Opinion

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss FMG expansion, Quintis, Cooper & Oxley, defence contracts, Immersive Technologies, and our special report on distilleries and breweries.

The state government is hoping it has done enough to sway the vote its way in this month’s Darling Range by-election.

Opinion: Investors are awaiting clues as to Wesfarmers’ next moves, as it exits the British hardware business and plans a spin-off of Coles.

Opinion: Federal government inquiries are shaking the superannuation tree. What will be interesting is how the different players respond.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss BGC, Wesfarmers, National Lifestyle Villages, battery plant speculation, blockchain, and our special report is information and communications technology.

Managers can encourage or discourage sales with their policies and actions, so what makes a great sales manager?

Recent comments by Tesla’s Elon Musk, and his company’s price dive immediately after, will be of interest to the state’s lithium miners.

PODCAST: Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss defence contracts, LNG developments, high density housing, master entrepreneurs, The West Australian, lithium and our special report on philanthropy.

The GST is a potential sleeper issue as WA heads to three by-elections.

A renewed activist focus on the carbon sequestration efforts on Barrow Island is, like many populist arguments these days, abusing language to stir up emotions.

PODCAST: Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss the state and federal budgets, three byelections in WA (or maybe four), regulator activity, and our special report this week is the wine industry.

All the marketing in the world won’t help your business if the people who work there aren’t great, and committed to doing their best.

Opinion: The current banking royal commission and global shift to downsizing are raising questions as to whether any institution or business is too big to fail, or at least be broken up.

PODCAST: Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss Belmont Park apartments, Lithium projects, Fringe Festival, Chris Sutherland, and BN's special report on universities.

Opinion: The WA and federal governments have plenty at stake when they release their respective budgets.

Will financial services companies wish they had taken a different path all those decades ago, when superannuation nest eggs looked so attractive?

Opinion: Businesses not fully engaged with the shift to social media are doing themselves and their customers a disservice.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss $3bn federal infrastructure boost, Perth’s urban sprawl, Burrup gas projects, global LNG production, Westin Hotel opens and mining projects.

Keeping pace with the changing demands of a digital marketplace is a challenge for many in business.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Pownall, Matt Mckenzie, and Katie McDonald discuss Gorgon stage two, corporate tax debate, defence contracts, employment data, fracking ban, tourism, and our building and construction feature.

Opinion: The departure of career public servant Stephen Wood has raised questions about the role of the bureaucracy in providing frank and fearless advice.

Past overreach on IR and current political realities combined to mute the federal government’s options in terms of the new ‘super union’.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer, Matt Mckenzie, and Tori Wilson discuss Synergy and renewable energy, the Atlas Iron takeover, live sheep exports, Bill Shorten’s Perth visit, a new report on Kwinana, and the debate over training and apprenticeships.

The better prepared for the objection you are before you make the sales call, the more likely you’ll get past the customer’s blocks.

Social media companies are feeling the heat over the mishandling of users’ data.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss house price recovery, lithium contract win, automation in WA, remuneration report, GST, indigenous contracting, our feature on corporate finance includes big recent takeovers and the trends in other mergers and acquisitions + a capital raising wrap-up.

It’s one thing to call for transparency when in opposition, but another altogether to provide full accountability when in government.

Opinion: The business community’s embrace of cycling fundraising events provides benefits way beyond just the dollar value raised.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss Applecross towers, Scarborough high-rise, Gary Brown-Neaves, infrastructure priorities, cycling fund raisers, Wayne Martin retires, and our special report on agribusiness.

Opinion: As with the boy scouts, in sales it pays to do your homework.

PODCAST: In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss Trump’s trade war WA impact, residential property prices, population and labour statistics, World Trade Centre, Pacific Energy, ride sharing and our special report Most Influential.

Opinion: Local branch members got their man when David Honey won the recent Cottesloe by-election.