Peter Kennedy

The government has thrown out an early marker for the 2017 state election.

The government has thrown out an early marker for the 2017 state election.

The third instalment from Peter Kennedy’s new book on WA’s recent political past examines the pressure on Carmen Lawrence to set up a royal commission into what became known as WA Inc.

In the first of four extracts from Peter Kennedy’s recently released book, Tales from Boom Town, the author looks at the first WA Inc deal and the introduction of fly in, fly out mining in WA.

The foreign affairs minister must be thankful she didn’t take up Richard Court’s offer of the state Liberal leadership in 2001.

The key Royalties for Regions project threatens to sap the government as it fends off claims of favoured treatment and political donations.

Labor may not be able to snatch Vasse from the conservatives, but it could muddy the waters in the by-election brought about by the departure of Troy Buswell.

The state coalition alliance partners may revert to the squabbling siblings of old if Nationals members feel their needs are being ignored.

The state government’s decision to give top priority to the construction of the Forrestfield-airport rail link is bold, strategic and expensive. To be operating by 2020, the move is also political.