Government

The Australian forest industry has continued its growth of recent years, with plantations, exports and the volume of logs harvested all increasing over the past financial year, according to a new ABARE report.

West Perth based White Cliff Nickel Ltd has announced a joint venture with a Korean consortium for the exploration of the White Cliff nickel project.

The State Government has launched a new program to help Western Australian shoppers identify and purchase locally produced food.

New motor vehicle sales in Western Australia rose by 2 per cent in April, bucking the trend as higher interest rates and rising fuel costs saw national sales fall by 0.8 per cent seasonally adjusted, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said today.

Perth based Iluka Resources Ltd will spend up to $420 million developing the Jacinth-Ambrosia mineral sands project in Eucla Basin, South Australia.

Over two thirds of Australians expect to receive a pay rise this year, with one third claiming they will look for another job if their request is unsuccessful, a CareerOne.com.au survey says.

Macquarie's golden run finally falters; Reserve fuels rate rise fears; SMS sheds jobs, seeks capital after grant axed; Mitchell expands WA presence with $6.2m agency buyout; New Orbital chief to run a full review of operations

The recent appointment of The Board of Infrastructure Australia, who will allocate funding from the $20 billion national infrastructure fund, has been condemned by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia for not giving WA business a dire

West Perth based Atlas Iron Ltd is planning to begin operations and export of iron ore from its Pardoo Project in October, awarding Northern Territory based CDE Capital Pty Ltd the mining contract for the project.

Recently appointed Chairman of The Pisces Group, John Hewson, has criticised the Reserve Bank of Australia for excessively using interest rates to try and manage inflationary pressure at the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia 2008 National Conv

The Federal Government will provide BEC Australia with $42 million over four years to fund one-stop small business advisory centres across Australia.

New legislation regarding training and apprentice laws was introduced to parliament today, with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA applauding the move.

Scrap metal group CMA Corporation Ltd has agreed to purchase UK-based Meretec Ltd for $30 million.

WA property developers may soon be required to pay local governments a set amount of money towards community infrastructure, under a policy to be introduced by the state government.

The 2008 Rising Stars Judges

LAST year, State Scene had the pleasure of meeting New Zealand's former National Party leader, Don Brash, in Blenheim, at the heart of Cloudy Bay wine country.

THE social services sector in Western Australia is at breaking point, with skyrocketing staff costs and increased difficulty attracting new recruits, according to those on the front line.

FROM humble beginnings in a small shed in 1994, Bunburybased engineering and construction firm SWG Holdings has grown to become one of the state's key players in the industry.

THE Perth operations office of telecommunications provider SOUL Communications, formerly B Digital, is understood to be closing down its local call centre following its parent's merger with a company that has offshore customer support operations.

AS more and more cranes appear on the city skyline in response to the boom engulfing the state, it's not the largest amount of cranes to occupy the CBD area, according to the Master Builders Association of Western Australia.

AGRICULTURAL powers — those self sufficient in food, fabric, and hydrocarbon production — were once unambiguously regarded as strategic powers.

A RAPID decline in North Sea oil field reserves has prompted at least 70 British and Norwegian companies to establish operations in Western Australia during the past decade.

IT may sound incongruous, but a major shortage of sand in coastal towns of the South West region has the potential to curb residential development and force the cost of building even higher.

FROM the outside, John Atkins' decision to quit his five-year leadership role at law firm Freehills to join a bank appears a significant change in trajectory.

IT'S an exclusive industry reserved for the super-rich, and Western Australia is right in the thick of the action as a supplier of some of the world's best super-yachts.

LAST week's state budget was exactly what you'd expect from a pre-election government in a very strong electoral position, picking a few winners and hoping to make positive headlines.

THREE new land development opportunities have been announced for Port Hedland as part of the state's accelerated land release program in the Pilbara.

BURSWOOD-BASED technology firm NGIS Australia believes a commitment to innovation has driven its success and cemented its position as a market leader in the spatial industry.

I WAS in Houston last week at the annual Offshore Technology Conference, touted as the world's largest gathering of oil and gas professionals.

WESTERN Australia provides a number of attractive opportunies for those hosting corporate events, including the hospitable and relaxed cities of Perth and Fremantle, and the popular regional destinations of Margaret River and Broome.

WESTERN Australia's Fair Employment Advocate, Helen Creed, has given a stark warning to employers who exploit young workers.

AFTER 33 years in the steel industry and having grown the family business into one of the state's biggest names in steel retailing, former Midalia Steel managing director Geoff Midalia has taken a completely different tack with his newest business venture