Latest Headlines

The City of Perth has lashed out at the Development Assessment Panel system, saying it creates, rather than reduces, red tape in the planning approvals process.

The Australian share market has finished slightly higher as defensive stocks performed well after the release of the government's budget update.

Perth-based miner Pacifico Minerals has entered an agreement with Miguel Angel Perez Villa to acquire up to a 90 per cent interest over three years of its share of the Berrio gold deposit in Antioquia, Colombia.

Perth-based gold explorer Primary Gold will raise up to $2.4 million for its Toms Gully mine at the Mt Bundy gold project in the Northern Territory with its appointed lead manager Patersons Securities to underwrite up to $1 million to the rights issue.

MULTIMEDIA: Best photos from 2013.

Bulletin Resources has enlisted its major shareholder Matsa Resources to acquire up to a 75 per cent interest for its Halls Creek gold projects in a $4.4 million binding term sheet.

Downer EDI has been awarded an $80 million contract for electrical work at Rio Tinto's Yandicoogina iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Former agricultural investor AACL Holdings has completed a makeover and become a technology company after acquiring Applabs Technologies for $1.2 million.

Forge Group shares have risen on news it has secured a $40 million contract, helping to repair an 80 per cent single-day nose dive in late November when it announced a $127 million profit writedown on two power stations.

Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has won a $570 million four-year contract extension on a coal mine owned by Wesfarmers.

The door is still open for another cash rate cut, thanks to benign inflation and the persistently high Australian dollar.

BHP Billiton will slash up to 200 jobs after closing its underground nickel mine in Western Australia due to safety fears.

The 2013/14 federal budget has blown out by $17 billion since the election and is forecast to be the third largest deficit on record at $47 billion.

The Western Australian Cricket Association and Ascot Capital have confirmed they will no longer go ahead with a $500 million redevelopment of the WACA ground after the developers failed to hit pre-sales targets for apartments.

The Australian share market is making early gains led by the banks following jumps in stocks in the US and Europe overnight.

US stocks have jumped following a strong report on US industrial output that came a day before a much-anticipated US Federal Reserve policy meeting.

It is said that in space no-one can hear you scream. Amusingly, in a dark sort of way, the same can be said of the stock exchange during a crash because it's unlikely that anyone heard a peep from the 54 (yes, 54) companies that disappeared from the Australian market over the past six months.

Oil prices have jumped after armed protesters in Libya refused to lift a months-long blockade of key oil terminals in the eastern part of the country.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower, trading in a tight range, ahead of announcements from the Australian and US central banks.

Resources companies will turn to foreign workers to service $200 billion worth of oil and gas projects in the coming years unless there is greater investment in skills training, a new report has warned.

The federal government has confirmed it will fund road projects in Western Australia's resources-rich north but it remains to be seen whether a $615 million pledge for the Swan Valley Bypass will be honoured.

A group of large industrial gas users has urged Premier Colin Barnett to stand firm in insisting the Woodside-led Browse gas project is developed onshore.

Treasurer Joe Hockey is set to announce a budget deficit of just under $50 billion as he lays out a roadmap back to the black.

Colin Barnett needs his new-look cabinet to hit the ground running in the New Year.

The Australian share market has closed lower ahead of the US Federal Reserve's last meeting for 2013.

The University of Western Australia will receive a $17 million donation from BHP Billiton for its New Century Campaign, with the engineering faculty and busines school to be the main beneficiaries.

Perth businessman Allen Caratti has requested more time to arrange his affairs ahead of a proposed deal which would see him take effective control of a forestry investment trust previously controlled by Elders.

CBH Group chief executive Andrew Crane has been appointed a member of Australia's B20 Leadership Group, a private sector consortium that produces policy recommendations for international finance leaders for the annual G20 Leaders Summit in Brisbane next year.

The hype around Victoria Carbone's new Health Freak Cafe indicates one of two things, or maybe both – Perth is becoming more health-conscious, or a large number of punters partial to kale smoothies rather than caramel lattes are finally getting what they ordered.

Senex Energy has withdrawn its $752 million takeover offer for fellow Australian oil and gas producer AWE.

Freight rail operator Aurizon says no extra jobs will be lost as it shrinks the size of its rail fleet and finalises the termination of a Queensland project.

Western Australian farmers are increasingly confident about their outlook and may enjoy their best profits in a decade after the scale of the state's grain harvest was upgraded to near record levels.