Jack McGinn

Major bottlenecks caused by an ageing import facility on the southern coast are costing Kwinana industrial players almost $70 million each year, a report released this morning has revealed.

Consultation has opened on a $700 million deal between Australia and Germany to buy local hydrogen and sell it into Europe, in a bid to boost the fledgling energy industry from 2026.

The former upper house member for the now-abolished mining & pastoral region, two-term WA Labor backbencher Kyle McGinn was never one to go quietly.

The state government will give NRW Holdings subsidiary RCR Advanced Technologies $2 million to support its goal of building wind energy components locally.

The latest round of a federal energy investment scheme designed to derisk private projects is expected to stimulate as much as $4 billion of renewables investment in WA.

Defence-focused shipbuilder Austal dramatically increased its net profit result in FY25, recording a 503 per cent jump from $14.9 million to $89.7 million over 12 months.

Dual-listed Civmec recorded a 34 per cent net profit drop to $42.5 million last financial year, but insists the future is bright with a record order book worth $1.25 billion.

The federal government has formalised its agreement with a new subsidiary of Austal, in a move which confirms its status as a strategic shipbuilder of choice.

GOLD WRAP: Goldminers Westgold Resources and Bellevue are both hopeful of a positive FY26, on the back of dealing with different challenges over the past 12 months.

Lynas Rare Earths will raise as much as $815 million to accelerate its growth, as it pushes to capitalise on a growing appetite outside China for rare earth products.

The state has more than doubled the size of its envoy to a bi-annual defence conference abroad and brought in a former opposition leader, in its push to scale up the sector.

Mining technology firm Imdex reported a 70 per cent year-on-year net profit increase to $55 million last financial year, driven by strong performance in its drilling technology business.

Santos has further extended the due diligence period for its proposed takeover by an Abu Dhabi-led consortium but insists the prospective buyer has not found any reason to withdraw its offer.

Former Woodside Energy executive Shaun Gregory has been appointed to the board of Stokes family-backed Beach Energy, almost a year after moving out of the Woodside c-suite.

Regis Resources insists it will only move on inorganic growth opportunities if the value proposition lines up, days after it was linked to a buy-out its Tropicana goldmine partner.

The Environmental Protection Authority has accepted changes to Woodside Energy's Browse gas proposal, after considering more than 17,000 submissions received over just four weeks.

Vault Minerals plans to buy back up to 10 per cent of its shares on issue over the coming 12 months, as it prepares to farewell long-serving executive Luke Tonkin from his management role.

Northern Star Resources will return a record dividend to shareholders this year, riding the wave of record high gold prices and profit to increase its shareholder return by 37 per cent.

Hofmann Engineering has become the first local business to be greenlit to supply parts for US navy assets, in a move the nation's leaders say is a strong sign for an Aukus future.

Jack McGinn and Elisha Newell discuss how sweeping reforms to competition law will reshape how Australian companies undertake M&As.

A local defence tech firm's deal to supply the US and UK should come as a boost for WA industry.

Woodside's net profit was down 32 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year, weighed by hefty rehabilitation costs and its decision to exit hydrogen.

Elisha Newell and Jack McGinn discuss the recent scrapping of four major hydrogen plays.

The scrapping of four major hydrogen projects with links to WA late last month sent shockwaves through a flailing sector, but work is ongoing.

A Malcolm McCusker-led independent assessment of the issues that plagued the March State Election has concluded that the WA Electoral Commission was not fully staffed to do the job.

Premier Roger Cook has lashed opposition leader Basil Zempilas, amid political fallout over shocking allegations over conditions at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Ryan Stokes-led diversified business SGH recorded a 5 per cent post-tax statutory net profit increase to $486 million last financial year, led by upticks at concrete maker Boral and Westrac.

Seven West Media recorded a 62 per cent drop in statutory net profit last financial year to under $17 million, a result generated off group revenue of $1.35 billion.

The Maritime Union of Australia has hit out at the state government's planning in Cockburn Sound, claiming its Westport development cannot coexist with an Aukus base in the area.

LNG producer Santos has extended the due diligence window for a consortium led by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ahead of a proposed $36 billion takeover.

Greatland Resources has offered more context to a recent guidance downgrade at its Telfer mine which led to a billion-dollar sell-off, following up a series of questions from the ASX.

Mark Pownall, Tom Zaunmayr and Jack McGinn discuss Liontown; office vacancies; private business sales; Rich 100 activities; defence contracts; and a Diggers & Dealers recap.