Mark Beyer

Woodside chief executive Don Voelte has warned Australians not to take the resources boom for granted or assume the resources sector would easily cope with all of the challenges facing it.

Federal resources minister Ian Macfarlane has claimed that two major gas projects planned for Western Australia will be scrapped if the state government forces producers to reserve a portion of their output for the domestic market.

The commercial and legal sagas surrounding former Perth scientist Bruce Gray has taken a new twist with his decision to step down as chairman of listed Sydney company, Sirtex Medical.

Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder has seized an opportunity to fine-tune the conglomerate’s management team while continuing to build up its investment and acquisition focus.

Perth-based financial advisory group Western Pacific Financial Group has merged with listed Sydney company Snowball Group in a $50 million deal.

Industrial services company United Group has formed a joint venture with engineering and fabrication firm Ausclad Group to bid for work on major projects, starting with the planned Gorgon gas project.

The booming resources sector has underpinned strong returns by listed Western Australian companies in WA Business News’ fifth annual survey of total shareholder returns.

Winemaker Evans & Tate, internet services provider iiNet, pharmaceutical manufacturer Chemeq and ticketing technology company ERG are some of the high-profile Western Australian companies that are laggards in the latest total shareholder return survey.

The revolving door outside the boardroom of budding aquaculture producer Marine Produce Australia, which has been spinning fast for the past year, hit top speed this month.