Financial Services

THE gold mining industry continues to be a bright spot in Western Australia with the announcement this week of a new project and a new takeover battle.

THE state government is progressing with its plan to relocate social housing stock from high-end Perth suburbs into lower-cost suburbs In October, Treasurer Troy Buswell announced a review into Homeswest housing in wealthier suburbs, ordering the Departme

Perth planners could learn a lot from our neighbours to the north, in Singapore.

FOR more than 30 years, Habitat for Humanity has operated internationally as a non-denominational Christian community organisation with a charter to build simple, affordable and sustainable entry-level housing in partnership with low-income families.

Some hard questions still need to be answered on Chinese investment in Australia.

Governments are seeking new, innovative approaches to social housing after almost a decade of stagnation.

A PERTH charity has demonstrated it's not how much you have that counts, it's what you do with it.

THE state government has ramped up initiatives to soften the impact of job cuts in regional areas as a result of the global economic meltdown.

POLISHING his crystal ball Briefcase believes that, after such a strong bear market rally on the local and global stock markets, some pullback is likely.

WITH the waiting list for public housing now at 20,000, the state government is seeking community agencies, industry groups and not-for-profit organisations to help alleviate the acute shortage of affordable housing in Western Australia.

How are political and business decisions made to achieve short-term goals of any real benefit to society?

WESTERN Australia hopes to snare a larger portion of funding in round two of the federal government's National Rental Affordability Scheme after receiving 401 homes in round one, which was announced in March.

Peter Hickson has catered to all types of people in his 40 years in the industry.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA has dramatically revised down its forecasts for the state on the back of the global financial crisis, tipping the economy to contract by one per cent in the 2010 financial year.

Perth-based uranium explorer Mantra Resources says it will seek dual listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange later this year to access larger capital markets.

The chief financial officer of financially struggling Compass Hotel Group has resigned as the company decides to relocate its finance team to Perth.

Many Australian listed companies are neglecting fundamental governance standards by failing to establish an independent internal audit function, according to a joint survey conducted by Protiviti and the Institute of Internal Auditors Australia.

Shares in Carnegie Corporation jumped after the wave power hopeful signed a $250 million project financing deal with banking giant Investec.

Perth-based Regis Resources has given the go ahead for the development of its Duketon gold project in Western Australia with capital costs expected to peak at $125 million.

Around 150 employees of national kitchen and laundry appliance retailer Kleenmaid Group face an uncertain future as administrators are appointed to the company after the global financial crisis hits sales and margins.

Perth-based Impact Minerals said it is considering a range of options to advance its WA uranium project following the recent $US49 million deal to farm-out a nearby uranium deposit.

Perth-based Pacific Energy says it will settle its $77 million acquisition of Kalgoorlie Power Systems in less than a fortnight after it received commitments for a $98 million funding package.

The state government has appointed former Court Government Minister Monty House as the new chair of the LandCorp board and also appointed five other new members.

The former president of BHP Billiton's Australia Asia gas division, William Bloking, has been appointed as chairman of Como-based Nido Petroleum, taking over from David Whitby.

West Perth-based Bonaparte Diamond Mines has recommended shareholders accept Minemakers all-scrip takeover offer after an independent expert deemed the offer fair and reasonable.

More Western Australians joined the search for work in March as the state's unemployment rate jumped to a seasonally adjusted 4.9 per cent, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

KPMG axes Perth jobs as audit work slows; Banks won't budge on rate cut; Packer sends adviser packing; Consumers seeing the bright side; Telstra in talks over role it will play in NBN plan

SHORT-TERM thinking copped a big serve from the entrepreneurs, several of whom felt it was the true villain in what has taken place in the global economy during the past six months, including the issue of executive remuneration.

INNOVATIVE fundraising events are becoming increasingly important for benevolent organisations in light of the decline in income from traditional fundraising appeals, as reported in last week's WA Business News.

No matter what the economic conditions, an entrepreneur will always find the upside.

THE jury is out on whether global stock markets have bottomed or whether there is a further downward leg to be endured.

FOR the second year running Perth has claimed first place in the annual Deloitte Hotel Occupancy Global Ranking index, cementing its position as the number one performer in worldwide hotel occupancy rates.