Mark Beyer

The dispute over Western Power chief executive Doug Aberle's annual bonus has been resolved, following negotiations between the utility's chairman Peter Mansell and energy minister Francis Logan.

There was a big increase in the number of companies paying very large cash bonuses last financial year, and at first glance its hard to reconcile some of the increased payments with company performance.

The former directors of uranium explorer Summit Resources reaped multi million dollar windfalls from share options earlier this year, highlighting just how lucrative options can be.

Prominent tax accountant Peter Moltoni has left the recently merged BDO Kendalls practice to establish a new firm in Subiaco.

The going rate for a non-executive chairman of a mid-sized listed Western Australian company sits between $120,000 and $170,000, judging by the data compiled by WA Business News.

Western Australia’s biggest industrial company, Wesfarmers, has confirmed its status as Perth’s very own ‘millionaires’ factory’, with eight executives earning more than $1 million last financial year.

Two Western Australian chief executives stand out in our fifth annual salary survey, which also found a big increase in the number of million-dollar packages.

One of the major roles of newspapers is to shine a light on the communities they serve and highlight some of the important trends and issues.

Public sector executives in Western Australia continue to earn substantially less than industry leaders in the private sector but, despite that, government workers seem to attract just as much controversy.

Stockbroking firm Goldman Sachs JB Were has started the process of rebuilding its Perth office by making four appointments, including the recruitment of Tait Farrow Azure co-founder Jason Farrow.

Moly Mines Ltd has become the latest Western Australian mining company to gain backing from US investment group Harbinger Capital, which has also invested in Fortescue Metals Group, Poseidon Nickel and Po Valley Energy.

State-owned electricity generator Verve Energy has been selected to supply electricity to Gindalbie Metals' Karara iron ore poject, making it the winner of Western Australia's biggest contested electricity contract in more than a year.

A new report from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA has highlighted the scale of labour shortages facing Western Australia if current economic and demographic trends continue.

In the same week as the Commonwealth Bank consolidated its position as Australia’s biggest online stockbroker by acquiring IWL Limited, industry pioneer Steven Goh has emerged with a new low-cost service.

One month ago, WA Business News published an in-depth report on Western Australia’s export boom, which highlighted the prominence of three giant resources sector producers.

The founder of Sanford Securities, Steven Goh, has teamed up with Melbourne-based financial services company Bell Group to launch a new, low-cost online stockbroking service.

In its first detailed statement on the proposed takever of Rio Tinto Ltd, mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd has asserted that combining the two companies would facilitate accelerated development of the Pilbara iron ore industry.

The Western Australian government, like its counterparts in most other states, has been a given a "C" rating by the planning profession.

West Perth-based Vulcan Resources Ltd has been hammered by investors after disclosing that planning for its flagship Kylylahti project in Finland has been adversely affected by higher than expected costs and an unfavourable exchange rate.

Desalination plants could supply up to 45 per cent of Perth’s drinking water by the year 2015, Water Corporation chief executive Jim Gill has predicted.

Investment group Babcock & Brown has entrenched its position as the biggest private sector player in energy generation in Western Australia after agreeing to buy 100 per cent of the AlintaAGL business.

Technology investor ST Synergy Ltd has vowed to continue supporting the commercial development of its subsidiary Panorama Labs Pty Ltd, after striking a deal to buy its assets for just $1.35 million.

A small group of Perth investors who continue to support the unfashionable biotechnology sector are hoping that patience will prove to be a virtue, just like for the mining investors who stuck to their guns during the tech boom and are now reaping the rew

State Environment Minister David Templeman has set tongues wagging after he effectively vetoed one of the final decisions handed down by acting Environmental Protection Authority chairman Barry Carbon.

The owners of the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline are in a commercial stand-off with the new operators of the pipeline, after investment group Babcock & Brown teamed up with Singapore Power to buy Alinta Ltd.

Brierty Contractors Ltd has joined the rush of mining services and contracting groups planning to list on the Australian Securities Exchange with the launch this week of a $60 million initial public offering.

Perth entrepreneur and former University of WA academic Dr Bruce Gray has commenced further legal action against the company he established, Sirtex Medical Ltd, claiming unreasonable restraint of trade.

Palmary Enterprises has stated categorically that it does not have an interest in a mystery 16 per cent shareholding in takeover target Consolidated Minerals Ltd, nor does its president Gennadiy Bogolyubov or his business associate Igor Kolomoisky.

Consolidated Minerals Ltd bidder Pallingurst Resources Ltd has maintained the heat on rival bidder Palmary Enterprises by providing "prima facie evidence" that Palmary president Gennadiy Bogolyubov and Igor Kolomoisky are business associates.

Ukrainian group Palmary Enterprises Ltd has denied having an interest in a mystery 8.1 per cent stake in takeover target Consolidated Minerals Ltd, which has been linked in press reports to a business partner of Palmary president Gennadiy Bogolyubov.

Patersons Securities Limited has announced plans to establish a funds management division, joining other stockbroking firms such as Euroz Securities and Argonaut Securities in making this move.

ARC Energy is standing by its plan to pursue a $1.1 billion merger with Anzon Australia Ltd despite attempts by one of its biggest shareholders, Clive Palmer's Mineralogy Pty Ltd, to oust the current board and scrap the merger.