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It's common for those living in parliamentary democracies to forget most of their accomplished figures.

With uncertainty surrounding the future of non-forestry managed investment schemes, promoters are expecting an increase in MIS project sales this year.

The federal government's February 6 announcement that the ATO would cease issuing product rulings for non-forestry managed investment schemes after July 1, thereby removing the 100 per cent up-front tax deduction, sent shockwaves through the industry.

As the sector's dominant player, agribusiness investment manager Great Southern Ltd is used to successfully weathering legislative storms. And the latest ATO tax challenge for non-forestry MIS will be no different, according to executive director and gene

The current decision to end managed investment scheme involvement in any industry bar forestry has significant repercussions for rural Australia, not to mention the legion of city-based corporate types who have lived well off this system.

Watershed Premium Wines managing director Geoff Barrett said his company would turn to foreign investment to continue in its push to plant a total 240 hectares of vineyards.

Mud was slung, and some stuck to Santo Santoro this week, while Matt Birney pondered the state of his curtains and a Senate committee stymied plans for an Access Card. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister went to Afghanistan - which was possibly a safer place.

Bassendean-based Total Catering Solutions has secured the largest contract in the company's history after signing a $30 million deal with a national fast food organisation which will run for five years.

This week, as a treat for its reader, Briefcase wanted to declare this page a Burke-free zone.

Sailing on the Leeuwin II has provided many high school students in Western Australia with a fairly inexpensive adventure over the years, principally due to the generosity of the ship's sponsors.

Former Sheraton executive chef Fritz Hansal says the service dished up at many Western Australian restaurants is poor. But he thinks that presents him with an enormous opportunity.

Russell Blaikie - Chef/partner, Must Winebar

Sydney-based mobile phone retailer Planet Com is expanding into Western Australia through an exclusive dealer arrangement with Vodafone to open four branded outlets by June.

Despair, despondency, dejection. Pick any of these ‘d' words and it will describe the mood within the parliamentary wing of the state Liberal Party. The reason is obvious.

Astute readers will have noted my absence during the past few weeks.

R MARINE dealer principal Brendon Grieve created a bit of a stir when he ran an ad for his Riviera and Princess yachts recently.

Aged care providers in Western Australia have expressed concern that the federal government's latest funding package, which allocates $1.5 billion towards aged care over the next five years, may leave some providers worse off due to financial restructurin

The Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry has already claimed a pride of fallen scalps but the real implications lie ahead for lobbyists, ministers, bureaucrats and business.

The establishment of a register of lobbyists is one of the main reforms flowing from the CCC inquiry, but apart from voyeuristic journalists it is hard to find supporters of this initiative.

Ministerial staffers would be banned from holding senior elected positions in political parties if the state government adopts reforms currently being evaluated by Commissioner of Public Sector Standards, Maxine Murray.

The Perth businessmen who race Etchells yachts can't outdo each other by buying bigger boats. Instead, the strict rules imposed on the yacht's dimensions by the Etchells racing body means the skippers compete on skill alone.

With nearly two years' wait on any significant new office stock in the city, some owners of existing buildings are seeking to maximise returns by spending millions to refurbish and remodel their properties.

The latest market report from Mortgage Choice and the Real Estate Institute of Australia released this week paints a bleak picture of Perth's rental market.

Baby boomer and retiree demand for luxury apartments in Mandurah has buoyed developer Port Bouvard Ltd in the lead up to the sales launch of its $100 million Oceanique apartment development next month.

Esperance is in the midst of an accommodation development boom, driven by an influx of mine workers and tourists seeking permanent and short-stay accommodation.

VDM Group Ltd subsidiary, Van Der Meer Consulting, has been awarded an initial $3.5 million contract to provide significant structural engineering expertise to the Dubai Waterfront Development.

One Mosman Park foodie couple enjoy the food, ambience and service at Twisted Fork so much that they are currently negotiating with the restaurant's owners to lease a table.

Brad LeahyOperations manager/head chef, Bluewater GrillWhat do you like most about your job?

The past three dramatic weeks of Corruption and Crime Commission hearings into the shadowy dealings of Brian Burke, Julian Grill and Noel Crichton-Browne exposed several shortcomings within Western Australia's outdated system of governance.

Western Australia's Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry has become a much bigger issue than any observer would have predicted at the outset – or even at the start of last week.

FEDERAL human services minister Ian Campbell resigned on Saturday after a meeting he had with lobbyist Brian Burke was publicly revealed.

Western Australia's second biggest home building group, Alcock/Brown-Neaves Group, neatly illustrates the challenges facing private businesses trying to manage the combination of rapid economic growth and spiraling costs.