Opinion

Financial crises in the US and Europe have done little to slow the enthusiasm for big spending of the federal Labor government and that of Colin Barnett.

WESTERN Australia has long been seen as a safe, sustainable and secure supply hub for a range of commodities and processing facilities.

Until now the skills shortage which has dogged the resources sector has been all about a lack of tradesmen and technical professionals whereas the Rio Tinto crisis reveals that the real problem is

Initially lauded for the certainty it provided, the government’s decision to create fixed parliamentary terms is not without its shortcomings – some of them significant.

While a nice place to visit, the Kimberley is remote, costly to administer, and not pulling its weight.

Cautious bankers might prefer iron ore prices to be locked in before committing to major projects.

Events of the past month show that dealing with uncertainty continues to be one of the few certainties facing business.

In 2010 Colin Barnett conceded he had failed to deliver on a 2008 pre-election promise to ‘‘legislate for a proper register to monitor the activities of political lobbyists”. Now, as the state election approaches, nothing has changed.

THE amount of time management spends measuring sales activity and salespeople is generally wasted.

AN excellent education system, cutting-edge research and development efforts, a thriving export market, and global competitiveness are critical ingredients for any thriving economy.

Apart from being the best looking currency in a world full of ugly competitors there are not many reasons for the Australian dollar to continue trading above $US1.05, leaving open the question as t

It’s an odd day when people selling something say the price will be cheaper tomorrow, but if you think about what has been happening in the market for WA’s most important commodity export, iron ore

It is with some optimism that I say farewell to 2012 and wish all our readers the best for the festive season, as well as the year beyond.

As an election year approaches, Colin Barnett finds himself nursing a headache despite not having done the drinking.

Voters should be wary of Labor's plan to close a costly waste facility as it eyes two marginal seats.

Competition in the retail sector is getting tougher as marketing and technology merge, with smaller businesses likely to be left behind.

The upheavals in the iron ore sector dominated news in 2012 but our readers were also keen to hear about mining magnates, real estate, new hotels and one particular barrister.

Factions aren’t at the heart of Labor’s problem but rather the failure to allow for dissenting votes.

IT seems society is loosening up; the internet, music, movies, book titles, TV, and texting have created an ‘openness revolution’ not matched since the 1960s.

FORMER US president Hany S Truman is famously quoted as having said “The buck stops here”, and I’ve seen this quote (and others similar) framed and up on many a CEO’s office wall.

A Minerals Council policy paper sets out the steps for Australia to harness its commodities exports for the long and sustainable haul.

Troy Buswell might have made a few bad personal decisions in recent years but he is absolutely correct in refusing to surrender control of Western Australia’s ability to apply mining royalties to C

Everyone wins when staff are able to stay motivated until the Christmas break.

Coalition governments are happier to contract out responsibility for the running of government-financed hospitals like Peel because they believe it represents better value for taxpayers.

The state’s regulated taxi system could prove a lot easier to unwind than Victoria’s entrenched sector.

The herd mentality means we could be seeing more ‘all-business’ conglomerates.

Common sense is often forgotten when the topics of Chinese investment and farming get discussed.

Are Australian journalists too chummy with politicians to go hard at the big stories?

ZIG Ziglar, the iconic motivational speaker of our time, passed away November 28 2012. In his honour, I am updating an article I wrote in 1992 after meeting him for the first, time.

CHRISTMAS is a favourite time of the year for many, business owners included.

THE number of job-ready New Zealanders heading to Australia jumped this year, with many of them bound for Western Australia.

Most investors are not stupid, but if you follow the trail of money they leave there does seem to be an awful lot who just don’t think about where they park their hard-earned savings – and that cou