Mark Beyer

The amount of money the state government pumps into big events like the Hopman Cup, the Perth Fashion Festival, V8 Supercars and Margaret River Gourmet Escape is set to remain a secret after a review by the auditor general.

Advisers to mining and exploration companies have tentatively welcomed new guidance from the corporate regulator on forward-looking statements but believe more clarity is needed.

Two well-known Leederville cycling businesses have hit differing problems this week, with retailer Riders Choice going into voluntary administration and accessory manufacturer Cycliq facing a regulatory speed bump on its path to an ASX listing.

Telstra has defended the quality of its network after a series of major disruptions this year while also warning against the possible regulation of mobile roaming charges.

AMP Capital has bought the newly built Eastern Goldfields regional prison, joining the likes of Catholic Super, Australian Super and Aberdeen Asset Management as private owners of public infrastructure assets in Western Australia. Click through to see the BNiQ listing of public assets in private hands.

SPECIAL REPORT: Perth’s major business brokers are adapting their strategies to deal with a changing buyer profile and a general softening of prices.

SPECIAL REPORT: The recent sale and merger of two testing laboratories in Perth has allowed the vendors of each business to achieve very different outcomes.

SPECIAL REPORT: The stock market’s appetite for new listings is allowing a range of companies, from family-owned engineering firm Veem to big national player Alinta Energy, to raise capital.

In this Business News podcast, Mark Beyer and Dan Wilkie discuss residential property, Malaysian investment, innovation, fracking and our quarterly report on corporate finance deals.

Perth’s first innovation hub dedicated to the resources sector plans to focus on the impact of disruptive technologies after its official opening last night.

Perth leadership and strategy consultant Kia Dowell has become the first Australian to be selected for a global mentoring program she hopes will help propel her business to international markets.

Mining software supplier Micromine has promoted Claire Tuder to the role of director and chief executive while also establishing an advisory board with two industry veterans.

Heavy earthmoving equipment supplier Emeco Holdings has shrugged off a credit rating downgrade from Fitch Ratings, with managing director Ian Testrow saying the market should focus on the big picture of the company’s merger and restructuring plan.

The board of national mining equipment supplier Bradken has backed a $688 million cash takeover offer from Japan’s Hitachi Machinery Construction Co.

A Karratha-focused property developer that was jointly established by Boom Logistics director Terence (Jack) Hebiton has been placed into voluntary administration.

In this Business News podcast Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss city retail, Elizabeth Quay developments, ICT mergers and acquisitions and our special report on residential building.

Western Australia’s largest indigenous contractor has parted ways with chief executive Jeff McGlinn, less than a year after the former NRW Holdings boss was lured out of retirement.

Former footballer and insurance broker Andrew Donnelly has failed to overturn freezing orders that were imposed in January in relation to the alleged misuse of $5.1 million of trust funds from his old business.

Engineering business VEEM is forecasting strong growth in revenue in the current financial year but a fall in profit, the family owned company has disclosed in the prospectus for its $25 million initial public offering.

Lithium projects in Western Australia are set to inject almost $1 billion of new investment into the state's economy as the past year’s surge in commodity prices and stock valuations turn into tangible commercial benefits.

In this Business News podcast Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss state politics, lithium developments, financial failures and our special report brewing.

Family-owned Tribute Group has been placed in receivership, just two months after winning what appeared to be a company-making contract with BHP Billiton for its accommodation businesses in Newman.

Guildford-based BYAC Contracting has been placed into liquidation after losing a long-running contract at the Murrin Murrin nickel project and failing to establish itself as a training provider.

BHP Billiton’s top Australian executive has stepped up the company’s criticism of the WA Nationals' planned iron ore tax hike, two days after an opinion poll found high support for the proposal.

Interstate law firms are leading a wave of restructuring in the WA market, with big shifts in the ranking of lawyers in the BNiQ Search Engine.

The state government has muscled up for the renewal of legal battles over the $1.7 billion Bell Group dispute, appointing a US law firm that promotes itself as being tougher and scarier than its peers to handle the matter.

Victoria’s Labor government has reaped a bumper price of $9.7 billion from the sale of the Port of Melbourne, suggesting the WA government could potentially raise in excess of $2 billion from the sale of Fremantle Ports.

In this Business News podcast Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss newspapers merger, law firms growth, tourism down south and what’s happening in the gold sector.

Indigenous corporations in Western Australia have experienced a fall in average income for the first time in five years, though the state’s largest Aboriginal corporations, listed in the BNiQ Search Engine, have defied the downturn.

West Perth-based NWQ Capital Management has beaten off competition from rivals in Sydney and Melbourne to be named Australia’s best hedge fund investor.

Shares in HotCopper Holdings got off to a bright start today after the investor chat forum listed on the ASX, with the stock closing up at 26.5 cents.

Downer has announced major contract wins at the Boddington gold mine and Karara Mining, with the latter signalling that the loss-making iron ore project is likely to continue operating.