Latest Headlines

CHANNEL Nine Perth is closing the ratings gap on arch rival Channel Seven Perth, setting the scene for another hotly contested ratings battle in 2004.

Design is an important component in the success or otherwise of a retail outlet, as Tracey Cook reports.

COMMERCIAL leasing agents are expecting a positive start to the New Year after what has been a patchy and lacklustre performance for most of 2003.

THE master plan for what's claimed to be one of Australia's largest industrial redevelopment projects was released for public comment last week.

THE latest round of changes to State Government taxes could lead to a significant shift in the way businesses are bought and sold.

OSBORNE Park-based finance broker Connaught Capital has become Centrepoint Finance after linking up with the national commercial finance group of the same name.

While David Pike is yet to take up a long-standing invitation to visit senior winemaker Nicole Esdaile and the team at Capel Vale, this week he tastes through his back catalogue and looks at some of the work they've been doing.

COULD the Oriel Café Brasserie be on the move?

A PUZZLING feature of 2003 was the fact that, despite the Liberals being in disarray, and with a weak and unpopular leader, Gallop-led Labor sometimes found itself trailing the conservatives in the polls.

LOCAL nanotechnology developer Advanced Powder Technologies has started a multi-million-dollar equity raising with plans for Australian Stock Exchange listing firmly on the agenda.

SIX months ago a contact close to the Liberals' parliamentary leadership group told State Scene that Colin Barnett's number cruncher, Darling Range MLA John Day, was deeply concerned about losing party endorsement.

THE looming concern about property prices, particularly investment-based apartments, is starting to focus attention on the perceived culprits – real estate investment spruikers.

INTERNET Service Provider iiNet is planning to build its own network as part of a strategy to capture an increasing share of the broadband market.

MILNE AgriGroup subsidiary Mt Barker Free Range Chicken will launch its first branding campaign next month as part of a significant retail growth strategy.

A NEW fundraising vehicle is giving charities access to home loan commissions totalling $100 million a month.

WITH 100 scientists on its payroll, a large headquarters in Nedlands and an operating revenue for 2002 of more than $7 million, the Lions Eye Institute doesn't appear to be a typical not-for-profit organisation.

ONE of the keys to a successful not-for-profit organisation is the strength of its board.

TWO young Western Australians have emerged as shining lights for the not-for-profit sector.

THE ‘green' or environmentally sustainable tag has moved beyond a fad in the commercial property industry, with many players now recognising that savvy use of the green badge is beneficial to both business and the environment.

PERTH land developer Peet & Co has signed a joint venture agreement with the State Government to develop Western Australia's first purpose-built suburban transit village.

THE escalation in land prices, reduced availability of indemnity insurance, and regulatory delays at State and local government levels are the major factors behind increasing costs

IN a first for Western Australia, the Supreme Court has awarded damages to a plaintiff adversely affected by the creation of a local government's heritage policy.

MYAREE company Tasman Oil Tools changed its bank last year – a move that makes it an exception among small and medium sized companies.

THE Federal Government has warned there is just four months until the end of the transition to the Financial Services Reform Act.

An aptitude for learning has been an advantage for Natasha Court, the sommelier at the award-winning Must Winebar, as Julie-anne Sprague reports.

With the demand for community services increasing and the amount of money flowing into the sector not growing at the same rate, businesses and charities are coming together to find a third way of satisfying those needs. Noel Dyson reports.

David Pike wraps up the GWE auction.

THE State Government has copped a lot of flack for recent decisions on country hospitals and, judging by the comments of the WA Business News health panel, we can expect even less e

AMA State president Brent Donovan has declared himself a supporter of reform but it seems he's no fan of the ideas floated by the State Government's health reform committee.

THE Treasury department's role in the health reform process has been questioned by the medical lobby.

DISEASE management systems are not well known in Australia but West Perth psychiatrist Dennis Tannenbaum is aiming to change that.

AUSTRALIAN of the Year Fiona Stanley has called for a greater focus on community health programs to prevent illness, particularly among young people.