Sam Jones

Sam Jones joined Business News in April 2024, covering tech, defence, innovation, cybersecurity, accountants, Asian engagement and federal politics.

Prior to joining Business News he spent five years living and working in WA's North West.

The first two years were spent in South Hedland covering a broad range of topics including local and state politics, small business, Aboriginal affairs, sports and human interest stories.

Mr Jones then moved to Broome, where he took the position of Northern Papers Editor for Seven West Media and was responsible for producing four weekly newspapers across the Pilbara and Kimberley.

Connect

sam.jones@businessnews.com.au

HIFraser Group Chief Operating Officer, Peter Andrews, with ASC Head of Procurement, Michael Tirimacco. Photo: ASC.

Exclusive 49 min ago

HIFraser, ASC ink $40m Collins Class sub deal

Sovereign submarine builder ASC has awarded Australian engineering specialist HIFraser a six-year contract valued at nearly $40 million to continue maintaining the Royal Australian Navy's Collins Class submarine fleet.

While not a drone manufacturer, Overwatch's technology platform integrated sensors from drones in maintaining maritime surveillance. Photo: Department of Defence.

Technology, Innovation & Science 2 hours ago

Overwatch Technologies to join ASX in $8m float

A homegrown tech company that tracks illicit ships at sea is set to join the Australian share market this Friday after raising $8 million from investors.

Australian workers lodged 147,200 serious compensation claims involving a week or more off work in 2024–25.

Health 4 hours ago

WA workplace safety under scrutiny

Twenty-eight workers lost their lives on the job across Western Australia in 2025, pushing the state's workplace fatality rate above the national average during the deadliest year for Australian workplaces in more than a decade.

Podcasts 09 Oct 2026

At Close of Business podcast October 9 2026

Sam Jones and Ella Loneragan discuss changes to tax and R&D incentives for startups.

StartupWA chair Charlie Gunningham. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Technology, Innovation & Science 09 Oct 2026

Disincentivised sector ponders options

Western Australia's startup community is warning of an exodus of companies from the state despite the federal government seeking to ameliorate changes announced in the May budget.

Capability X CTO Adrian Kirk-Burnnand, CCO Lex Simmons, WA Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson and Capability X founder Chris Eastwell. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Technology, Innovation & Science 09 Oct 2026

Perth's Capability X to list in $12m IPO

Perth-based safety technology specialist Capability X will list on the ASX in November, offering 60 million shares at 20 cents for an implied market cap of $34.5 million.

Defence Economy 09 Oct 2026

Inside Land Forces: Defence trade show rivals showbags

OPINION: Move over Bertie Beetle, the defence sector has rewritten the rules of the showbag pavilion, turning the halls of PCEC into the world's most heavily armoured showbag haul.

Podcasts 09 Oct 2026

Mark My Words October 9 2026

Mark Pownall is joined by Adrian Rollins, Sam Jones, Claire Tyrrell and Isabel Vieira to talk about the big events of the week in WA business and politics.

CSIRO team leader Colin Wood said housing the full commercialisation pipeline in Perth would address critical global bottlenecks. Photo: CSIRO.

Technology, Innovation & Science 09 Oct 2026

CSIRO to build $10m South Perth carbon capture lab

Construction has started on a $10.2 million automated research facility at the CSIRO's Waterford campus, designed to accelerate technology that strips carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.

Podcasts 08 Oct 2026

At Close of Business podcast October 8 2026

Mark Beyer and Justin Fris discuss why WorkSafe fines are increasingly going unpaid.

Andrew Hastie speaking at Land Forces 2026. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Defence Economy 08 Oct 2026

Hastie calls for North West defence funding surge

Shadow industry minister Andrew Hastie has accused the Albanese government of leaving WA's North West exposed, demanding a major funding uplift to build surge infrastructure and protect the region's resource wealth.

Carlos Fortuna, Navin Vij, Michael Edwards and Hugh Jones. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Infrastructure 08 Oct 2026

Parabellum, Gascoyne Gateway ink collaboration

Proponents behind a major marine development in Exmouth have inked a contract with emergency management specialists Parabellum International to develop marine and emergency response capabilities at

Defence Economy 07 Oct 2026

Frontrunners for Western Defence Forge revealed

The state government has identified five preferred anchor tenants for its Western Defence Forge advanced manufacturing hub.

Cables being laid by Telstra across Australia. Photo: Telstra.

Technology, Innovation & Science 07 Oct 2026

Telstra switches on Perth Aura network

Telstra Digital Infrastrucutre has reached a pivotal milestone in its multi-billion-dollar national backbone rollout, officially lighting up the transcontinental Perth-to-Sydney route of its Aura Network.

Women in Defence founder Rachel Falzone (left) chairs a panel discussion with ANU's Jennifer Parker, WA Defence Industries head Linda Dawson and Ventia defence general manager Pauline Fitzgerald. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Defence Economy 06 Oct 2026

WA's North West nation's 'most vulnerable' flank

WA's North West has been branded the nation's most exposed strategic frontier, with defence strategists and state officials warning the vast, resource-rich region lacks the critical infrastructure and baseline readiness needed to withstand or support a major conflict.

Defence Economy 05 Oct 2026

Orbital inks second Indian drone propulsion deal

Balcatta-based drone propulsion manufacturer Orbital Corporation Limited has inked a contract to supply systems to one of India's largest defence companies, marking its second customer in the country.

Main pic: University of Western Australia. Photo: Attila Csaszar. Inset: Quantinuum's Helios system. Photo: Supplied.

Education 05 Oct 2026

Quantinuum signs university partnership

WA enterprises across mining, energy, and agriculture could soon tap into next-generation computational muscle following an agreement between the University of Western Australia and quantum computing leader Quantinuum.

Aurora Labs is eying off more growth in the defence sector. Photo: Aurora Labs Limited.

Defence Economy 05 Oct 2026

Reshuffle at Aurora Labs to bolster defence presence

Andrew Garth will replace Rebekah Letherby at the helm of Perth 3D-printed propulsion system developer Aurora Labs Limited, as the company progresses its joint venture with Airbus and BAE Systems.

An aerial shot of the Djardinjin community on the Kimberley's Dampier Peninsula. Photo: Djardinjin.

Indigenous 02 Oct 2026

Remote communities to benefit from $37m water plant

The Kimberley's Dampier Peninsula is set to benefit from a $37 million state government funding injection to shore up drinking water supplies for remote communities.

Government 02 Oct 2026

WA makes final appeal to save GST deal

The state government has issued a stern final appeal to the Productivity Commission to protect WA's landmark 2018 GST agreement, cautioning that proposed changes could strip up to $6 billion from the state's economy each year.

Participating ships from Australia and partner nations at anchor in Jervis Bay during Exercise KAKADU 2026. Photo: Defence Images / LSIS Susan Mossop.

Exclusive 02 Oct 2026

Defence slashes $8m from PFAS program with WA contractor

Defence has reduced an $8.58 million contract with Indigenous-owned engineering firm DDR Australia by nearly 95 per cent, shelving plans for a permanent water treatment plant designed to remove tox

Podcasts 01 Oct 2026

At Close of Business podcast October 1 2026

Claire Tyrrell and Sam Jones discuss sustainability in building design in the UK and Europe, and how it could apply to WA.

Main pic: Chironix headquarters. Inset: Chironix chief executive Daniel Milford. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira.

Defence Economy 01 Oct 2026

Chironix inks $13.6m US Navy deal

Perth-based engineering firm Chironix has inked a $13.6 million deal with the US Navy to develop technology that helps autonomous vehicles safely evacuate injured personnel from the battlefield.

ATO acting deputy commissioner Michelle Sams. Photo: Supplied.

Government 01 Oct 2026

Corporate tax players revealed after $8b drop

Australia's mining, energy and water industries continue to pay the lion's share of corporate tax despite low commodity prices contributing to a more than $8 billion drop in total takings for the Australian Tax Office.

Podcasts 29 Sep 2026

At Close of Business podcast September 29 2026

Tom Zaunmayr and Justin Fris discuss a community at the coalface of the wind turbine debate.

Greg Boorer. Inset: Artists' impressions of the CDC Hazelmere campus. Credit: Supplied.

Technology, Innovation & Science 23 Sep 2026

CDC plans 192MW Hazelmere data centre

Critical digital infrastructure operator CDC Data Centres has unveiled plans to construct a 192-megawatt data centre in Hazelmere, marking its second planned development in WA.

Advanced Navigation co-founder Chris Shaw. Inset left: The Boreas navigation system. Inset right: Kongsberg's PROTECTOR counter-unmanned aerial platform. Photos: Supplied.

Defence Economy 23 Sep 2026

Advanced Navigation to deploy system in Polish turrets

Perth-founded unicorn Advanced Navigation will have its Boreas inertial navigation systems embedded on Polish anti-drone turrets, in a deal inked with Kongsberg worth $26 million.

Podcasts 22 Sep 2026

At Close of Business podcast September 22 2026

Nadia Budihardjo and Sam Jones discuss Perth drone manufacturer Innovaero's ASX debut.

Paddy Gregg at Austal’s company’s Mobile facility.

Defence Economy 22 Sep 2026

Hanwha offer puts Austal USA in play

ANALYSIS: A US bidding war offers Austal a lucrative, overdue American divorce.

A subsea cable laying ship. Photo: Wolfgang Weiser/Unsplashed.

Technology, Innovation & Science 22 Sep 2026

SUBCO to build largest WA subsea cable

Australian communications infrastructure provider SUBCO has announced it will build a 4,600km subsea cable connecting Perth to Singapore and Indonesia as part of its APX project, which will also deliver two new east coast cables.

Innovaero Chair Vince Di Pietro (left) and Innovaero Founder and Executive Director Mike von Bertouch (right).

Technology, Innovation & Science 22 Sep 2026

Innovaero lists on ASX

Perth-based drone manufacturer Innovaero has debuted on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker INN, following a fully subscribed $40 million initial public offering that values the company at $158.3 million.

Lubdub co-founders Sharath Sriram, Girish Dwivedi and Nikhilesh Bappoo. Photo: Michael O'Brien.

Exclusive 22 Sep 2026

Lubdub doubles seed funding target

Perth medtech company Lubdub Technologies, which is developing a holistic 'heart health in a box' technology, has closed an oversubscribed $6 million seed financing round, doubling its initial target.

Sam Jones

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