Staff Reporters

The WA Local Government Association is calling on the state and federal governments to increase their investment in local roads after a new report revealed a $150 million maintenance shortfall.

The state government has announced the State Theatre Centre will open with a series of events at the end of January next year.

The state government has launched a $7.9 million multi-media domestic tourism campaign based around the Extraordinary Taxi Ride.

The latest National Australian Bank housing survey suggest Australian capital city house price rises are set to remain weak, in contrast to yesterday's BIS Shrapnel housing outlook which predicted significant growth.

The energy and mining industries have driven a 9.9 per cent jump in the market capitalisation of WA listed companies to $167.1 billion in September.

The directors of Copper Strike have described a $14.3 million off-market cash takeover bid by Kagara as highly opportunistic.

Former Austal and Fleetwood executive director, Bob McKinnon has been appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of Esperance Ports Sea and Land.

Campbell Brothers takeover bid for metallurgical and minerals testing service firm Ammtec has crossed the 50 per cent acceptance level.

A south-west Mr Rental franchisee has been named the Franchisee of the Year at the Excellence in Franchising Awards Gala Dinner on the Gold Coast.

The managing director of Rio Tinto subsidiary Dampier Salt, Denise Goldsworthy, has been named the 2010 Telstra Western Australian Business Woman of the Year.

Quickstep has signed an agreement to allow US-based Vector Resources to use the company's patented Quickstep Process for advanced composites manufacturing.

The founding CEO of Po Valley Energy Michael Masterman has stepped down to take up a position at an unnamed major mining company.

The Environmental Protection Authority has written to the Environment Minister recommending conditional approval for Latent Petroleum to undertaken an onshore seismic survey in the Watheroo National Park north-east of Perth.

Subiaco-based Carbon Conscious has signed Australia's first international deal to supply 10,000 carbon offset units to Perenia.

Avalon Minerals has released the results of its pre-feasability study for its Copper-Magnetite Project in Sweden, which has found it is an economically robust long-life project.

West Perth-based Avanco Resources has announced outstanding assay results from its drilling program at the Rio Verde Copper Project in Brazil.

Advertising agency Marketforce has beaten rival agencies Gatecrasher and The Brand Agency to be appointed to run a new campaign to promote the refurbishment of the Perth Mint's tourism operations.

Poseidon Nickel chief executive officer David Singleton is joining the board of advanced materials company Quickstep Holdings.

The executive director of Mineral Resources, Chris Ellison, has sold $35.9 million in shares in the company in an off-market trade taking his total sales in the past year to almost $90 million.

Ampella Mining has announced new assay results from its shallow infill drill programs at its mine in the Burkina Faso as the "highest and widest gold grades encountered to date."

Green power utility Enerji has signed an agreement with state government owned power company Horizon Power to establish a Power Purchase Agreement.

Westgold Resources has completed a scoping study at its Rover 1 gold tenement in the Northern Territory saying it has yielded strong results with net cash flow estimated to be $118 million.

Specialist drilling company Coretrack has announced a number of changes to the company to create savings of $1 million and plans for a $2.67 million capital raising.

Shares in Fortescue Metals Group have climbed to a new high of $6.25 this year after the company announced it has refinanced $US2.04 billion of its debt to help deliver further expansion for the iron ore miner.

The Australian Retailers Association is worried that some school students will lose their part-time jobs after Fair Work Australia rejected an appeal that would have allowed staff to work less than three hours.

Landsdale-based Allight's parent company National Hire Group has purchased leading pump manufacturer Sykes Group.

Works by some of the world's most famous artists including Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Mondrian, Giacometti, Duchamp, Ernst and Pollock will be on show at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from tonight.

Northern Uranium has raised $9.5 million through a rights issue and the conversion of options and will use the funds to progress the company's projects in the Northern Territory and WA.

Subiaco-based engineering and construction contractor group, Doric, has accepted the Gold Award at the 31st annual IFAP/CGU Safe Way Awards.

The Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission Len Roberts-Smith QC has announced his intention to retire early next year.

Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore has officially opened Integra Mining's new Randalls project east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, saying it highlighted the potential for further gold discoveries in the region.

The first home sites in the new Perry Lakes redevelopment at Floreat will be auctioned in December.