Gold miners have warned of devastating consequences from a higher royalty rate, including potential mine closures, while business groups have also taken aim at proposed payroll tax hikes for larger employers, after both were targeted in a $1 billion revenue grab by the state government in today's budget.
Perth property developer Nigel Satterley is confident of an early breakthrough in the campaign he has spearheaded with other business leaders for a better deal for Western Australia over the distribution of GST revenue.
The state government will be seeking to pile pressure on the Commonwealth to secure more defence industry spending in the west, according to Minister for Defence Issues Paul Papalia, as he hit out at his federal counterpart over a perceived lack of naval shipbuilding cash flowing to local players.
There are signs of recovery in the local economy, with employment and sales activity numbers showing improved performance in June and a major report predicting further recovery next year.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive Deidre Willmott has been chosen to join the board of Australia Post, following the recruitment of Blackmores boss Christine Holgate as CEO yesterday.
About 18,000 local businesses and key leaders have backed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA's GST reform submissions, which were put forward to the Productivity Commission today.
OPINION: While good relations between government and the private sector are important, Mark McGowan will be keen to avoid being seen as too close to business.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive Deidre Willmott will not be a contender for Liberal Party endorsement for the Legislative Assembly seat of Cottesloe when the incumbent, former premier Colin Barnett, quits politics.
Professional services organisation KPMG hopes to better assist companies affected by changes to foreign worker laws after acquiring the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA's migration services division for an undisclosed sum.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced the abolishment of the 457 skilled visa program, which will be replaced by a visa with new requirements for temporary foreign workers.
SPECIAL REPORT: A 19 per cent drop in the number of trainees and apprentices in WA over the past five years is a challenge for the new state government, but also an opportunity to grow the sector.
Moves to extend trading hours on weekdays and on Sundays could be a hit with voters, according to a recent survey conducted for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA, with 59 per cent of shoppers keen for longer weekday trade.
Business representatives have welcomed a move to ease Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers, saying it would be particularly beneficial for reducing unemployment in Western Australia.
ANALYSIS: Full marks to the Labor Party for coming up with its debt reduction strategy early in the election campaign. It indicates both the party and shadow treasurer Ben Wyatt are serious about getting the state's finances into a much healthier position.
SPECIAL REPORT: Two Perth mayors have more at stake than most if the controversial Roe 8 contract is ripped up, having both devoted decades fighting on opposite sides of the debate.
The Royal Automobile Club of WA and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA have both welcomed an election pledge by Premier Colin Barnett to spend $520 million upgrading a freight rail line between Thornlie and Cockburn to enable passenger service.
The state's unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percentage points in December to 6.6 per cent as the number of women in the labour force eased slightly, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
Unemployment in Western Australia is now at its highest since 2002 with new figures today revealing a 0.4 percentage point increase to 6.9 per cent in November.
Three leading professionals have joined forces to take control of the Peppermint Grove branch of the Liberal Party, which is influential in the preselection process for Colin Barnett's state seat of Cottesloe.
The state government is putting the finishing touches on the business case for a second floating dock at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, which it plans to pitch to the federal government to cement the complex's place as one of the nation's two shipbuilding hubs.
Mike Nahan says recycling of capital invested in Western Power will be key to job creation and economic growth in Western Australia's transitioning economy.
Western Australia's peak business group is facing competition for members after the Australian Industry Group established a Perth office, shortly after ending a commercial alliance with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA.
Perth-based Scope Training has been recognised in the WA Training Awards for the second consecutive year, while engineering firm Civmec has also taken a top honour.
The state's budget position for the 2016 financial year has come in nearly $700 million better than was initially forecast when it was released in May last year, but still in the red to the tune of $2 billion, with revenue $915 million down on the previous year.
SPECIAL REPORT: Small businesses have taken a hit as confidence drops and the economy slows, but there are a few things governments can do to begin to alleviate the pain.
Brendon Grylls has snatched back leadership of the WA Nationals and will press the Barnett government to support his plan to slug BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto with a $5 per tonne mining tax.
Navitas managing director Rod Jones has described the company's latest profit report as a good, solid set of results, despite being adversely affected by the closure of two colleges.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promoted little-known Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan to a cabinet position as resources minister, with Josh Frydenberg moving from that role to the portfolios of energy and environment.
An increase to the minimum wage announced today will mean Western Australian businesses pay roughly $20 per week more for mimimum wage workers than their eastern states counterparts, while the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA warns it will have a flow-on effect on employment.
THE sale of major public assets is looming as the only realistic option for a government of either stripe hoping to reclaim the state's AAA credit rating and fund infrastructure needs in the decade
Western Australia's peak business group has welcomed the state government's budget, but other business groups believed more could have been done for their respective sectors.
Treasurer Mike Nahan hopes to raise $16 billion from an expanded asset sales program, with Western Power and Horizon Power's Pilbara transmission lines now targeted but two other assets unexpectedly removed from the government's sell-off list.
The gap between the state's minimum wage and the national floor should be reduced to prevent putting low-paid workers at risk of job losses, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA's submission to the upcoming state wage case.
Tax reductions earned plaudits from the business community, with the budget's cuts in both tax company and income tax burdens likely to inspire confidence, particularly in Western Australia.
Despite the tax cuts in last night's budget, the federal government is still relying on increasing revenue in the five years ahead to return to balance, which is still anticipated for 2020-21.
