Government

CLAREMONT-BASED The Bethanie Group has become the state's latest certified community housing provider.

THE announcement this month that Citic Pacific will pay $US585 for 75 petajoules of natural gas is important, not just because it underwrites the Devil Creek project in the Pilbara and a potential new supply of domestic gas, but also because we get to see

THE reduction in the number of engineering-based projects under way or in planning as a result of the downturn has alleviated the skills shortage, but care should be taken not to lose staff from the sector when the pendulum swings again.

The Science and Innovation Council review presents a creative opportunity.

CONSULTING engineers across Perth are calling on state and local governments to urgently improve the approvals process for the development of projects throughout Western Australia, amid soaring costs to business.

PLANS for the first children's advocacy centre to be built in Australia have been stymied by bureaucratic red tape, threatening the centre's March 2010 opening date.

FLEXIBILITY in the workplace has consistently been identified as the most important measure to attract and retain female workers, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's recent Women in the Workforce discussion paper.

BARCLAYS Engineering chief executive Terry Barclay has faced down a number of challenges during his 30-year career in international trade, from knowing the ground rules to liquidity problems and getting paid on time.

Ravensthorpe is still coming to terms with the impact of last week's closure of its nickel operations, one year after its official opening.

CONSULTING engineers have joined the Western Australian business community in calling on the state government to implement a long-term strategic infrastructure plan.

WESTERN Australia has experienced a significant increase in the use of solar hot water, with more than one-fifth of homes in WA now fitted with solar hot water systems.

Australia is at a crossroads with regard to its energy policy and faces some tough decisions in coming years.

ENGINEERING graduates face an uncertain future as the number of potential employers and the pool of projects in the development pipeline dry up.

Sue Murphy is leading the way again, this time as chief executive at the Water Corp

FOLLOWING an unprecedented period of growth in recent years, engineers are preparing for challenging times as project developers and major clients wind-back or close their operations.

The WA government has decided against referring its remaining industrial relations powers to the federal government, instead proceeding with a review of the state's workplace laws.

The average number of days for Australian businesses to settle accounts has reached an eight year high with big firms the slowest to pay while Western Australian companies have been the quickest to pay bills, a report has revealed.

Kerry Stokes' private company, WesTrac, says it will not be affected by US company Caterpillar Inc's planned 20,000 job cuts to its global workforce.

Applications to study full-time courses at TAFE colleges in 2009 have jumped by 14 per cent compared with last year.

One month after announcing it will merge with Perth firm Montagu Stockbrokers, Patersons Securities has reached agreement to buy the stockbroking business of listed company Tolhurst Group for some $7 million.

The sharp deterioration in the Australian dollar has ensured the country's goods are more competitive on the international front as exports record the largest annual increase in over 34 years.

As the fallout from the Ravensthorpe mine closure starts to unravel, the state's resources lobby group says mining companies are doing all they can to prevent further job losses.

Perth-based leisure technology firm V3 has been awarded a state government tender to provide online booking technology for Tourism Western Australia's website.

VENDORS and lessors of commercial buildings could be required by law to disclose the energy efficiency of their buildings under a proposed federal government scheme.

Earth from above High-profile environmentalist Phillip Toyne is coming to Perth to give a speech at The University of Western Australia Club's theatre auditorium on Tuesday January 20.

THE struggles being experienced by tourism operators in some parts of Western Australia seem to have missed the north-west, for time being at least, with businesses in Exmouth and Broome positive about the year ahead.

WA's economic future is critically tied to that of China, and the signs aren't promising.

PHILANTHROPISTS fear proposed legislative changes to guidelines governing prescribed private funds could close down the majority of the charitable foundations within the next 15 years.

THE Goldfields could once again become an accurate descriptor of the region around Kalgoorlie after the returns from the gold mining industry helped the area cope with a recent slump in nickel mining.

IN a recent research report, my colleagues Rachel Ong and Richard Seymour of the Centre for Labour Market Research, and I investigated aspects of the lives of people living on the federal minimum wage.

THE state government says it will cut advertising spending by 15 per cent, after campaign and non-campaign advertising increased $20 million in five years under the previous Labor government.

COUTURIER Angelina Arcaro prides her small business on the exclusivity of its creations.