Dan Wilkie

The residential building industry says the federal budget doesn't do enough to tackle the nation's housing shortage, while Australia's peak urban development industry group says it was "underwhelmed" by its content.

James Packers Crown Ltd has increased its commitment to Burswood Casino, announcing the purchase of the Holiday Inn for $79 million and the creation of three new bars and a cafe under a new $91 million redevelopment plan.

Perth-based minerals explorer Red October Resources says it is looking for project acquisitions after making a promising debut on the Australian Securities Exchange yesterday.

Leighton Contractors has announced the signing of a key deal for its plan to build a 4,800 kilometre high-speed cable connection linking Perth and Singapore, and says the link will be operational by 2013.

Explosives and fertiliser supplier Incitec Pivot says it will build a $40 million ammonium nitrate emulsion plant at Port Hedland after booking a 25 per cent lift in first half profit.

The Bob Browning-led investment company Australasia Consolidated has made its first acquisition, with the purchase of John Battley's pre-paid transaction services business eMerchants for up to $28 million.

Atlas Iron has announced a new agreement which will allow it to expand capacity at its Wodgina iron ore mine in the Pilbara by 75 per cent.

Western Australia is officially experiencing a housing glut, new research says, with home values forecast to dip five to ten per cent over the course of the next two years.

Bathurst Resources has signed a $US40 million finance and off-take agreement with CITIC Resources Australia for its Buller coal project in New Zealand.

Company collapses in Western Australia are at an all-time high and corporate insolvencies are only tipped to increase over the short term, a new report says.

Serco Australia has added to its growing portfolio of state government contracts in the justice, transport, health and migration sectors, despite political and union campaigns against the private contractor.

PRIVATE businesses may remain cautious in the short term, but Western Australia’s private firms are once again seeking funding to reinvest for future growth, according to a survey released this week.

The chief of Western Australia's top environmental watchdog has defended its decision to knock back a coalmine proposal in Margaret River, after claims surfaced the ruling was rushed.

Western Australia's peak business groups have welcomed the release of a report today that urges the federal government to invest in trades training to cash in on the resources boom.

The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has shrugged off recent analyses of the sluggish Perth residential property market, saying official numbers were likely to change as more settlements were received over the next few weeks.

VDM Group's difficulties are continuing, with the consulting, construction and contracting group revealing it has come to an agreement with its financiers to alter its lending covenants.

Automotive Technology Group has announced it has won a $600,000 contract to supply its Sprintex Supercharger to Malaysian car manufacturer Proton.

Perth's residential property market has been ranked the nation's second weakest performing, after median prices dipped 3.4 per cent over the past quarter, according to analysts RP Data-Rismark.

WITH a move to a funky new venue just around the corner, and the team firmly entrenched as a perennial finals contender, it’s hard to wipe the smile from Perth Wildcats chief executive Nick Marvin’s face.

THESE days, it seems it is not enough to be entertained purely by top-class sports people displaying amazing athletic feats as they pit their well-honed skills against rivals.

No matter what Perth’s professional sporting outfits do on or off the park, it’s the quality of the venue that dictates the pace of their financial growth.

PERTH Glory could hardly have been more optimistic ahead of the 2010-11 season.

AFTER consecutive years of financial losses and a team that’s struggling on the pitch, Western Force chief executive Vern Reid is concerned Perth’s rugby community may be losing patience.

A WOODEN spoon didn’t stop West Coast Eagles fans from opening their wallets during the past year, but it seemed to stop them dead in their tracks at the turnstiles.

Mirrabooka and West Leederville have emerged as the best value suburbs in Perth to buy houses and units, respectively, according to a new report.

Neptune Marine's half year earnings are expected to be at least $7.5 million lower after it sold its Neptune Trident vessel to an Indonesian offshore marine group for $US14 million.

The state opposition has placed its support behind a light rail network, releasing a plan to build light rail from East Perth to West Perth, fully funded by the Perth Parking Levy.

Argent Minerals has acquired the remaining 30 per cent interest it does not already own in the Kempfield silver project in New South Wales from Golden Cross Resources.

Brookfield Office Properties says it is progressing plans to build a new tower adjacent to City Square after it announced Barrick Gold would take up the remaining 5,000 square meters in the office tower currently under construction in the CBD.

Fresh after completing a $32 million share placement, Focus Minerals has started development of three open pits at its Tindals Mining Centre in Coolgardie.

Mundo Minerals has announced a management shake-up, with founder John Langford stepping down as managing director, to be replaced by chief financial officer Ashley Pattison.

Shaw River Resources has launched a $25 million share placement to raise funds for the development of its manganese assets in the Pilbara, Namibia and Ghana.