Colin Jacoby

Recent murmurs of rationalisation amongst mid-tier accounting firms in Western Australia became a reality last week with the merger of the Perth offices of Horwath and BDO.

Two finalists from Western Australia have been recognised at the 2006 Australian Export Awards, held in Melbourne last week.

A state government strategy to roll out broadband infrastructure throughout Western Australia may have potential flaws that could threaten its effectiveness.

Cazaly Resources Ltd has told its annual general meeting that its controversial legal moves were simply an attempt to gain some transparency regarding the decision to terminate its application for the Shovelanna iron ore tenement.

A Bayswater satellite facility launched by global satellite technology and communications services operator, NewSat Ltd, is being pitched as a communications solution to the numerous WA-based mining companies with operations in Africa.

The growth of niche marketing opportunities in the financial services market has been a vital part of ThinkSmart’s growth in Australia and Europe, and targeting of other overseas markets.

Brazil has emerged as a gold region of note for some Western Australian mining juniors, including recently listed Mundo Minerals Ltd and Troy Resources NL.

The directors of Fremantle-based premium brewer Little World Beverages Ltd, Howard Cearns and Nic Trimboli, have both reduced their interests in the company.

Maritime security remains a key issue for Australian ports, with Western Australia leading the country in the processing of applications for the Maritime Security Identification Card despite reports nationally of a slow take up in the scheme.

In line with its strategy to foster international opportunities, Vmoto has signed a distribution agreement with The Sharaf Group, headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Western Australia’s dominant position as the nation’s mineral exploration hub continues to fade, with current figures revealing the state’s share of national mineral exploration to be the lowest on record and no signs of a reverse to the trend.

Global forces in the accounting sector are prompting the rationalisation of mid-tier firms around the nation, increasing expectations that Western Australia will not remain immune from this trend.

The dominance of Western Australian-based companies continued for the September quarter, with more than two thirds of the top 20 Australian Stock Exchange-listed junior international explorers based in the state.

Perth-based gold explorer Carrick Gold Ltd chairman Frank Carr has kept up his buying in the company with a $247,500 purchase last week, bringing the value of his stake to over $36 million.

Shares in Subiaco-based debt collection agency Repcol Ltd have nose-dived over 46 per cent in today's trade after the company announced that it expects to report an estimated loss of between $7 million and $9 million for the six months ending 31 December

Perth based mineral explorer Arafura Resources NL has today lodged a prospectus to raise almost $11 million via a non-renounceable rights issue.

Emergency management and safety training company Risktec Australasia Pty Ltd is to further expand its international client base with the company opening a training office in Angola.

The telecommunications industry in Western Australia has witnessed considerable action of late, with Nedlands-based mobile phone service provider Commoditel Ltd successfully settling on the acquisition of 20,000 post-paid subscribers from Vodafone, which

John Singleton’s STW Group Ltd has taken ownership control of The Brand Agency, only months after the agency shrugged off rumours of a further buy-up by the communications services group.

Lobbyists seeking to influence the state government will have to be registered, keep parliament updated on their activity and declare their interests when meeting with politicians or officials - the first such initiative in the country.

Fremantle-based RuralAus Investments Ltd, formerly known as Australian Growth Ltd, has invested $500,000 by way of an unsecured convertible note in emerging brewer Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd.

In an attempt to capture the attention of the ‘spend happy’ 18 to 30-year-old market, Fremantle-based DataData Advertising and Entertainment Pty Ltd has developed a new interactive concept in advertising for Perth’s busiest pubs and clubs.

Northbridge-based Leisure and Allied Industries continues to expand its operations in Asia, having recently secured one of India’s largest retail department store chains as a partner.

Mandurah compost manufacturers Custom Composts scooped the pool of awards at the 2006 Australian Post Western Australian Regional Small Business Awards.

A leading US-based marine energy services company has taken an equity position in Jandakot-based SEATRAC Pty Ltd.

Perth-based voice over internet protocol provider, kmoo, is likely to be sold to an eastern states ISP provider, with the company’s existing shareholders concentrating on other interests.

World leading supplier of advanced simulator-based training systems, Osborne Park-based Immersive Technologies, continues to expand its export base with the signing of an alliance agreement with one of Japan’s major mining and construction equipment manuf

With three gold-silver projects in former Soviet block country Bulgaria, a region that is not currently the focus of Australian-based miners, Perth-based junior miner Balkans Gold Ltd believe they are a unique player in the market.

West Perth-based developer of internet monitoring and management software, WebSpy Ltd, has signed up with Global Marketing Partners to distribute its products in North America through the world’s largest technology distributor, Ingram Micro Inc.

A protein that helps in the fight against a range of diseases including cancer, arthritis and diabetic blindness has attracted the attention of several pharmaceutical companies, including one of the largest in the world.

Terry Streeter has continued to expand his investment base with the purchase of further interests in Midas Resources Ltd and Western Areas NL.

Jandakot-based sub-sea engineering and offshore services company Seatrac Pty Ltd has won a contract in Vietnam with oil exploration company Fina Exploration Minh Hai BV.