Staff Reporters

Plastic cable fastener maker Millipede has announced strong sales growth in the US, with sales in the four months to October almost double that of the entire 2004-05 financial year.

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd has confirmed it has started legal action iagainst a Cazaly Resources Ltd, marking an escalation in the dramatic events surrounding the Shovelanna iron ore tenement which has dragged in several major players.

Perth-based national ISP player iiNet has signed up 10,000 subscribers to its fledgling VoIP (voice over internet protocol) service, which it launched three months ago with claims it would be the new wave of business.

Western Australia's major film and television conference, Small Screen Big Picture, starts tonight. 50 speakers will be at the event which takes place in Fremantle over the next two days.

Clinical Cell Culture Ltd has announced the appointment of Perth-based North Asia-specialist Helicon Group Ltd as its distributor of its ReCell skin regeneration product in China.

Western Australian property developer Peet & Company Ltd has issued a profit forecast for the current financial year of almost $35 million, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year.

BHP Billiton Ltd's ramp up of operations in the Plilbara continues with the purchase of 10 more giant locomotives - with a combined value of up to $70 million - for hauling ore across the Hamersley Ranges.

With all the attention on Cazaly Resources Ltd, some may have overlooked its junior partner in the Shovelanna project, Echelon Resources Ltd, which has been swept along for the ride.

A summary of business news around the nation

MINING identities Michael Kiernan and Andrew Forrest have joined forces in a $60 million merger to build a new gold explorer.

THERE has been another mining death in Western Australia.

November 28 Proposed code: ODY Issue price: $0.20 Principal activities: gas production. Coporate: Ian Middlemass (chairman); Mark O’Clery (director); Mark Pearce (director).

16-Nov-05 Monarch Resources Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 40,743,801 ordinary shares (19.9%).

8-Nov-05 Acorn Capital Ltd changed its relevant interest from 13,500,000 ordinary shares (8.99%) to 14,920,899 ordinary shares (7.94%).

14-Nov-05 Has signed a Heads of Agreement with Ehlobo Heavy Minerals that will lead to EHM paying a purchase consideration of Rand10.0million and committing to fund up to Rand35.0 million for a 50.5%

12-Nov-05 Has sold uranium assets including Lake Maitland and Mundong Well in Western Australia to Redport Ltd for a cash consideration of $890,000.

Agribusiness investment company, Great Southern Plantations has recently appointed Dr Robyn Wood to the position of national horticulture manager for the group.

AFTER initially mistaking it for a map of a foreign country, The Note has admired the Marilyn Monroe tribute made out of coffee cups, which adorns a wall at the Art Gallery of Western Australia’s Caff

HBOS Australia will take a greater community focus in its work with charities with the launch the of HBOS Australia Foundation.

Proposed code: LAD Issue price: $0.20 Principal activities: diamond exploration. Corporate: Send Fai Chan (chairman); Ross Kestel (non-executive director); John Terpu (non-executive director).

16-Nov-05 Korea Zinc Co. Ltd increased its relevant interest from 14,000,000 ordinary shares (7.4%) to 19,100,000 ordinary shares (10.4%).

15-Nov-05 Macquarie Bank Ltd decreased its relevant interest from 31,666,667 ordinary shares (6.71%) to 3,722,222 ordinary shares (5.46%).

16-Nov-05 Aspen Diversified Property Fund has agreed to purchase 80 Mount Street, North Sydney for $31.0M

CITY Works Manager Ian Goodbody has been named inaugural Council Officer of the Year by the Northbank Residents & Ratepayers’ Association.

Wayne Fritzsche has resigned as non-executive director for Bone Medical Limited.

WESTERN Australia’s first Trade and Investment Office in the United States has been opened in Los Angeles by State Development Minister Alan Carpenter.

THE Australian Securities and Investments Commission has commenced legal proceedings in relation to a number of companies within the Westpoint Group, as part of an investigation into the affairs of th

November 17 Code: WRL Issue price: $0.20 First day’s close: $0.215 Principal activities: platinum, base metals and gold exploration.

11-Nov-05 Indian Ocean Resources Ltd became a substantial shareholder with a relevant interest of 40,872,943 ordinary shares (5.001%).

6-Nov-05 Credit Suisse First Boston Australia Holdings Pty Ltd increased its relevant interest from 4,965,375 ordinary shares (13.10%) to 5,273,675 ordinary shares (11.88%).

11-Nov-05 7,000,000 Ordinary Fully Paid Shares will be released from escrow on 24 November 2005.

11-Nov-05 Lodged response to ASX query