Staff Reporters

Professor John Alford, professor of public sector management at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, to speak at a John Curtin Institute public lecture on client focus in regulatory age

Chris Connolly; Fremantle Football Club; Five years as coach

Trade union membership in Western Australia plunged more than 10 per cent last year, dropping to just 16 per cent of the total boom state workforce of 886,700.

Having stayed largely below the radar during the three-month seige of Alinta Ltd, Babcock & Brown Ltd has gone on the communications offensive - aiming to quell any investor disquiet regarding its $7.4 billion deal.

Shares in Perth-based biodiesel producer Mission Biofuels Ltd jumped more than 12 per cent on news of a $50 million capital raising to fund its Indian and Malaysia expansion plans, proving there is energy yet in the listed biofuels sector.

Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 14,000,000 ordinary shares (28.0%).

Commonwealth Bank of Australia increased its relevant interest from 9,962,960 ordinary shares (4.72%) to 12,379,694 ordinary shares (5.85%).

Osprale Management LLC decreased its relevant interest from 41,150,944 ordinary shares (10.36%) to 37,225,035 ordinary shares (9.33%).

Annual General Meeting will be held at The New Esplanade Hotel, Level 9, 18 The Esplanade, Perth, at 3.00pm on Friday, 20 April 2007.

Department for Planning and Infrastructure director general Greg Martin has been appointed executive director of Western Australia's Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC).

Level 12, 251 Adelaide Terrace, PERTH, WA 6000; Ph: (08) 9221 6175, Fax: (08) 9325 5313

PORTER Novelli WA is part of the international Porter Novelli network, which incorporates six offices in Australia and over 50 internationally.

Bennelong Asia Pacific Multi Strategy Equity Master Fund ceased to be a substantial shareholder.

ING Australia Holdings Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 3,181,818 ordinary shares (5.08%).

North Sound Legacy Institutional Funf LLC changed its relevant interest from 78,618,501 ordinary shares (10.14%) to 87,572,611 ordinary shares (11.57%).

Advises award of a contract for mining, crushing, rail-loading and ancilliary site services to BGC Contracting Pty Ltd, commencing 1 July 2007 for a period of five years.

CBH Group has appointed two new group directors in the Kwinana and Albany zones, following grower elections.

Kobi Devenish and Toby Hicks have been appointed associates of Steinepreis Paganin. Andrew Moullin and Liesl Ellies have also joined the firm as solicitors.

ANGLO-SWISS mining giant Xstrata plc has launched a friendly $5 billion cash offer for Canada-based nickel miner LionOre Mining International, which has substantial operations in Western Australia.

Australian Executor Trustees Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 5,314,321 ordinary shares (6.32%).

Investors Mutual Ltd increased its relevant interest from 15,699,653 ordinary shares (8.17%) to 22,863,196 ordinary shares (11.89%).

J B & J I Skinner decreased its relevant interest from 4,410,000 ordinary shares (7.09%) to 3,741,152 ordinary shares (6.01%).

General Meeting will be held at at 2.00pm on Monday 16 April 2007 at 34 Parliament Place, West Perth.

I WRITE in reply to representations made in the Briefcase column of WA Business News (March 22) that I feel are open to misinterpretation and may mislead readers in regard to Gage Roads Brewing Co.

133-135 Edward Street, PERTH, WA 6000; Ph: (08) 9228 4833, Fax: (08) 9328 8302

Albany Regional Prison - Ligature Minimisation Project - Robinson Buildtech: $307,181.87

Monterrey Investment Management Ltd ceased to be a substantial shareholder.

Arafura Resources Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 4,390,323 ordinary shares (10.0%).

Frank Carr increased its relevant interest from 5,700,000 ordinary shares (20.1%) to 5,950,000 ordinary shares (20.95%).

Advise that 2,900,000 ordinary fully paid shares will be released from escrow on 7 April 2007.

ECONOMICS Consulting Services managing director Murray Meaton has been appointed national president of the Australian Institute of Energy.

ASX code: AVI, Issue price: $0.20, First days close: $0.22, Principal activities: zinc gold and copper exploration, Corporate: David McSweeney (executive chairman), Stephen Stone (non-executive direct