Opinion

If the 2014 federal budget succeeds in reducing bloated bureaucracies and duplication it will have achieved significant change.

If you and your team aren't making enough sales, maybe you're not asking yourselves the right questions.

It's a case of 'where to now?' for the start-up sector after funding cuts in this month's federal budget.

The Perth Freight Link is the latest in a string of big projects to highlight the lack of cohesive, long-term infrastructure planning in WA.

Deutsche Bank's latest analysis of Boral has rekindled debate over a potential move on the Buckeridge Group.

The Abbott government has put off making the really tough decisions in its first budget.

Competition is deemed healthy for most of us, so why not in the labour movement?

Liberal governments in WA and Canberra are finding few friends in light of recent budget measures.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the federal budget's impact on business, floating LNG, Euroz, Northern Star Resources, law firms and Hard Rock Cafe.

Recent volatility in WA's unemployment rate suggests longer-term issues for the state's labour market.

Daily workplace conversations are a valuable resource, but effective workplace communication requires a more formalised setting.

The power of observation on the sales call will lead to the right question, the right dialogue … and big sales.

The $1.4 billion joint bid by Baosteel and Aurizon for control of Perth-based Aquila Resources marks a new wave of Chinese investment interest in WA's iron ore.

There's no doubt that cyclists and car drivers could do more to improve relations.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the state budget and its implications for business, plus the upcoming federal budget, Aquila Resources and Esperance Port.

Savvy union leaders know they're in a strong position to negotiate for their members when an election's around the corner.

Two major events last week highlighted the private sector's desire to deliver new port infrastructure, and it's a trend the Barnett government could take even further.

Just as Western Australia's nickel miners pop champagne corks to celebrate the remarkable 40 per cent rise in the nickel price over the past five months, signs have started to emerge that the party might soon be over

A new book on climate change paints a grim view of the future, but not for the reasons you may think.

A target to aim for and a system for monitoring progress is a great start if you want to improve the results in your business.

Classic writers offer timeless and peerless advice we should all heed to be successful.

How does a visit by the mayor of US oil capital Houston link to Western Australia's local council amalgamations?

Increasingly generous staff share issues in the US threaten the rights of existing shareholders.

Perth's sister city Houston has some interesting insights on public transport, economic diversification and other challenges faced by both cities.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the future of Western Australia's tertiary education sector, Nigel Satterley's critical assessment of the apartment market, the latest data on Perth's expensive land prices, and what we can learn from Houston, the Commission of Audit, the latest instalment in the Padbury Mining saga, and the opening of Perth's first Rolls Royce showroom.

The NSW and WA governments should follow through on commitments to make lobbyists fully accountable.

Geoff Gallop says Labor got sucked into the political view only the Liberals could be trusted with the economy.

If prices for iron ore, coal, oil and gold are falling, which they are, how long before the Australian dollar follows?

The overall support and encouragement a company gives its salespeople are the main ingredients to making the sale.

The Future of Financial Advice legislation, which came into effect in July 2013, is undergoing more changes.

History shows that only time will tell whether an asset's price was optimal.

Oakajee is being rejuvenated not so much as a mining project but more as an infrastructure play.