Staff Reporters

INSURANCE fraud is on the rise in WA and many in the industry believe law enforcement agencies are not doing enough about it, according to a recent Phillips Fox survey.

The Ralph Review heralds a sea change in the way small business interacts with the tax system, according to the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants (ASCPA).

THE PERTH facility of Software Engineering Australia has opened at Technology Park in Bentley.

A gas strike made by the Department of Minerals and Energy in the Officer Basin in WA has set a precedent – it is the first recorded occurrence of gas in that area.

TPG Internet has become the third largest national ISP in Australia by providing the most cost-effective services, not only in capital cities, but also in regional centres.

AD SERVING provider Sabela Media has signed a deal with IDG Communications to deliver all ads for the company's web services.

THE WA opposition's change of tack on workers' compensation should stop insurance premiums from rising.

Titan Resources NL has chalked up its first profit in six years, described as a major turnaround for the company which last year had a $11.9 million loss.

COMDEK network services manager Josh Bovell believes that electronic commerce can make an office truly paperless.

RESEARCHERS at Curtin University have commenced a project to develop a new generation of drugs for treatment of HIV-AIDS, asthma and melanoma.

Anaconda Nickel Limited has cast its net farther into the prospective base metals pool by farming into the Tottenham nickel-cobalt laterite project owned by Perth-based Alkane Exploration NL.

ComplEmenting the Property Council's pro-active reform projects will be the 2000/2001 financial year pre-budget submission.

Estimates have revealed improved access for people with disabilities would add $6 billion to Australia's gross domestic product

The Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) scheme is the Federal Government's principal export finance assistance program.

AN UNPROTECTED window can render even the best security system useless, says Glass Security Services sales director Lloyd Gaunt.

A NEWLY approved proposal to amend the Mining Act and increase prospector's access to land across WA has drawn fire from a key mining industry group.

THE Bokay Group was the star of the recent WA Screenprinting Awards, winning the President's Award and two gold PICA awards for outstanding screenprinting and digital printing projects.

BROAD brushstrokes have been laid for the Northbridge Urban Renewal Project with an extensive consultation process planned soon.

SHIRE, town and city councillors and staff have a new handbook to guide them in disclosing interests.

Kalgoorlie-based miner Croesus Mining NL has opened its purse strings to consolidate its position in the gold and base metals sectors.

FRAUD auditing should be more widely embraced in Australia to combat rising levels of corporate fraud says corporate fraud expert and Orna Management managing director John Westall.

THE international diamond market is reported to be decidedly nervous over the enhancement treatment by General Electric which can produce high-grade precious gems from low-quality stones.

In spite of the challenges facing the resources sector, Monadelphous Group Limited directors are optimistic of sustaining solid financial performance.

UP TO 100 Western Australians will be offered apprenticeships in engineering and horticulture through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Training Services (CTS) apprenticeship program.

WA'S Waters and Rivers Commission and two consulting groups have won a tender to conduct a feasibility study on storage dams and water harvesting in the Sultanate of Oman.

Empire Oil Company (WA) Limited has been granted two petroleum exploration permits in the Perth Basin, one of which includes a section of the Perth metropolitan area.

A SOFTWARE solution that fully automates the design, filling and printing of forms could save local councils millions of dollars, according to Perth-based information technology company Business Management Information Systems.

In the context of the digital revolution, if you were born before 1975-80 you are an old dog and need to learn new tricks.

Although companies may recognise the lucrative benefits of international trade, getting started can be a daunting prospect says WA Chamber of Commerce International Trade Centre manager, Ian Whitaker.

THE recent visit of the President of China Jiang Zemin to Sydney was another positive step forward in Western Australia's bid to be the first supplier of liquefied natural gas to China.

PUNDITS expect the new Australian Gold Index, to be launched by the Australian Stock Exchange in October, to become a “key world gold benchmark”.

AT A recent national planning conference sponsored by the Department of Transport and Regional Services, the Property Council-led planning reform agenda received public support from the Federal Government.