking that businesses need to understand.“The banks are definitely open for business, but they are being more diligent.”

Lending to business almost dried up during the GFC, but the banks, big and small, are starting to talk to their clients again.

WHEN billionaire retailer Gerry Harvey launched a bid to get GST imposed on online purchases less than $1,000, he unwittingly provided a major publicity boost for internet shopping in Australia.&nb

WHEN the water-cooler talk turns to shopping, there are two big topics that no-one ever seems to tire of – online bargains and bad service.

WESTERN Australia’s super-charged resources sector has provided little protection for retailers battling to overcome sagging consumer sentiment and a shift from spending to saving.

Investment worth tens of millions of dollars has been slated for a number of Perth’s shopping centres as owners bank on a retail revival.

STARTING out as a business focused on direct-use geothermal projects, Green Rock Energy has diversified its portfolio to avoid the pressures of a diminishing capital-market appetite for such projec

THE lack of a cohesive, strategic approach to meeting the Pilbara’s increasing energy requirements, and mining giants’ domination of the region’s power generation and supply, are among the major pr

Regulatory uncertainty and the state’s role in energy generation and market structure are hindering private investment opportunities in the sector.

Nickel has become one of the analysts’ least preferred commodity exposures as WA companies battle costs and tumbling share prices.

The dramatic growth in seaborne trade has made ports politically and commercially valuable.

Agricultural exports are tipped to rebound and lift farmers’ incomes after they plumbed 10-year lows on the back of a dry spell.

Players have welcomed the implementation of the Knight review’s recommendations but some fear it favours universities.

Western Australia’s share of national exports has risen to 46 per cent and looks set to rise further.

The hospitality industry is still recovering from a lethargy brought on by the global financial crisis, but industry leaders are cautiously optimistic about the outlook.

EVERY year, Howard Park owners Jeff and Amy Burch hold an international pinot tasting at their Margaret River property.

Big-name restaurants and chefs have moved into the Burswood Entertainment Complex, but does that make it the new epicentre of Perth dining? Emily Morgan reports.

FROM the Pilbara to Ghana, to Norway and North America, the views of participants in the WA Business News boardroom forum reflect those of the hundreds of listed companies in the junior mi

IT’S the gold bull market of a generation, yet for West Perth’s crop of West African gold explorers, convincing the market to come along on the ride isn’t as easy as it used to be.

ALONG with finance, having access to appropriate infrastructure, such as ports and railways, is another critical factor for mining companies.

‘BORROWER beware’ is the advice from experienced mining and finance industry professionals wary about a surge in the number of non-traditional lenders moving into Australia.