Sam Jones

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Sam Jones joined Business News in April 2024, covering tech, defence, innovation, cybersecurity, accountants, Asian engagement and federal politics.

Prior to joining Business News he spent five years living and working in WA's North West.

The first two years were spent in South Hedland covering a broad range of topics including local and state politics, small business, Aboriginal affairs, sports and human interest stories.

Mr Jones then moved to Broome, where he took the position of Northern Papers Editor for Seven West Media and was responsible for producing four weekly newspapers across the Pilbara and Kimberley.

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sam.jones@businessnews.com.au

DXN Limited.

Technology, Innovation & Science 24 Aug 2026

DXN wins 2MW data centre contract

Modular data centre specialist DXN has hit another milestone, inking a $12.2 million contract to build a 2-megawatt AI high-performance computing modular data centre.

At Close of Business.

Podcasts 21 Aug 2026

At Close of Business Podcast August 21 2026

Ella Loneragan and Jack McGinn discuss the Royal Australian Air Force Association of WA and its near-100-year history.

Photo: Kevin Horvat

Technology, Innovation & Science 21 Aug 2026

Origin cyber incident exposed bank details

Origin Energy has confirmed that full bank account numbers were among some of the data exposed in a recent cyberattack, which saw over 900,000 customers' data compromised.

At Close of Business.

Podcasts 20 Aug 2026

At Close of Business Podcast August 20 2026

Jack McGinn and Ella Loneragan discuss the balancing act that's key to advocacy work.

Photo: APA Group.

Exclusive 20 Aug 2026

APA puts call out to hyperscalers

Energy giant APA Group is positioning its WA landholdings as prime real estate for power-hungry hyperscale data centres, pitching microgrid solutions backed by renewables and gas-fired firming to ease mounting pressure on local networks.

Photo: Attila Csaszar

Government 20 Aug 2026

Unemployment climbs to 4.5 per cent

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed the nation's unemployment rate rose to 4.5 per cent in July, buoying hopes the Reserve Bank would hold off on raising rates in the near term.

Photo: Kevin Horvat/Unsplashed.

Technology, Innovation & Science 20 Aug 2026

Oz Hair, Quest hit by cyber incidents

Two prominent Australian brands are warning customers to remain vigilant about targeted scams after major cyber incidents saw their customers' data exposed.

ACOB

Podcasts 19 Aug 2026

At Close of Business podcast August 19 2026

Sam Jones speaks to Justin Fris about Business News' recent communications and cyber feature.

Notre Dame. Photo: Claire Tyrrell.

Exclusive 19 Aug 2026

Cyber incident cost Notre Dame $6.4m

A cyber incident that locked students and staff out of key systems at the University of Notre Dame and exposed 62 gigabytes of data cost the university $6.4 million, according to its latest annual report.

Exclusive 19 Aug 2026

Energy formula drives WA along data highway

From AI factories in the Kimberley to metropolitan campuses, WA has become part of the data domain.

DXN Limited.

Technology, Innovation & Science 19 Aug 2026

DXN inks $4.1m edge data centre deal

Modular data centre company DXN Limited has inked a $4.1 million deal to install an edge data centre at Melbourne Airport.

Annual wage growth hit 3.2 per cent across the nation. Photo: Michel O'Brien.

Government 19 Aug 2026

Public sector leads wage growth

Public sector wage growth has outpaced the private sector for the sixth consecutive quarter.

ACOB

Podcasts 18 Aug 2026

At Close of Business podcast August 18 2026

Justin Fris speaks to Sam Jones about how WA may miss out on benefits from the federal government's recent uranium export deal with India.

BHP chief executive Brandon Craig said in the annual report there had been no loss of time due to industrial action in the Pilbara. Photo: Michael O'Brien

Mining 18 Aug 2026

Unions lambast latest BHP offer to end strikes

The combined unions representing workers at BHP's Port Hedland port operations have slapped down BHP's latest offer, saying it did not adequately address employees' concerns as the bitter industrial dispute continues.

UK Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard. Photo: AAP/EPA/ANDY RAIN

Exclusive 17 Aug 2026

'Learn from our mistakes': UK Defence minister to WA

Britain's Defence Readiness and Industry Minister used a visit to Perth to encourage Anthony Albanese and Roger Cook to learn from mistakes made in ensuring the community backed large-scale defence projects like the Henderson Precinct.

ACOB

Podcasts 17 Aug 2026

At Close of Business podcast August 17 2026

Sam Jones speaks to Justin Fris about how data breaches can cause issues for organisations.

UWA has been dragged into court after a cyber attack on its external law rm. Photo: Attila Csaszar

Technology, Innovation & Science 17 Aug 2026

No hiding from data breach fallout

Data breaches leave a dangerous tail for boards.

Agribusiness 14 Aug 2026

Royal Show cuts poultry comp over bird-flu concerns

The Royal Agricultural Society of WA has moved to cancel the Perth Royal Show's poultry competition over concerns it could become a bird flu super-spreader event.

Melinda Cilento is chief executive of CEDA. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira

Government 14 Aug 2026

Ex-Woodside director joins RBA board

Former Woodside Energy director Melinda Cilento has been appointed to the Reserve Bank of Australia's Monetary Policy Board, adding further WA resources experience to the rate-setting panel.

Energy 14 Aug 2026

ECU flags hydrogen breakthrough in Pilbara iron

WA iron deposits could soon power a clean energy breakthrough, according to new research from Edith Cowan University.

OncoRes chief executive Dr Katharine Giles.

Technology, Innovation & Science 13 Aug 2026

OncoRes becomes first WA Prix Galien finalist

Perth-based medtech firm OncoRes Medical has named a finalist for a Prix Galien Award, a WA first in an award widely regarded as the Nobel Prize equivalent for the life sciences sector.

Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, speaking at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA)

Defence Economy 13 Aug 2026

Pentagon praises Australia's post-Aukus review execution

The Pentagon's top policy official says Australia is successfully executing its post-Aukus review roadmap, pointing to WA's SRF-West as a standout example of the work being done.

Health 13 Aug 2026

Patent granted for game-changer Endometriosis test

A non-invasive test for Endometriosis developed by a Perth company, which can detect the disease with 99.7 per cent accuracy, has been granted an Australian patent.

Joshua Wigley presents at the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exhibition. Photo supplied.

Exclusive 13 Aug 2026

Timor-Leste to get Hyperion's 'factory-in-a-box'

Plastic waste in Timor-Leste will be used to build public infrastructure, after Perth-based Hyperion Systems moved to deploy its 'factory-in-a-box' overseas for the first time.

Mike von Bertouch with the fuselage of a One-Way Loitering munition developed by Innovaero.

Technology, Innovation & Science 12 Aug 2026

Innovaero reveals state grant in $40m IPO

Perth drone manufacturer Innovaero is accelerating plans for its IPO, with its prospectus revealing the state government has given the firm millions to build its new headquarters.

Government 11 Aug 2026

RBA leaves cash rate unchanged

Australia's central bank has chosen to keep the cash rate on hold at 4.35 per cent in a move "universally expected" by the market.

Defence Economy 11 Aug 2026

Hanwha launch $1.7b Austal USA bid

Australia's sovereign shipbuilder Austal has received a non-binding, $1.7 billion offer for its US subsidiary from South Korean chaebol Hanwha.

Photo: Wolfgang Weiser/Unsplashed.

Technology, Innovation & Science 11 Aug 2026

Feds probing WA subsea cable damage

Authorities are assessing a report of a potential crime after two critical undersea telecommunications cables off Perth suffered near-simultaneous physical disruptions inside a national protection zone.

Left: ETU's Adam Woodage. Right: Chamber of Minerals and Energy's Aaron Morey.

Mining 10 Aug 2026

BHP, unions target talks to break deadlock

BHP and several unions are preparing to return to the bargaining table with the Fair Work Commission, following a weekend of industrial action at Port Hedland that escalated from targeted bans into full-scale work stoppages.

At Close of Business.

Podcasts 07 Aug 2026

At Close of Business podcast August 7 2026

Jack McGinn and Nadia Budihardjo discuss gold miner Regis Resources' plans after a thwarted merger with Vault.

Representatives from Materia Health, Wevolt and Capability X with Innovation and Science Minister Stephen Dawson. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Technology, Innovation & Science 07 Aug 2026

Finalists for Innovator of the Year revealed

The state's premier innovation showcase has named 23 local companies as finalists for the 2026 WA Innovator of the Year awards, marking two decades since the program's inception.

Woodside. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Oil & Gas 07 Aug 2026

Woodside to divest Calypso stake

Woodside Energy has taken yet another step toward simplifying its portfolio, agreeing to sell its stake in the early-stage deepwater Calypso natural gas project to BP.

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