Kim Hames

The Westin Perth hotel at 480 Hay Street has been cleared to start construction, with the City of Perth’s development assessment panel giving the tick to BGC Development’s $500 million project last night.

The world’s two top ranked one-day cricket teams, Australia and India, are set to head to Perth’s WACA Ground for World Cup games against minnows Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates in the coming week.

Asset sales, cost cutting and restructuring are under way across WA, creating opportunities for professional services firms. Click through to see details of more than 30 privatisation deals in WA, from 1961 to the present day.

From mid-July, China Southern Airlines will fly direct to Perth four times a week as the state government aims to reach 100,000 Chinese visitors to Western Australia by 2020.

While acknowledging the issue of patient safety, Labor’s attack on delays at Fiona Stanley Hospital are equally concerned with the privatisation of services.

Fiona Stanley Hospital chief executive David Russell-Weisz has been appointed director general of the Western Australian Department of Health.

Surfing has long been an economic driver to the Margaret River region, but the sport’s impact is increasing further due to the status of the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro.

Qantas has announced it will be reintroducing its Perth-to-Singapore route in late June, after shelving the flight path in May last year.

Brookfield Multiplex has strengthened its position as the state’s largest construction company after being named prefered contractor for the $207 million Karratha Health Campus, adding to six major projects it currently has underway worth about $2.6 billion.

The ‘iron ore wars’ and budget battles are defining where power and influence lies in business and politics in WA. Read our latest Most Influential feature to see who is on the rise, whose influence is waning and who has dropped off the list.

Just days after it strongly criticised plans for a new medical school at Curtin University, the Australian Medical Association is again at odds with the state government, this time over a restructuring of Healthway.

The state’s tourism sector is reaping the rewards of a weaker dollar but more needs to be done to secure the full benefits of holiday spending and lower post-boom prices. Click through to see more on our tourism feature.

Contractor Serco has had to pay about $1 million in penalties for failing to achieve certain performance targets at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Construction of the $360 million St John of God Midland Public Hospital has been completed on time and on budget, with Brookfield Multiplex handing the keys to the state government and the hospital operator today.

The first sod has been turned at the Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute in Nedlands, with Cockram Construction set to begin work under a $30.3 million contract.

The third DoubleTree by Hilton hotel announced for Perth will likely be the first to open, with forward works about to start and a ground-breaking ceremony held at the Northbridge site today.

The state government will head off any potential oversupply in Perth’s booming hotel building sector by ramping up marketing Western Australia to interstate and international visitors.

Peter Prendiville and Howard Cearns will continue as Tourism WA chair and deputy chair respectively for another three year term, Tourism Minister Kim Hames announced today.

International tourism to Western Australia is on the rise, but not as much as other states, prompting the Australian Hotels Association to call for more funding from the state government to market WA overseas.

The state government has awarded Brookfield Multiplex the design and construction contract for the $207 million Karratha Health Campus.

Tourists may soon get another option for lodging at Rottnest Island, with the state government putting out the call for operators to develop a resort and marina at Thomson Bay.

Mining giant BHP Billiton has contributed about half a million dollars towards the construction of a walk trail on Rottnest Island, making it the largest contribution to the island by a corporate entity.

Reigning 40under40 winner Angus Turner has welcomed an investment of almost $4 million into the Lions Eye Institute and pledged to use the funds to implement a new mobile eye healthcare service for use in the state’s most remote regions.

Medical device company Compumedics has won a contract to fit out the neurology department at the new $1.2 billion Perth Children’s Hospital.

Fresh tourism figures show more Western Australians are holidaying at home than ever before, but the state is failing to attract visitors from the east coast.

Perth’s tallest hotel, Crown Towers, is on track to be completed by December next year, with Crown Resorts chief executive Barry Felstead staking the claim it will be the best resort in Australia when it’s finished.

Energy Made Clean has won the contract to build a solar farm on Rottnest Island as part of a $7.3 million renewable energy project.

Karma Resorts’ plan to spend $20 million redeveloping the Rottnest Lodge into a resort-style hotel are a step closer to being realised, with lease negotiations finalised with the state government today.

Western Australia’s largest private health facility is preparing for major growth during the coming decade amid forecast cuts to public health.

The mid-December budget review will set the tone for state government spending cuts before the 2017 election.

Deputy Premier Kim Hames will stand down from that role in February next year, but will remain as minister for health and tourism as he prepares for his retirement from politics at the 2017 state election.

The state government will be glad to put 2015 behind it, but there will be no let up in the financial and portfolio challenges it will face next year.

Western Australians opted to spend their free time travelling within the state last year, with Rottnest Island visitor numbers reaching their highest on record between July and December.

More than 140 local health and medical research institutions are set to benefit from an $8 million grant provided by the state government.

Treasurer Mike Nahan will not contest the deputy leadership of the state Liberal party, paving the way for Police Minister Liza Harvey, who is likely to be voted in unopposed.

Managing the state’s economic transition was the main focus of today’s cabinet reshuffle, Premier Colin Barnett said, with tourism and agriculture in his sights as key growth industries.

The auditor general has slammed Liberal ministers Peter Collier, Kim Hames and Liza Harvey for withholding information in parliament.

The Western Australian parliament has finished all business until after the election on March 11, after it was prorogued by WA governor Kerry Sanderson.