Mark Beyer

In a rare moment of candour after last year’s Federal election, former Labor leader Mark Latham acknowledged that his party’s policies had failed to keep pace with changing society.

WA Retail & Small Business Association, CEO Brett Dunstone

The latest statistical snapshot of the small business sector has highlighted the emergence over the past decade of home-based businesses, which account for 72 per cent of the 139,500 small businesses in Western Australia.

The State Coalition has focused on reducing costs, cutting red tape and reforming industrial relations in its small business policy released this week.

A home-operated business started in May 2003 by Jenny Spring so she could spend more time raising her children has become a global operation with forward estimate earnings of $4 million.

We’ve all heard about the skills shortage but who outside mining has heard about the spare tyres shortage?

Information management consultant Chris Gentle illustrates the modern face of small business.

Cutting taxes while keeping a budget surplus tops business’ wish list for the next WA Government. Mark Beyer reports.

STOCKBROKING firm Patersons Securities has joined its listed competitor Euroz Securities in achieving a bumper profit in the second half of 2004, as it benefits from the strong stock market and growth in capital raisings.

Perth debt collection company Repcol has become an unlikely trend setter by 'off-shoring' half its workforce to India. Mark Beyer reports.

THE Perth head office of grocery group Foodland Associated will effectively be closed down if Metcash succeeds in its takeover offer,

ADVANCED Nanotechnology, arguably the biggest commercial spin-out from a Western Australian university, has launched a $9 million initial public offering. The IPO values the eight-year old company at $33 million.

OIL and gas giant ChevronTexaco has become the third major backer of the Western Australian Energy Research Alliance, which aims to become a world leader in oil and gas research.

RESI Mortgage Corporation has joined the trend for non-bank lenders and mortgage brokers to establish shop-front offices in Western Australia.

TWO Perth engineers are in the midst of building a new consultancy business after securing a major contract on the giant $US1.8 billion ($A2.5 billion) Goro nickel project, located in the Pacific territory of New Caledonia.

On the eve of the State election, Opposition leader Colin Barnett spoke to Mark Beyer about his plans for government.

The State Government signed Western Australia’s largest public private partnership two days before Christmas. Mark Beyer dissects the deal.

SOME of Western Australia’s best-known companies were fundamentally changed as a result of the big corporate deals of 2004.

CHEVRONTEXACO and Woodside have selected engineering contractors for two of the biggest resource projects coming up in Western Australia.

THE $1.86 billion sale of the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline has been judged by WA Business News to be the top business deal in Western Australia in 2004.

THE Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline generates monthly income of about $23 million and gross profits of more than $16 million a month, a report by former receiver and manager Korda-Mentha has disclosed.

The Japanese banking group that agreed last week to back ailing biotech company Chemeq has an old Perth connection. Mark Beyer reports.

ALINTA managing director Bob Browning has accused the banking syndicate that controlled the protracted sale of the Dampier to Bunbury natural gas pipeline of “holding the State to ransom”.

Neil Hamilton unexpectedly found himself at the centre of two of the biggest business crises of 2004. He spoke to Mark Beyer about the year that was and his plans for the future.

ENERGY reform is likely to be a key issue for Neil Hamilton in 2005, whichever party wins the State election.

SPORT is rarely far from business in the world of Neil Hamilton, who is a huge fan of Australian Rules and Rugby Union football.

ACHIEVING early success is one of the key ingredients in Mark Barnaba’s business formula and one he has certainly lived up to at his new merchant bank,

OUTSOURCING by the booming mining industry has been good news for fast-growing Hazelmere company Action Mining Services, which opened new and expanded premises this month.

A NEW scheme designed to help Western Australian farmers gain international recognition for sustainable practices has been endorsed by one of the world’s largest grocery groups.

GROCERY wholesaler Metcash Trading has pledged to sell all of the Action supermarkets across Australia to independent owners should it succeed in its

ACCOUNTING firm Ernst & Young will cap off another year of growth this month by moving into new premises that are 40 per cent larger than its current Central Park offices.

PERTH investors with an appetite for risk and a taste for something totally different are being offered an opportunity to back the development of a new kind of ‘less lethal’ ammunition.