Government

WHILE the status of the federal government's emissions trading scheme may be up in the air, laws linked to climate change continue to affect business.

HAVE you ever wondered about the value of the formal performance appraisal system? Is it something you enjoy doing as either the appraiser or the appraised?

WESTERN Australian tropical fruit growers and exporters have welcomed lower trade barriers to key markets such as China, but acknowledge there are challenges associated with that.

The state government will provide nearly $8 million of additional funds and employ a further 72 people to boost WA's Resources Safety Division as the state's mining death toll creeps up.

Western Australia is set to receive first funds from the Rudd government's $650 million Jobs Fund, with the bulk of the funds to go to projects in the south west of Perth.

Perth-based business publisher Aspermont has posted a solid increase in revenue and underlying earnings but one-off restructuring costs have pushed its net result to a loss of $484,000.

With poor health practices costing business more than $7 billion, Western Australian employers are being urged to consider the health of employees, with the launch of the Healthy Active Workplace policy today.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's has suggested that state-owned energy retailer Synergy 's credit rating is likely to come under pressure when the government proceeds with changes to its power purchase contracts.

The federal government has established an employment taskforce to help staff future resource projects, including the upcoming Gorgon gas venture in Western Australia.

Building approvals in Western Australia have bucked the national upward trend, falling 3.3 per cent in July, new figures show.

The state government is to create a new department dedicated to training and will rebrand Tafe colleges as part of plans to ensure the state's skills base has the appropriate attention as WA gears up for a big rise in economic activity.

WA Attorney General Christian Porter says he is extremely disappointed at a federal government decision to withhold a new native title funding agreement that would have made way for speedier settlements.

The state's largest road project, the Perth to Bunbury Highway would be opened to traffic from Sunday, September 20 and work on the next stage of the Dampier Highway Duplication project in the Pilbara has commenced.

Gillard delays pain on penalties; Crown jewels turn to paste; PM revamps stimulus package; Virgin Blue posts $160m loss; Mining services groups surprise on the upside

Wesfarmers today announced two new board appointments including Perth-based Diane Smith-Gander and retail expert Archie Norman, as well as changes to its corporate affairs team.

Marine engineering outfit, Neptune Marine Services has posted a profit of $21 million for the year to June 30, an increase of almost 200 per cent on the previous year's $7.4 million thanks to its diverse service offering and strong revenue gains.

Sage chases backing for $200m Lady Annie float; Australia Post in $700m shake-up; Media moguls face off; PM's cash cure fails to lure nurses; Long haul for Asciano with gloomy outlook

NO matter which way you cut it, the 2008-09 financial year was a shocker for investors in local companies, with only 110 of the 730 or so Western Australian-listed companies managing a positive return of any sort.

Australians have suddenly woken up to the big growth opportunities in WA, but are we prepared?

ICE cream maker Azzura Gelati has scooped 20 prizes at this year's WA Dairy Product Awards at the Sheraton Hotel.

IF deteriorating income streams and skyrocketing costs weren't enough, charities are now bracing for a tougher year ahead with an expected surge in demand for services through 2010.

WITH much front page hype, the federal government last week announced what it claimed was Australia's biggest ever deal when PetroChina agreed to buy 2.25 million tonnes of LNG a year for 20 years, worth $50 billion.

A REVIEW commissioned by the City of Perth has identified a range of shortcomings with its existing planning schemes.

The Western Australian Trade Opportunities Service is operated by the International Trade Centre of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia.

Progressive or backward? It depends which side of the fence you sit on.

Every cloud has a silver lining, so the saying goes. So which WA companies delivered the best returns to investors as the cold winds of the global financial crisis wreaked havoc?

As a man of letters, it seems Ken Clements is pretty good at writing them, too.

MANY of the misconceptions about e-commerce technology and the potential benefits to the corporate world have been re-evaluated since the dot.com crash of 2000.

FORMER musician Darryl Edwards founded lighting, staging, events and production company Matrix Productions Australia in 1987.

Ordinary Australians will bear the brunt of the government’s proposed ETS.

Heavy equipment sales and rental company, Emeco Holdings has posted a net profit after tax of $13.3 million for the year to June 30, a fall of 14.5 per cent, which included significant one-off impairment and restructuring charges.

Cash Converters has posted a record profit of $16.2 million for the year to June 30, a gain of 6.5 per cent, on the back of healthy revenue growth driven by increased personal loans, financial services commission and corporate store revenue.