Opinion

State and federal governments need to tread carefully when making changes to pensioner ‘entitlements’.

At the risk of being called a Luddite at best, and a heretic at worst, I have spent a bit of time over the past few months trying to understand the business case for social media – and failing.

Clive Palmer has proved himself to be a political maverick, and it’s likely his party’s new senators could prove equally as difficult for the Abbott government to deal with

Mining and energy sector exports are forecast to rise by just 2.6 per cent in 2014-15, with weakness in coking coal and iron ore prices offsetting strong growth in export volumes for most commodities.

WA is an expensive place to live and work, but there are measure every business can take to ensure their security and prosperity.

I tend to think of competition policy a bit like defence: it requires eternal vigilance and strong proponents. There will always be those with a large interest in its absence, to the detriment of the many.

Assertiveness is in when it comes to the ‘new’ way of selling; but be careful the client doesn’t perceive this as aggression.

The world’s biggest economy is capitalising on cheaper energy and labour costs.

The resources sector continues to be critical to WA’s prosperity but smaller, less glamorous industries also have great stories to tell.

A stubbornly strong dollar and tumbling iron ore prices will test the budget assumptions.

The often-used phrase ‘Malcolm being Malcolm’ may be about the communications minister always going after something novel.

The Eurozone is showing signs of economic improvement as stimulus measures begin to bear fruit.

There are five simple steps to help create the right culture for your business.

Successful salespeople focus on the present, it’s where their sales are.

The lack of volatility in the stock market is making life tough for brokers and investment bankers.

Business News’ annual mining services review highlights the large and diverse number of companies exporting their skills and expertise.

As fund raising events go, this one is on message.

Labor can’t face the challenges ahead if the party remains focused on bitter battles and disputes of the past.

If stock market and property prices are to be believed, the international financial world is back to where it was seven years ago, which either means good times have returned or we are exactly where we were just before the 2008 GFC.

The size of Canberra’s bureaucracy and government financial support for some lobby groups can no longer be justified.

Business leaders and politicians says all the right things in terms of women’s ascension up the corporate and political ladders, but what’s really being done to make it happen?

Asking the right questions and offering appropriate solutions is a recipe for more business.

Are calls for change self-serving or do they highlight a collective opportunity?

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the week’s top news, including job cuts in iron ore, the $615m takeover offer for Papillon Resources, skills shortages, and Indian investment in Western Australia.

Tax compliance costs hit all businesses, from small operators to big miners, and need to be addressed.

The fractious relationship between Colin Barnett and Clive Palmer has echoes of an earlier stoush between a 20th century premier and a mining magnate.

It’s hard to not admire Frank Lowy, either as founder and major shareholder of the Westfield retail property group or for the $6 billion personal fortune he has amassed after arriving in Australia as an impoverished European migrant in 1952.

Politicians from both sides have failed to offer real choice when it comes to our retirement from the workforce.

Salespeople want to make sales – and for the most part feel alone in the process.

Booms are to navigate through, so we emerge stronger and better equipped for future challenges.

The switch from ‘demand-pull’ to ‘supply squeeze’ in the global resources market may provide opportunities for WA miners.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the week’s top news, including FMG’s call for gas market reform, new hotel projects in East Perth and Fremantle, the launch of our Giving Well philanthropy guide, and our annual listing of the Most Influential people in business and politics in Western Australia.