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Western Australia has recorded the country's lowest jobless rate for August with the latest national figures surprising economist who say the overall fall lessens the chance of an October interest rate cut.

Rio Tinto has emerged as the mystery buyer behind an 11 per cent parcel of shares in uranium explorer Extract Resources Ltd, which could be a hurdle in the company's planned merger with West Perth-based Kalahari Minerals Ltd.

The Kimberley Land Council has released its shortlist of potential site suitable for the development of a liquified natural gas hub with the government's Northern Development Taskforce to release its shortlist after the election result is known.

Western Australia's Treasury has thrown an obstacle in the path of negotiations on the formation of a state government.

US stocks wobbled higher today as investors mulled troubled investment giant Lehman Brothers' news of hefty losses and plans to sell assets to shore up its finances.

Nats demand 'risks rating'; Seven's $320m buyback will hand Stokes majority control; Lehman woes rattle global markets; Sinosteel talks Midwest chief into leaving, eyes 13.2pc stake; Dollar sinks below 80 US cents

Saville Australia and Babcock & Brown, the beleaguered joint venture partners behind the redevelopment of the former Emu Brewery site, may have secured a lifeline in the form of Leighton Properties.

FOR much of 2007, iron was the mineral of choice for speculators.Companies like Midwest, Atlas, and Sundance Resources all rose like phoenixes out of the ashes, with paper fortunes made and more recently lost, as share prices tumbled. During this time, ma

HISMELT, Minara Resources and Rocla Quarry have been recognised for their excellence and leadership in environmental responsibility at this year's Golden Gecko awards.

WESTERN Australian resource stocks have made a strong showing in the latest changes to index provider Standard & Poor's ASX indices, as companies dabbling in financial services are shown the door.

THE state's geothermal industry has been given a kick-start with the government awarding a private Guildford-based company the first exploration permits in Western Australia.

THE Nationals WA's surprise result in last weekend's election is likely to provide a boost for business in regional Western Australia, with the next state government forced to deliver improved infrastructure and services outside the Perth metropolitan are

Continued strong growth in iron ore and gas projects in the Pilbara has underpinned WA's economic growth.

A SHORTAGE of qualified tradespeople is one of the downsides of Western Australia's mining boom for many small businesses, which struggle to compete with the mining sector in attracting and retaining staff.

Antaria Ltd Thibaut Mortier has resigned as director. APA Financial Services Ltd Mark Perry has resigned from the board of directors.

FORMER executive chairman of the failed winemaker Evans & Tate, Franklin Tate, questioned continuing his career in the wine business when he stopped running the company in 2005.

The nickel industry in Western Australia, like the nickel price, has experienced highs and lows over the years.

WABN: Describe a day at work.WABN: Describe a day at work. SB: "My day starts at 8.30 with clearing the email trail, continues with writing reports, budgets or funding applications, meeting with young artists, arts workers or government/corporate heads a

THE resources sector has not been reassured by Ross Garnaut's latest report on a national emissions trading scheme, despite the 10 per cent reduction target by 2020 being labelled too low by environmental groups.

The growth of state's iron ore province in the Mid West has been a lot slower than many companies had predicted, with some of the massive projects set to change the face of the region yet to get under way.

Mention the YMCA to many people and they'll think of the 1979 hit song by the Village People, which at face value extols the virtues of the Young Men's Christian Association.

THE growth in major resources and infrastructure projects in Western Australia has fuelled the expansion of local engineering firms, led by industry giant WorleyParsons.

If Western Australia plays its cards right, the state will benefit from a succession of giant oil and gas projects over the next decade that will deliver big economic dividends for 30 or more years.

Traditional continental delis with a wide variety of cheese on offer, dozens of different cold meats and an Aladdin's cave of exotic imported products, are not so common in Perth anymore.

INTERNATIONAL energy services company Wood Group has expanded its presence in the Asia-Pacific with three investments in the Australian market in six months.

The wealth of major project activity in Western Australia has been a boon for local contracting firms, which are reaping the rewards of record high bidding activity in both the infrastructure and resources sectors.

A number of Western Australian finalists featured in the 2008 Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards, with East Perth's new fine dining destination Restaurant Amuse, Must Wine Bar sommelier Emma Sputore and the glamorous 1907 bar among those in line for top

WHILE critics have been quick to jump on the Labor-bashing bandwagon after the state election, there hasn't been much reflection on some of the strategic challenges that will face the next state government, whoever leads it.

Rising energy, steel and labour costs, and the added burden of investors snubbing the industry has led to a spate of casualties in the gold sector in recent years.

THE standout feature of Saturday's panic-driven premature election was that neither Alan Carpenter nor Colin Barnett pulled their party over the line to govern Western Australia in their own right.

The iron ore, nickel and gas sectors have grown to dominate new investment in Western Australia's resources sector, but there continues to be substantial investment in other mineral sectors across the state.

Could the emergence of Brendon Grylls as a power broker in Western Australian politics create a shockwave that reverberates across the country and around the globe? It is possible that a few thousand regional and rural voters could have a major impact on