Government

There are benefits and challenges ahead, as Australia’s population heads towards an expected 35 million by 2049.

IT is the land where Alan Bond infamously painted the sand dunes green to make the brochures look better.

The amount of local content on big resources projects is a lingering concern for many business people.

PERTH'S commercial office market and the state's building industry are both looking to big gas developments such as Chevron's Gorgon project to be a key driver of activity.

LIKE many apprentices, Mark Stewart dreamed of establishing his own business rather than working for a wage.

FARM groups have welcomed the introduction of a grain trucking scheme that allows transporters an extra 10 per cent load when transporting grain at harvest.

The Barnett government has named 34 state schools that will have independent status within the public system as part of a new policy to give more grass roots control to the school.

Western Australian farmers are the nation's most independent with a new study showing they are receiving less financial assistance compared to those in other states.

The safe haven status of gold during the global financial crisis has boosted The Perth Mint's profit before tax to a record $38 million in 2008/09.

The Barnett government has performed strongly in regulatory reform in its first year in office but must now deliver on its reform promises, a Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA scorecard has concluded.

Confidence among Western Australian businesses has bounced back to boom levels, a new survey shows.

Confidence on the rise; Export earnings to fall despite China surge; ALP ranks split on uranium ban; State's population grows by 220 a day; Wong opens way for real ETS talks with opposition

Transport Minister Simon O'Brien has approved a harvest management scheme that allows grain transporters an extra 10 per cent load when transporting grain at harvest.

Perth-based architecture firm Silver Thomas Hanley, as part of a joint venture, will plan the major stage C redevelopment of South Australia's Lyell McEwin Hospital, with the project valued at $200 million.

West Perth-based Leyshon Resources says it will look to acquire more projects after selling its majority interest in a Chinese gold project for $US34 million ($A39 million).

The government's commodity forecaster has revised down its minerals and energy export earnings projection for 2009/10 as a result of lower contract prices for bulk commodities.

WA still the most resourceful state; PM plugs Gorgon in US investment sales pitch; WA's work safety stance carries risk; Voters back ETS but not early poll; Skills crunch looms in resources sector

Perth's oldest stockbroking firm, DJ Carmichael, is looking to beef up its corporate finance team as Ian Dorrington is appointed managing director and Brian Hockney as chairman.

The opening of the $705 million Kwinana Freeway extension and Forrest Highway on the weekend has marked the official completion of the State's largest road project.

Rising LNG, iron ore and gold exports saw the value of Western Australia's mineral and petroleum industry rise by 19 per cent to a record $71.3 billion in the year to June 2009.

Brighter outlook in the booming west; Reserve Bank wary of putting interest rates up as strong Aussie dollar could choke recovery; Premier’s 8pm shop hours offer falls flat; Rudd aligns with US on stimulus; Ministers downplay NBN risks

CITIC Pacific says it is meeting with unions over claims that workers at its $5.2 billion Sino iron ore project near Karratha have been exposed to unsafe levels of asbestos.

The Mid West shires of Mingenew, Three Springs, Morawa and Perenjori have agreed to form one new local government, as the deadline for voluntary council amalgamations nears.

State parliament has passed through a number of amendments that will give government stronger powers to obtain information from local councils when carrying out investigations.

The state opposition has called into question claims the construction of a private port in Kwinana will start within 12 months, after it uncovered no progress had been made on key negotiations.

Board war as Fairfax family demands Walker's scalp; Population blow-out to strain budget; Trial mining a major step for BC Iron; After the panic, $4bn is hoarded; Leighton linked to new Gorgon deal

Premier Colin Barnett says he will not take any legal action after a parliamentary committee cleared him of any wrong doing over the removal of a Peppermint Grove property from the state's heritage list.

Australia's chance of hosting the FIFA world cup is being jeopardised by the Barnett government's incompetent handling of WA's stadium development, the state opposition claims.

Unions declare war on BHP, each other; Labor plan to break up Telstra divides coalition; Cowboys not welcome in WA; ATO targets wealthy in trusts blitz; Stimulus to be felt for decade

TWO of Perth's biggest builders have welcomed last week's announcement of planning reforms, but are concerned about the timeliness of their introduction and have urged the state government to further simplify the planning process.

THE past 12 months has been tough for most businesses but especially for the state's major sporting clubs, which have been forced to deal with inadequate venues, declining ticket sales and poor on-field performances, as well as the economic slowdown.

Finding the balance between domestic needs and those of our trading partners is a challenge for policy makers.