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Last week’s in-camera parliamentary privileges committee hearings on Liberal leader Matt Birney’s financial interests statements raised a host of questions that will hopefully be addressed before Christmas.

‘Unintended consequences’ is one of those marvellous expressions which, when translated, simply means we have no idea what will happen after we change the rules.

There were no punches pulled by the wine industry experts who addressed last week’s WA Wine Industry Outlook Conference 2005.

The good times are continuing in the Perth office market, with almost $400 million worth of CBD property changing hands this year and local investors weighing in heavily alongside interstate and international buyers.

Listed property trust Aspen Group Ltd has bought the Dunsborough Lakes residential development from Ric Stowe’s Griffin Group for $93.5 million.

HEALTH fund HBF managing director Mike Gurry has highlighted the rising cost of medically implanted prostheses, which amounted to $52 million last year, as well as operations and doctors’ fees, in

Margaret River wine pioneer Dr John Lagan has seen his Xanadu Wines collapse and its major assets sold to eastern states interests. In the process shareholders, his family included, have lost millions of dollars. Mark Mentiplay reports

Health fund HBF managing director Mike Gurry has highlighted the rising cost of medically implanted prostheses, which amounted to $52 million last year, as well as operations and doctors' fees in his annual report to members.

THE WEST AUSTRALIANBusiness

This time next year, buying liquor in Western Australia could be a whole lot easier.

The Liquor Stores Association of WA has crafted a compromise reform proposal that would allow independent stores to trade on Sundays but would maintain restrictions on chain stores owned by Coles Myer and Woolworths.

People in Perth may be surprised to learn that current laws allow cafes and restaurants to serve alcoholic drinks to customers who do not purchase a meal.

If the recently unveiled plans for the redevelopment of Perth’s foreshore sound familiar, they should.

Although the state government has voiced its support for foreshore development, the controversial issue of coastal development seems to have died down after the government introduced a height policy earlier this year.

While participants in the WA Business News forum agreed that more inner-city development was needed, the issues and consequences that arise when residential and commercial developments are combined are well known, as evidenced by the Old Swan Brewery and

Fast-growing cash flow lender Benchmark Debtor Finance has been acquired by two Sydney-based financial institutions, Allco Principal Finance and Balmain NB.

Action currently under way by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission against Westpoint Group hasn’t swayed the enthusiasm of many property companies and lenders, who see mezzanine financing as a mainstream way of financing developments.

Rapid growth has driven Great Southern Plantations to seek a new head office for the second time in two years.

Was Peter Costello serious when he suggested reportedly he had no responsibility to investigate the background of Reserve Bank of Australia board candidate, Robert Gerard?

State Scene expects to be voting, soon after New Year, in a by-election for the seat of Yokine, currently held by one-time Labor minister Bob Kucera.

Buying local is a good thing when shopping for fruit and vegetables, but not necessarily a wise investment policy.

Clive Otto received some belated industry acknowledgment last week when one of Australia’s best-read wine magazines, Winestate, named him the Australian Winemaker of the Year 2005.

The Dullsville tag irks many people in Perth but it refuses to go away. WA Business News responded to this problem by convening a forum of liquor, hospitality and tourism industry leaders to discuss what should be done about it.

Busselton-based Thumtronics Ltd has raised $588,000 from investors to develop a new electronic musical instrument called the 'Thummer'.

A number of other winners at the Margaret River Wine Show were announced besides Evans & Tate last night.

Business news summaries from around the nation.

Australia's two biggest iron ore miners, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, have either just spent or have in the pipeline more than $10 billion worth of short-term Pilbara expansion plans to cash in on the booming China-fed steel market.

The changing face of the international iron ore game is probably best exemplified by the current rapid development of Australia’s second largest iron ore region in Western Australia’s Mid-West region.

Western Australia’s iron ore export industry started in the mid 1960s with the first major shipments to Japan, expanded to South Korea and Taiwan in the early 1980s and, in more recent years, China.

Has anyone noticed that the iron ore industry is morphing into something resembling gold?

Perth-run company CustomVis plc has reported its third successive annual loss and launched a new capital raising, continuing the long and expensive journey to commercialise surgical laser technology developed in Western Australia.

Frustrated at its inability to control non-aviation development on federally owned airport land, the state government has taken a swipe at the Commonwealth and, in the process, BGC’s proposed brickworks.