Mark Beyer

Kerry Stokes’ private company and three property investors are among five bidders shortlisted for the privatisation of Perth's major fruit and vegetable market, which includes the largest land development site in Canning Vale.

A Bentley biotech company led by Graham Melrose is planning a $5 million initial public offering, after six years of research on the development of synthetic antibiotics.

The slowdown in mining project work has resulted in a 26 per cent fall in the number of environmental professionals employed at the state’s biggest consulting firms over the past year.

Fortescue Metals Group has set an ambitious target of having Aboriginal workers fill 20 per cent of all trades positions in its workforce, on the back of an apprenticeship program launched today.

Motorsport in WA faces a pivotal moment next month when the WA Sporting Car Club holds an extraordinary general meeting.

Style chairman Peter Hutchinson has boosted his fledgling seafood business with the recruitment of experienced agribusiness executive David Lock as managing director.

The legal fallout from big resources and infrastructure projects continued to mount this week, when Downer terminated its contract on a $1 billion-plus ammonium nitrate plant in the Pilbara.

Gold miner Regis Resources has posted a strong rise in earnings, with net profit after tax hitting $86.9 million for the year to June 2015.

Downer has terminated its contract with Spanish construction company Tecnicas Reunidas on the Burrup ammonium nitrate project, joining a string of contractors to be hit by contractual disputes on big projects over the past year.

Rob Cole has resigned as managing director of Adelaide-based Beach Energy, after taking leave to attend to family matters in Perth. His resignation comes just six months after commencing with Beach.

Perth entrepreneur Andrew Hopkins has struck a lucrative deal in the most unlikely of sectors, agreeing to sell his Gemini panel beating business to listed company AMA Group for $100 million.

Six years on from the collapse of the big managed investment scheme promoters, stable new ownership and a low currency are boosting the state’s woodchip industry, despite the number of plantation hectares remaining almost unchanged.

Perth security company Threat Protect Australia marked its listing on the ASX today with news it has completed due diligence on one of two planned acquisitions.

Gold miner Doray Minerals has painted a positive outlook for its expanding operations after reporting a small increase in underlying profit for the year to June 2015.

Woodside Petroleum’s ambitious play for Oil Search is a rare example of a Perth-based company being the bidder in a big takeover. Click through to see Business News’ listing and analysis of $1 billion-plus M&A deals in WA over the past 20 years.

Woodside Petroleum has spent the past 60 years focused on the development of its own projects in Australia, but in the space of one year, two major takeover deals collectively worth $15 billion look set to reshape the Perth-based energy giant.

The final step in TPG Telecom’s takeover of iiNet is due to happen today, when iiNet shareholders will be paid $9.55 per share, however, staff and customers face an uncertain future.

The slowing economy has hit smaller accounting firms harder than the big players, judging by revenue data released over the past month, with practices in Western Australia affected more than those in other states.

There aren’t many businesses that relish the lack of daylight saving in Perth, but newly formed market research firm Thinkfield says the time difference to the east coast creates big opportunities.

An independent expert’s report has put a minimum valuation on Phoenix Gold shares of 15.6 cents, well above the two competing takeover offers for the Kalgoorlie company.

Rio Tinto has mapped out a positive future for its expanding iron ore business, predicting more efficiency gains in the Pilbara, less competition from other producers and more growth in global demand.

Advertising and branding agency Meerkats has widened its ownership, with co-founders Ronnie Duncan and Mike Edmonds selling part of their shareholding to six current staff.

Perth-based construction, fabrication and maintenance companies AusGroup and Civmec have proved resilient in the face of the resource sector slowdown, with AusGroup today joining its competitor in reporting solid growth over the past year.

Perth-based Wolf Minerals has passed another milestone at its Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in Devon, in southern England, with the plant producing its first tungsten concentrate.

The last day of the profit reporting season delivered a few surprises for Western Australia-based mining services companies, with NRW Holdings incurring a bigger-than-expected loss, VDM Group shrinking at a rapid rate, Swick Mining Services showing some promise, and Resource Development Group staying in the black.

Property developer and construction contractor Diploma Group has incurred a loss for the year to June 30, reflecting a gross loss on its operating activities rather than write-downs.

SPECIAL REPORT: Two years on, the surge in ASX backdoor listings shows little sign of slowing, helping innovative technology businesses in Perth, interstate and overseas to raise capital.

Nedlands-based TFS Corporation has altered the accounting treatment of four managed investment schemes after its auditor proposed changes to align with new guidelines introduced in 2014.

The latest round of annual reports has revealed some highly unusual movements in chief executive remuneration, including at Monadelphous Group and Mineral Resources.

Diversified contractor SRG has completed its $2.3 million acquisition of Perth-based commercial maintenance and repairs firm CCM Group Australia, which it says will add to its capability in Western Australia.

The Town of Port Hedland council voted last night to privatise the regional airport through a long-term leasing deal with AMP Capital and Infrastructure Capital Group, which will run the regional airport for 50 years.

Monadelphous Group has defended its handling of a dispute with Queensland customer Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal, following allegations its work was defective and that it had improperly obtained confidential information.