LET’S be honest, New Year’s resolutions seldom have impetus past mid-January, so why not set yourself a goal that is enjoyable and at least has some hope of being achieved, like learning more about wine.
IN years gone by a trip ‘down south’ was a must-do for any visitor to Western Australia.Even for locals, visiting the forests and beaches, farmland and wineries is a rejuvenating and refreshing experience.
THE number of capital raisings undertaken in calendar 2009 was unexpected in light of the global turmoil of the previous year, however questions loom over the sustainability for 2010.
THE Nullagine joint venture between BC Iron and Fortescue Metals Group raised initial concerns as the former agreed to exchange half of the mine for use of the latter's rail line, port-handling and ship-loading facilities.
AFTER a very quiet start to the year, the state’s primary capital market gathered pace towards the end of 2009 amid signs of growing investor confidence, especially for new resource projects.
WHEN Tasmanian forestry products heavyweight Gunns missed out on securing the assets of defunct agribusiness company Timbercorp, those vying for assets of another failed timber company knew they were in trouble.
WESTERN Australia may have proved its resilience in 2009 by bouncing back from the financial crisis to lead Australia’s economic recovery, but it still endured its fair share of disasters during the year.
COMETH the hour, cometh the man, as the saying goes.And for Western Australia’s key export industry, the hour certainly came early in 2009, and with it a handful of key executives took the opportunity to make their mark.
Despite widespread predictions of doom and gloom in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, there were more ups than downs in a year in which WA led the rest of the country.
Despite the onset of massive projects, Western Australia has not been handed the carte blanche to employ foreign workers given to the Snowy Mountains Scheme 60 years ago.
AFTER the uncertainty of 2008, investing in infrastructure to boost confidence in the economy was a primary objective of both state and federal governments during 2009.
IF there is one phrase to sum up 2009, it is liquefied natural gas, for it was undoubtedly the year that LNG became the main game in town and the virtual saviour of business confidence and Treasury projections.
NOTHING says festive season more aptly than the pop of a cork from a bottle of fizz, but in these times of tight belts and Scroogish sentiment, shall we shave the Christmas spend a tad by going for the cheaper option this Noel?
WITH more than half a dozen new conference facilities and function venues opening in regional Western Australia during the past year, businesses planning their next corporate getaway are spoilt for choice.
SHARE options are a common part of high-level remuneration packages intended to be powerful incentives for company executives- but they can quickly go 'underwater' when markets tumble.
IF you measure the value of a chief executive by the salary he or she takes and compare it to what heads of similar size companies receive, Andrew Forrest would come out on top in Western Australia year in, year out.
THE modest rise in the jobless rate relative to previous downturns in the labour market reflects the growing number of local companies that are retaining workers they fought hard to recruit during the boom.
