Special Reports

There is no shortage of attractions in Mundaring, as Heather Bennett discovered.

IT has been heralded as some sort of magic number - the 47 per cent debt-to-revenue ratio that is somehow tied to the state's financial future.

BRENDON Grylls has had a dilemma before.Back in September last year, he was sitting pretty, holding the balance of power and able to decide who formed a government.

ECONOMISTS have described the central bank's decision to hold the official cash rate this week as a pause to the rate cutting cycle.

STAYING close to customers is an important strategy to many of Western Australia's big private businesses.

WESTERN Australia's big private businesses hold surprisingly uniform views on most subjects, and that extends to the federal government's $52 billion in extra spending via two stimulus packages.

The conservative management of WA’s private businesses has left them in good shape

CHINESE company CITIC Pacific Mining is doing more than its fair share to counter the downturn in mining and construction jobs in Western Australia, announcing that the peak workforce on its Sino Iron project will peak at a larger than expected 4,000 peop

AS Australia's oldest family company, Lionel Samson & Son has successfully weathered many economic storms.

THE resources sector has undergone a rapid change in circumstances with falling commodity prices, private investors on strike, and a tough attitude by banks.

TRAVEL TALK with What is your favourite holiday destination? Bali, in particular Seminyak. Only three hours away - completely stress free with fantastic restaurants and hotels.

New airline to offer cheaper, faster services to Cocos and Christmas islands.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference.

THE global financial crisis hit hard and fast.

WHILE the short-term macroeconomic outlook is grim, small business groups are advising their members to get back to basics to adapt to the downturn.

A NEW campaign has been launched to encourage Western Australians to holiday at home.

AIRLINES and hotels are engaging in unprecedented discounting to keep people travelling during the economic slowdown.

PATRIA Jafferies launched her first business during the recession of the early 1990s.

WHEN the economy takes a turn for the worse, smaller firms can be the first to suffer.

FROM a sailing career that began at age 16 on the STS Leeuwin to becoming the first female and youngest ever offshore installation manager of an oil-producing facility, Suzannah Vaughan (pictured right) packed a lot into life.

A LOT of people reckon they work in the best industry in the world and many claim their job is more fun than work, but Robert J Spencer, founder of multinational computer game developer Interzone, can certainly lay claim to having one of the coolest jobs

HAPPY employees who create positive end results and, in turn, yield contented clients are always at the top of mind for Complete Fire Design managing director, Richard Welsh.

RUSSELL Collins is an overachiever by any measure, but he'd be the last person to ever give himself that label.

PERTH'S remoteness is a logistical nightmare for professional sports clubs wanting to participate in national or international competitions, forcing them to spend more money and time travelling than their eastern states counterparts.

THE state's sporting codes are bracing for challenging times as they face a crowded sponsorship market and the global economic crash forces companies to tighten their purse strings and scrutinise discretionary spending.

WHILE the government's decision to delay plans for a new sports stadium in Perth remains a major talking point, the state's biggest sporting clubs have told WA Business News of crippling capacity constraints and an opportunity lost.

CORPORATE hospitality is an integral part of sports entertainment, with companies spending tens of thousands of dollars each year to secure the rights to view home games of their local team.

PERTH'S reputation for hosting world-class sporting events puts the state in a strong position when it comes to future high-profile bids.

Like all businesses, sport is being affected by the economic downturn, which has consequently reignited the state’s stadium debate.

THREE of Perth's major sporting facilities - Belmont Park, Gloucester Park and the WACA ground - are considering major property developments to fund upgrades and secure the financial viability of their various sports.

The downturn in managed investment schemes could hurt horticulture, while the carbon credit market is boosting forestry projects.

AUSTRALIAN south sea pearl producer Arafura Pearls Holdings is preparing for its watershed 100,000 pearl harvest this year, having raised $20 million over the past four years through its managed investment scheme program.