West Australian Newspapers is embarking on a $189 million, two-year expansion plan that includes a $31 million redundancy provision to cover 220 full-time production staff at the company’s Herdsman headquarters.
The battle for territory in Perth’s independent newspaper market is getting fiercer as new players look to secure a slice of the action, as Mark Mentiplay reports.
The $173.5 million acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Hoyts Cinemas, a step outside West Australian News-papers’ traditional comfort zone and the development of its online services, is costing the company.
While television is still the first medium of choice for major advertisers, Perth agencies and their clients are looking at new alternatives to break through the growing advertising clutter and reach an increasingly fragmented audience.
Issues over infrastructure, particularly the provision and accessibility of water, were among the most significant challenges of the next two decades, according to participants at the WA Business News boardroom forum.
The state Government proposal to establish a ‘super planning agency’ is seen by many as the result of its frustration with the decision-making processes of local governments in relation to planning issues.
With the number of people living in Western Australia expected to double within three decades, dealing with the pressures of a growing population is a challenge for legislators and developers, as Marsha Jacobs reports.
Policy, regulation and unclear or contradictory legislation are major impediments for the development industry, according to attendees at WA Business News’ development forum.
With a review of Western Australia’s public infrastructure concluding it is generally superior to other states, the Gallop Government is spending $4.7 billion this year to try and keep it that way.
The petrochemical industry, which has long been targeted as a growth sector for Western Australia, seems likely to start realising some of its potential during the next year.
AN increase in iron ore prices of 71.5 per cent this year has added a massive incentive to second-tier iron ore producers/explorers in Western Australia, particularly those in the Mid-West.
Alumina and petrochemicals are set to join the iron ore and oil and gas industries as major drivers of the state’s extraordinary investment boom, WA Business News’annual major projects review has found.
Western Australia is losing its share of global investment in mineral exploration, according to Association of Mining & Exploration Companies CEO Justin Walawski.
With so much interest in the booming resources sector it is easy to understand the raft of junior explorers keen to etch their name on the Australian Stock Exchange board.
Rising costs somewhat dampen the enthusiasm that surrounds a significant increase in exploration expenditure by listed juniors in the June 2005 quarter.
A shortage of suitable exploration land and expertise have meant mineral explorers and producers alike have had to find ways around obstacles to project development.
Changing employee demands and a tight labour market are putting strains on human resource departments at many of Western Australia’s large companies and government departments.
Companies in the resources industry have provided the best shareholder returns in Western Australia during the past three years, with only two of the top 10 performers outside the sector.
The strength of the Australian stock market and the buoyant returns enjoyed by investors have been highlighted in WA Business News’ annual shareholder return feature.
Only 11 of Western Australia’s mid to large-cap companies suffered a fall in their market capitalisation over the past three years, according to a recent review.
While the plantation timber industry is still in its early stages in Albany, existing infrastructure is already under pressure to deal with the volume of timber making its way to the port.
The companies that have achieved the strongest growth in market value over the past five years illustrate the breadth and depth of the resources boom currently being enjoyed in Western Australia.
Albany's plantation timber industry has sparked a surge of investment and opportunity. A balance of traditional and emerging industries is creating a strong foundation for growth in the Great Southern centre.
