Mark Beyer

Law firms Clayton Utz and Blakiston & Crabb have been at the forefront of one of the major trends in the mining industry in the past two years: the move to Canada by miners looking to raise large amounts of money.

A booming economy, militant construction unions and the biggest regulatory change in a century have combined to make workplace relations one of the busiest practice areas for Perth’s law firms.

Big corporate collapses such as Sons of Gwalia, EG Green Group, Henry Walker Eltin and most recently Westpoint Corporation have provided plenty of work for insolvency lawyers, but a much smaller deal has been hailed as the best restructuring of 2005.

Last week marked the end of an era in Western Australian education when Curtin University of Technology vice-chancellor Lance Twomey retired after nine years in the position and 37 years at the university.

Curtin University’s council has given final approval for the development of a Resources and Chemistry Research and Education Precinct, which is expected to attract $200 million of capital spending over the next five years.

With Western Australia’s resources boom exceeding all expectations, the three big manufacturers of portable accommodation are enjoying unprecedented demand.

The success of Perth company National Lifestyle Villages has played a notable part in the growth of Fleetwood Corporation’s manufactured accommodation business.

Production of caravans, camper trailers and transportable homes has grown rapidly over the past decade, creating plenty of opportunities for industry players such as Fleetwood but also posing some big challenges.

After nearly 18 months of formative work, a group of local business people has launched a committee that is designed to foster the cultural, creative and economic development of Perth.