Latest Headlines

The number of new home sales in Western Australia fell by 11.1 per cent in September, the country's second biggest drop and nearly three times national decline, following a strong surge in August, according to a Housing Industry Association (HIA) survey.

Australian businesses are the second slowest to pay their local suppliers, at an average 11 days late, with domestic customers taking two days longer to pay Australian businesses than thier international counterparts, a new global survey has revealed.

Miner Mount Gibson Iron has reached a $US30 million settlement with former customer Sinom, after Sinom did not accept scheduled shipments last year.

Tim Moore has just completed his second successful private equity deal with a low-profile Perth software company.

The tourism industry wants the state government to take notice of its contribution to WA and deliver more appropriate support.

A COMPLETELY rewritten Rottnest Island Authority Act is long overdue, according to the state's tourism industry.

THE world’s premier destinations are battling to secure world-class events that deliver valuable tourism outcomes, with a focus on the growing number of lucrative business events and the associated contingents of high-yield visitors.

OVERCOMING challenges relating to infrastructure investment and development is a top priority for the state’s accommodation providers.

SOUTH Hedland is set to get a major revamp, with approval for the development of a new town centre and plans for new worker accommodation that breaks with the Pilbara’s traditional approach.

THE City of Bunbury has called for a more detailed planning strategy for the region after the release of a broad planning framework for the South West.

Perth's industrial land values have reached a low point and are tipped to rise as the economy recovers.

With 65 years' hospitality experience between them, Judy and Michael Monaghan show no sign of slowing down. Adam Orlando reports

IS it a case of the squeakiest wheel getting the lubrication? For those outside it, the political process is an extraordinary thing, with rapid changes in policy possible within just a few hours.

TODAY I'd like to talk about four longer-term trends that had been strongly influencing economic outcomes in Australia before the onset of the global financial crisis, and which are likely to become even more influential in the next growth period.

The guidelines governing Chinese investment in Australian resources seem to be getting more opaque.

The state's iron sector has attracted another major player in the local business scene – Kerry Stokes.

IT is with some trepidation that I leap in to defend politicians & allowances in the wake of a $240 mistake by Treasurer Troy Buswell in claiming for accommodation in Perth.

WESTERN Australians may well ask if they are destined to again become colonials, that is, be administratively controlled by distant ruling elites over whom we'll have little or no oversight.

Troy Resources is forging ahead with capital raising plans, today placing its shares in a trading halt despite protests from former chairman John Jones.

Australian Renewable Fuels has struck a deal with Wesfarmers Premier Coal to supply biodiesel to the miner's coal operation.

West Perth-based Great Western Exploration will team up nickel miner Western Areas to jointly explore the Forrestania project in a $2.5 milion deal.

Perth real estate developer Port Bouvard has called for the trading of its shares to be halted ahead of a critical refinancing deadline on Sunday night.

Treasurer Troy Buswell says the state government will partner with the private sector to develop new subdivision opportunities to avoid a second big spike in Perth land prices.

Moly Mines says it has finalised its debt restructure arrangements for its remaining $US134 million interim financing facility after a $US700 million deal was struck last week with privately-owned Chinese company Hanlong Mining Investment.

Japan's Inpex Corporation says production will cease this month at its Griffin oil joint venture off the coast of Western Australia, 15 years after operations first started.

Collapsed biofuels company Natural Fuel is set to be sold to private WA business NRG Capital for $575,000 after creditors agreed to execute the deed of company arrangement.

Subiaco-based oil and gas explorer Promesa has opened its initial public offer in which it hopes to raise up to $3 million that will predominately be used to fund its interests in two projects in the United States.

Galaxy Resources has extended its relationship with unlisted public company General Mining Corporation, with the pair forming an alliance to explore for lithium in Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Fox Resources will turn its exploration efforts at several of its Pilbara tenements to gold after metal detectors identified 1,000 ounces of gold.

Bibra Lake-based Mineral Resources will earn a large share of the profits after it struck a farm-in agreement with Reed Resources over the Mount Marion lithium project in the Goldfields region.

Perth-based PearlStreet has recommended shareholders accept a sweetened $56.3 million takeover offer from Campbell Brothers, snubbing Catalyst Investment Managers' recapitalisation proposal.

The economic downturn failed to dampen throughput rates at the ports in Dampier and Port Hedland, which both reported record tonnages for the 2009 financial year.