Mark Beyer

FURNITURE manufacturers and the Western Australian Government have outlined radically different visions for the future of the timber industry, as haggling over Sotico’s native timber assets continues.

RENEWABLE energy producers have put the onus on the State Government and Western Power to establish market rules that allow increased use of green energy.

Strong growth in resource and infrastructure investment has helped some of WA’s mid-cap industrial stocks rise above the pack.

THE Lions Eye Institute has sold the rights to one of its leading technologies to a US multinational, in a deal that highlights the tough choices facing local entrepreneurs trying to turn research success into commercial success.

THIS week’s shelving of legislation to break up Western Power has left the business community divided over the future direction of energy reform.

In its heyday Futuris was seen as a possible rival to Wesfarmers, but in recent years it has disappointed investors. Mark Beyer spoke to chief executive Les Wozniczka.

PARTICIPANTS in the State Government’s oil and gas job summit last week emerged from the meeting with a remarkable degree of goodwill and unanimity.

OFFICE supplies company National 1 has delivered more bad news to shareholders, reporting a $13.2 million loss for the six months to December 2003.

An informal WA Business News survey has found widespread concern about the aggressive tactics of the Office of State Revenue. Mark Beyer reports.

AFTER nearly 25 years with Macquarie Bank, including six as chairman of its Western Australian operations, Ed Tait has retired to pursue private business interests.

THE lack of broadband Internet services in parts of Perth has become a barrier for businesses seeking work on big resource projects.

THE Water Corporation is seeking environmental approval to expand the size of its proposed desalination plant at Kwinana.

AN academic study of the Mandurah rail project has given it a glowing report, in marked contrast to some recent critical analyses.

The State Government is hosting an offshore oil and gas jobs summit this week. Mark Beyer previews the key issues.

THE Water Corporation’s plan for a major efficiency drive has turned into something of a fizzer, with the latest proposals much less ambitious than expected.

WINEMAKER Palandri has radically changed its capital raising plans and now wants to list on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.

THE four WA partners of KPMG Legal are being dispersed across Perth’s legal fraternity as a result of the planned closure of the practice.

There has been a flurry of private equity transactions in Western Australia in recent months. Mark Beyer looks at this growing market.

OPPONENTS of the State Government’s Mandurah rail project have vowed to continue their campaign despite the signing on Saturday of a $324 million contract for the project’s city section.

WITH the stock market booming, dozens of Western Australian companies have jumped at the chance to raise capital via a public float.

PROJECT proponents, particularly in the government sector, have been criticised for awarding engineering contracts based on the lowest price rather than taking a ‘whole-of-life’ view.

An engineering forum hosted by WA Business News has revealed a profession facing unprecedented pressures. Mark Beyer reports.

ON the eve of signing key contracts for the $1.5 billion Mandurah rail project, the Western Australian Government’s plans have received further criticism.

GOVERNMENT approval processes for building projects were roundly criticised by participants in WA Business News’ engineering forum.

THE shortage of engineers in Western Australia is likely to continue, judging by the commentary at WA Business News’ engineering forum.

In a rare interview, Perth magnate Stan Perron spoke to Mark Beyer about his extensive business interests and future plans.

PERTH’S biggest law firms have been shrinking over the past decade while the smaller firms have been growing, leaving some pundits to suggest most law firms will end up looking remarkably similar.

WHO holds the whip hand at Perth’s big law firms these days? Is it the senior partners who know the local clients, or the people in Sydney and Melbourne who set the financial targets?

PERTH transport company Mitchell Corporation is poised for further expansion after securing a $10 million investment from AMP.

THE national integration of Perth’s law firms has been occurring gradually for more than two decades, but has accelerated rapidly over recent years.

FIVE of Western Australia’s largest Snap franchisees have pooled resources to establish a $2 million printing hub in Osborne Park.

WOODCHIP producer WA Plantation Resources is cautiously confident that its three-year struggle to build a new woodchip plant in the south west will finally pass regulatory hurdles