THE abundance of women, broader employment choices of younger people and the emergence of a service-orientated society are driving the demand for part-time work.
THE abundance of women, broader employment choices of younger people and the emergence of a service-orientated society are driving the demand for part-time work. Recruitment and business representatives say a combination of economic and demographic factors are contributing to the growth in the part-time employment. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show full-time employment fell in WA during June. However, there was a growth in the total number of people employed. Full report, Page 4.
Training review tensions
SECTORS of the building industry are concerned that a proposed restructure of the Building and Construction Industry Fund will give unions such as the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union too much power. A WA Government report on the fund and the Levy Collection Act 1990 was released earlier this month for public comment. That comment period closes on August 5. Full report, Page 6.
GST contract revamp
THE long-demanded revamp of the Real Estate Institute of WA’s sale contract seems to be going ahead. Accountants have been calling for the inclusion of more GST-specific information for months because many commercial property purchasers are being hurt by unexpected GST consequences. Jackson McDonald tax consultant Graham Harrison said he knew of one recent case where a property was bought for $3 million. The buyer thought he could claim $300,000 in input tax credits, but couldn’t. Full report, Page 7.
Big Apple gets back to business
TWO common themes become apparent when Western Australians living and working in New York talk about the events of September 11. The first is an unprompted consensus that that fateful day last year was an unusually clear and beautiful one, until it was interrupted by the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The second is a similarly uniform proximity of anyone working in Manhattan to other potential targets – with any number of famous buildings in the district. Full report, Pages 12, 13 & 14.
ACCC pipeline draft prompts talk
AGAINST a backdrop of daily talk around numerous proposed pipeline developments, industry players and organisations are positioning themselves to respond to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s draft for greenfields gas transmission pipelines, released late last month. Full report, Page 15.
Heady growth ahead for big WA wineries
WHILE wine makers in WA have reported an increasingly competitive domestic domain, many of the biggest operators are finding interstate growth through acquisition and strong success in a diverse range of offshore markets. Despite talk of a downturn in the market, most wineries contacted by WA Business News indicated they had increased their crush projections for the next few years. Full report, Page 29-30.
Training review tensions
SECTORS of the building industry are concerned that a proposed restructure of the Building and Construction Industry Fund will give unions such as the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union too much power. A WA Government report on the fund and the Levy Collection Act 1990 was released earlier this month for public comment. That comment period closes on August 5. Full report, Page 6.
GST contract revamp
THE long-demanded revamp of the Real Estate Institute of WA’s sale contract seems to be going ahead. Accountants have been calling for the inclusion of more GST-specific information for months because many commercial property purchasers are being hurt by unexpected GST consequences. Jackson McDonald tax consultant Graham Harrison said he knew of one recent case where a property was bought for $3 million. The buyer thought he could claim $300,000 in input tax credits, but couldn’t. Full report, Page 7.
Big Apple gets back to business
TWO common themes become apparent when Western Australians living and working in New York talk about the events of September 11. The first is an unprompted consensus that that fateful day last year was an unusually clear and beautiful one, until it was interrupted by the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The second is a similarly uniform proximity of anyone working in Manhattan to other potential targets – with any number of famous buildings in the district. Full report, Pages 12, 13 & 14.
ACCC pipeline draft prompts talk
AGAINST a backdrop of daily talk around numerous proposed pipeline developments, industry players and organisations are positioning themselves to respond to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s draft for greenfields gas transmission pipelines, released late last month. Full report, Page 15.
Heady growth ahead for big WA wineries
WHILE wine makers in WA have reported an increasingly competitive domestic domain, many of the biggest operators are finding interstate growth through acquisition and strong success in a diverse range of offshore markets. Despite talk of a downturn in the market, most wineries contacted by WA Business News indicated they had increased their crush projections for the next few years. Full report, Page 29-30.
