Government

Rio Tinto plans to cut 14,000 jobs, slash its 2009 capital spending from $9 billion to $4 billion and increase asset sales in order to reduce its $38.9 billion debt by a further $10 billion by the end of next year.

Premier Colin Barnett says he cannot guarantee reliable power supply for Western Australia for the next three years, as he delivers his "school report" into his first 79 days in office.

The federal government will provide $10 million over four years to support the expansion of Clontarf Academies to improve the education, life skills and employment prospects of 700 Indigenous young men in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Construction of a new $420 million NewGen Neerabup gas-fired power station has begun, with the 330 megawatt plant to provide additional capacity to the South West Interconnected System starting from next summer.

Australian small and medium enterprises say they are burdened by the complexity of regulation, according to a global study of tax professionals by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

The global economic crisis has prompted the competition watchdog to give approval to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia's $2.1 billion acquisition of BankWest and St Andrew's Australia from troubled UK-based parent HBOS plc.

The receiver for ABC Learning says 55 childcare centres will close nationally including 12 centres in Western Australia.

Bulk commodities iron ore and coal have largely driven Australia's export earnings to a record $42.6 billion for the September quarter, just before prices took a dive.

RBA signals caution on big rate cuts; Westpac taps market for $2.5bn; Rudd trims emissions target to 10pc; Sino Iron on track, insists Citic Pacific; Macquarie warns profit will fall as deals wither

The University of Western Australia and the Committee for Perth have teamed up to appoint two international experts to lead a project benchmarking the liveability of Perth and its global connectedness.

Despite the increasing rate of job losses around the globe, Australian finance and accounting professionals remain optimistic about job prospects, as found in a 14-country survey by international recruiter Robert Half.

The challenges of late 2008 look set to carry over into the new year with business chiefs anticipating further erosion of profits and sales as credit market conditions, a volatile Australian dollar and inflationary pressures impact prospects for 2009.

Job fears grow, but unions want more; Non-bank lenders hurting; Miners tear into ETS proposal; BHP, Rio face $2bn iron threat; Qantas plays down BA merger

Subiaco-based Chrome Corporation is seeking to have its self-imposed trading halt lifted following an announcement from the company about the sale of its 74 per cent interest in a South African chrome project for $41 million.

Corporate Express Australia, the office supply and services company, has won this year's Sustainable Company of the Year Award.

Economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel says the Australian economy will not fall into recession, despite the dismal growth in real GDP in the September quarter.

Tax board targets GST red tape; Oil price plunge alarms OPEC; Iron contracts in jeopardy; Spanish airline a barrier to Qantas merger; Garnaut warns - don't go alone

Como-based Aquila Resources says it is seeking potential co-developers for a port at Anketell Point, which has been selected as the preferred port site for the $4.1 billion West Pilbara iron ore project.

Gas reserve 'puts off explorers'; Call for Canberra to steer energy projects; Banks will take control of B&B; Senate resists Rudd's $26bn building plan; Rio dives 11pc on growing debt fears

Business confidence in Western Australia has hit record lows as the global economic uncertainty starts to impact owners, two separate surveys have found.

Almost one third of Western Australians will buy a property before 2009 is over despite the current financial conditions prompting many people to revisit their financial plans, a survey has found.

Perth-based Pacific Energy will pay $77 million in cash and scrip to acquire Kalgoorlie Power Systems, which owns a suite of power stations in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Western Australia has suffered the nation's biggest drop in confidence among small and medium enterprises, according to the Sensis Business Index for November.

Engineering and infrastructure firm GRD will be hit by a significant one-off charge after agreeing to sell its loss-making Australian waste treatment facility in a bid to boost its financial position.

Recession looms as growth drops close to zero; Listed WA companies drop $17bn; Hostile opposition to Qantas changes; Rudd plots bankroll plan; Varanus gas explosion rocks national accounts

TWO separate reports on the state's housing sector have painted another soft year as rate cuts and stimulus packages fail to resurrect the weakening industry.

KEITH Spence has been awarded the North West Shelf Gas and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia WA Gas Industry Development Award for 2008.

THE global credit crunch has made a significant dent in Perth's commercial and retail sales for the year to November, with total sales value down 26 per cent on last year.

WESTERN Australia's training system is about to go through a facelift in response to the current industry needs.

SOME time during our schooling we learned how the six British colonies on the island continent Matthew Flinders named Australia formed a federated Commonwealth.

The Western Australian Trade Enquiry Service is operated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA with the support of the WA Government's Department of Industry and Resources.

WORKERS have been given greater flexibility to resolve workplace disputes through mediation with new legislation proclaimed this week by the state government.