Latest Headlines

Unions demand export licences; Austal chief confident of US Navy ship deal; British mutiny at Rio sell-out; Moody's review blues; Gillard pays employers to save jobs

Premier Colin Barnett remains optimistic that Inpex may change its mind over the location of its $15 billion liquefied natural gas project after meeting with the company's senior executives.

A boardroom battle at Rio Tinto may be looming as leading shareholders reportedly want former chairman-elect Jim Leng reinstated.

Mining entrepreneur Tony Sage has been appointed to the board of Perth-based gold explorer Tianshan Goldfields, taking over from Graham Woolford who has tendered his resignation.

Gold miner St Barbara, which holds operations in Western Australia, expects to extend its half-year loss to some $44 million as a result of write downs and lower carrying values of listed investments.

Engineering and construction company Paladio Group says it is well placed to deliver a profit for fiscal 2009 despite a possible $4 million hit from the suspension of works at the Windimurra Vanadium project.

Administrators for Monarch Gold Mining say the Minjar gold project is likely to be sold within the next few days as a mixture of local and overseas parties express interests in other assets.

Fortescue Metals Group says investment talks with a number of parties remain incomplete as new details emerge over its $3 billion expansion plans.

Global Construction Services says it will take a more conservative approach to acquisitions as it delivers a 15 per cent increase in its interim net profit of $5.4 million.

Losses from discontinuing operations have hit Clough's bottom line with the engineering and construction company reporting a 30 per cent fall in its interim net profit.

The state government has named Mirvac/Cbus Property as the preferred proponent for the redevelopment of Perth's Old Treasury Buildings following an extensive evaluation process.

A PH.D project at the University of Western Australia hopes to change the way houses in bushfire-prone areas are designed by developing a structure that can survive a fire without human intervention.

Cross-cultural and historical influences are apparent at a new tapas bar in the CBD.

A LOT of people reckon they work in the best industry in the world and many claim their job is more fun than work, but Robert J Spencer, founder of multinational computer game developer Interzone, can certainly lay claim to having one of the coolest jobs

THE slowdown in new project and construction activity is starting to flow through to engineering and consulting firms, with GHD shedding at least 60 staff from its Perth office.

Nick Catania is passionate about his current role as mayor of the Town on Vincent.

HAPPY employees who create positive end results and, in turn, yield contented clients are always at the top of mind for Complete Fire Design managing director, Richard Welsh.

BUSINESS owners in Perth are increasingly seeking professional advice on how to deal with the federal government's industrial relations reforms and the implications for their future staffing needs amid a worsening global economic climate.

Record sales and revenue figures seem out of step with all the doom and gloom.

THE National Australia Bank has signed a 10-year lease to open a one of a kind branch at the former Red Rooster premises in the Murray Street Mall later this year.

Globally, high-capacity broadband is the infrastructure on which 21st century business will be built.

FROM a sailing career that began at age 16 on the STS Leeuwin to becoming the first female and youngest ever offshore installation manager of an oil-producing facility, Suzannah Vaughan (pictured right) packed a lot into life.

AS Local Government Minister John Castrilli continues to advocate mergers of local councils, some councils that have already undergone amalgamation say local communities feared the loss of a town's cultural identity.

Major players face off in north-west access stoush.

Has the government superannuation fund GESB's mutualisation stalled for good?

Labor's state election loss last year may have changed the way the party works in WA forever.

Recent deals by Patersons draw parallels with Hartley Poynton 10 years ago. Mark Pownall looks at how the market has changed since then.

THE fallout from the global financial crisis has left many big investors with red faces as poor due diligence or undue risk taking has been exposed by the seismic wrenching in the financial system.

WESTERN Australian tourism operators are increasingly looking at online strategies to attract business during the downturn.

DESPITE the downturn in the economy, fitness enthusiasts will still pay extra for personal training, according to industry experts.

Extensive, untouched coal reserves and increasing demand for power generation makes Tanzania an attractive prospect for WA miners.

The Western Australian Trade Enquiry Service is operated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA with the support of the WA Government's Department of Industry and Resources.