Margaret Seares

The planned merger of Curtin and Murdoch universities highlights the major changes facing Western Australia’s higher education sector. WA Business News convened a boardroom forum to discuss the current issues and future outlook for the state’s public universities.

The shortage of skilled labour has affected most industries in Western Australia, and universities are no exception.The universities are under pressure to produce more graduates yet at the same time they are battling to meet their own staffing needs.

Western Australia’s universities have called on the State Government to take a more strategic role in guiding and supporting development of the sector.

THE drama that has enveloped the elite Methodist Ladies College in Melbourne over the past month has done more than put this private institution under an uncomfortable glare of public examination; it has also shown how much the world of children’s education meshes with that of business.

The state government has set January 1 next year as the date for energy utilities Verve and Synergy to commence trading as one entity, after announcing that Michael Smith would be chair of a new board to oversee the merger.

Providing greater access to training and boosting links with industry will be the focus of a new review of the state's vocational education and training sector.

Carmen Lawrence has been appointed to the board of the Chamber of Arts and Culture WA, replacing Margaret Seares.Dr Lawrence is a former federal Minister for Health and Human Services and former WA premier.

Long-standing chief executive of Lotterywest Jan Stewart has announced she will retire from the role in December this year.Ms Stewart has been with the organisation for a total of 27 years, of which 22 years have been in the chief executive role.

Energy Minister Mike Nahan has confirmed the resignation of Michael Smith from the board of electricity retailer Synergy, a departure which coincided with the exit of three other board members.

Departing Synergy board member Keith Spence has told Business News the merger of Synergy and Verve had already delivered $70 million in savings.

The head of the Economic Regulation Authority Lyndon Rowe has been appointed full-time chairman of Synergy.

Synergy chairman Lyndon Rowe is confident Synergy’s new board, which was boosted today with the addition of three members, will operate harmoniously.

The man credited with pushing the Perth International Arts Festival onto the global stage has died, prompting tributes from the state’s leading arts organisations.David Blenkinsop was the longest-serving artistic director of the festival having held the position for 23 years from 1975.

The University of Western Australia has appointed John Barrington as the chair of the Perth International Arts Festival, following the retirement of Margaret Seares who served in the role since 2012.

Everyone wants the vocational education and training system to be simpler and more responsive to the market’s needs; can Liza Harvey and Jim Walker deliver? Click through to see more on our Apprentices and Training feature.

The state government has engaged former minister Cheryl Edwardes and former Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive John Langoulant to lead a review of the 11 state training providers.

SPECIAL REPORT: The state government is pursuing major reforms to the training sector, at a time when national data on traineeships and apprenticeships tells a surprising story for WA.

A former New Zealand bureaucrat has been appointed to lead a three-person panel that will conduct a review into the state’s public service, where Premier Mark McGowan is targeting $750 million in savings.