Matt Mckenzie

The inclusion of gambling revenue in Commonwealth Grants Commission funding is one of a number of suggestions to reform Australia’s federation, following the release of a recent federalism paper by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.

Gold miner Resolute Mining has announced plans raise $25 million through a convertible note issue to fund projects in West Africa and near Peel.

The state’s healthcare and social services sectors are in for another decade of rapid change, industry leaders say, after growing employee numbers by more than 60,000 during the past 10 years.

Our annual Biggest Employers feature has the latest BNiQ data on employment trends in WA, including the companies that are expanding and those that are shrinking, and in-depth analysis of what's happening in mining, construction, health care, accounting, law and other industries.

Expanding the coverage of the foreign ownership register, further investment in infrastructure, abolition of excessive regulation and adjustments to the tax system have all been suggested as policy initiatives in the federal government’s Agricultural Competitiveness green paper.

A recent Grattan Institute report on the east coast gas market has further fuelled debate in Western Australia over the merits or otherwise of the gas reservation policy.

Encouraging employee share ownership, reform in vocational education and training, increasing skilled immigration, and the establishment of industry growth centres will be key planks in the federal government’s new industry innovation and competitiveness agenda, released last week.

The Australian dairy industry would not benefit from adoption of a Fonterra-style ‘national champion’, as in New Zealand, and suggestions otherwise are not consistent with market realities, according to a recent Productivity Commission report.

Two long-term Perth franchises are hoping to embrace opportunities in WA's changing economy.