Janelle Macri

More than 300 Western Australian cleaning businesses are expected to be the targets of an Office of Workplace Services education and compliance campaign, aimed at ensuring workers are being paid correctly.

An expanding workforce, rising rents and the changing demographic of the Osborne Park business precinct were the main reasons behind the relocation of bulk mail house, QuickMail, to Kenwick last September.

A poor start to the season in the north of the state and below average rainfall across the majority of the grain belt is expected to result in a 47 per cent reduction in winter grain production.

The chronic accommodation shortage in Port Hedland has hit crisis point, despite rigorous development activity in recent months to cater for both increasing numbers of tourists and transient workers.

While representing about 12 per cent of the state’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, land, air and water emissions from nine of the 12 full-member Kwinana Industrial Council facilities have remained steady, and in some cases decreased, during the past thr

Promoters of non-forestry managed investment schemes have reacted angrily to last week’s announcement by Assistant Treasurer Peter Dutton of changes to tax rulings on MIS proposals.

After six years of running one of Western Australia’s largest cycle tour companies, Terry and Maree Harrison decided to sell their family business and take a break from the rigours of small business ownership.

Subiaco businesses have sent a clear signal to the state government with their overwhelming support for extended trading hours in the area.

Industry groups believe the implementation of a carbon tax is highly unlikely, despite Premier Alan Carpenter's announcement this week that he would consider all 14 recommendations laid out in the state’s Greenhouse and Energy Taskforce’s report.

With its own acquisition by a US-based private equity firm on the horizon, Queensland-based software developer Mincom Ltd has acquired Perth mining software developer, Karjeni Pty Ltd, for an undisclosed value.

Western Australia’s peak farming lobby has renewed its support of a single desk marketing system for wheat exports, developing a new single desk model in the lead up to a series of nationwide grower meetings on the future of wheat marketing.

Merger and acquisition activity in Western Australia’s corporate finance services sector is likely to continue into 2007, with two Perth-based firms joining forces to create a new buying group.

Developing a new product from conception through to commercialisation can be a long and costly process, as ShieldLiner Ltd managing director John Hassen discovered as he pursued the development of his company’s trenchless pipe lining technology.

Management buy-outs may be relatively rare in Western Australia but they are certainly not unheard of. And the practice is on the rise as a result of favourable financial conditions, according to analysts.

Jamel Industries managing director Carmelo Princotto took the fight for market share to his competitors’ doorstep when low-cost imported furniture threatened his business.

The Pilbara mining town of Tom Price has been earmarked as the latest tourism development site by the state government as part of its Landbank program.

The widely reported wine glut and intensifying competition in worldwine markets haven’t put the brakes on vineyard investment in Western Australia’s South West wine region, particularly by those outside the state.

A decision to distance herself from the ‘gift basket’ tag drove Showcase International founder Jeannine Fuller to position her brand far away from any associations with wicker baskets full of miniature jam jars and dated shortbreads.

Multi-disciplined construction and engineering company, VDM Group Ltd, has been awarded the design and construction contract for Taggart Development’s $34 million Jurien Bay Beach Resort.

Women remain significantly under-represented in the boardroom, with only marginal increases in the number of women directors and companies with at least one woman on their board during the past two years.

The booming holiday homes market, particularly in the state’s South West, has at last been picked up by the regulation radar, with the government announcing a new accreditation program for property managers of short-stay holiday accommodation.

Despite fears of pest and weather damage, Western Australian olive producers are expecting a bumper year in 2007, with some forecasting their biggest harvest yet.

Australia’s wine oversupply continues to hit Western Australian wineries hard, particularly smaller boutique operations, with many resorting to other revenue streams to remain afloat.

Singapore-based discount airline, Tiger Airways, has added the busy Perth-Singapore route to its scheduled flights, with plans to fly four times weekly from March from as low as $292 return, including taxes.

An organisational restructure, a new business model and expanded national presence has reinvigorated Empired Ltd, following the departure of its two founding directors and subsequent shake-up of its board and management team.

Reborn airline Ozjet has moved into the highly competitive Western Australian resources charter market with services between Perth and Derby scheduled to commence in February.

Northcliffe-based Bannister Downs Farm has taken little more than a year to transform itself from a simple dairy operation into a supplier of locally produced fresh milk and dairy products to supermarkets, cafes and restaurants throughout the state.

Prime Minister John Howard’s decision to establish a joint government-business prime ministerial task group on emissions trading has been applauded by industry.

Western Australian stone fruit growers have escaped relatively unscathed from the damaging effects of drought this season, with production expected to rebound strongly after a poor 2005-06 season.

With more than 100 Western Australian companies listing on the ASX in 2006, the decision to go public has proven a popular method of raising capital for many businesses looking to fund growth.

Mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by Western Australian business and government agencies could become a reality as early as next financial year.

A new name, new premises and new business focus for Jandakot-based Skyworx Aviation is set to solidify the company’s position as Western Australia’s largest specialist aircraft products manufacturer.