Professions

Photo Essay: Formally celebrated in Australia for the first time almost a century ago, International Women's Day remains a significant date on the calendar.

Western Australia's unemployment rate has spiked to a 17-year high, at 6.8 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms, while the national numbers held steady.

More casual workers will be able to request a shift to permanent employment under legislation introduced to parliament.

Perth-based consulting firm Sustainability and Brisbane-based sub-consultant OSD have been contracted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to work on a major gas pipeline in Eastern Europe.

Consulting and corporate advisory firm Mainsheet Capital is planning to accelerate its growth after key people at predecessor firm Mainsheet Corporate were reunited.

King & Wood Mallesons, which ranks as the fourth largest law firm in WA, has expanded its local office with two lateral hires, Carl Black and Sam Dundas.

SPECIAL REPORT: Western Australia may not be ready with the workforce and skills needed for the next boom.

Women accounted for 29.7 per cent of ASX200 board members by the end of last year, an increase of more than 10 percentage points since the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2015 called for ASX200 companies to achieve 30 per cent female representation on boards by the conclusion of 2018.

Prominent Western Australians, including the late Stan Perron, Peter Botten, John Atkins, and Michael Fitzpatrick have been recognised for their service to the business community at this year's Australia Day Honours.

SPECIAL REPORT: Global players are converging on WA as resources assets become increasingly attractive in the international arena.

SPECIAL REPORT: Corporate finance dealmakers in Perth worked on just more than 800 transactions last year worth $51 billion.

Leaders interviewed for the annual Business News CEO survey suggest that forward-looking decisions on energy policy and tax will be vital for WA's future prosperity.

The Supreme Court has found prominent land developer and real estate agent Colin Heath breached his fiduciary duties in regard to his role in long-running land development ventures with the Godecke family.

ASX-listed law firm Shine Corporate has expanded its presence in Western Australia with the acquisition of local firm Carr & Co Divorce and Family Lawyers.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA has returned to profit after three years of major restructuring that has cut staff numbers and revenue to one third of 2014 levels.

Disruption, a demerger and divestments are shaping Wesfarmers' long-term approach to growth, managing director Rob Scott told last week's Success & Leadership breakfast.

SPECIAL REPORT: There has been a notable reduction in the number of high-earning executives in WA, though some individuals do well year after year, research by Business News has found.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: Professional services firms in most industry sectors in WA have increasingly become aligned with international groups. This article is part of a special series to mark Business News' 25-year anniversary.

A labour hire business owner who fraudulently obtained more than $890,000 through illegal "phoenixing" has been jailed for five years and four months in Western Australia.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: The annual Business News Biggest Employers survey has tracked changing employment patterns in WA over 13 years. This article is part of a special series to mark Business News' 25-year anniversary.

A Supreme Court ruling has shed light on the multi-million dollar legal bills incurred by Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting and Wright Prospecting in their long-running battle over ownership of the Rhodes Ridge iron ore deposit in the Pilbara.

WA Local Government Association chief executive Ricky Burges is set to step down next year, after nearly two decades at the helm.

Wood & Grieve Engineers is set to be acquired by international company Stantec, nearly 60 years after the Perth-based company was established.

Lawyer Michael Hollingdale's career has taken a new turn after being asked to help wealthy families with their estate planning.

The state government has signed up for the Commonwealth's vocational training fund, which will provide up to $126 million in matched funding for a planned incentive scheme to boost apprenticeships and traineeships.

The WA market is continuing to attract new providers of alternative legal services.

Twenty local executives acquired $38 million of shares at no cost over the past 3 months, research by Business News has found.

SPECIAL REPORT: Accounting firms in WA, from mid-tier players to the 'big four', are positioning to benefit from stronger economic and commercial activity.

SPECIAL REPORT: Business News has been tracking changes among WA's accounting firms for 25 years, including seminal events like the collapse of Andersen and the break-up of the old PKF practice.

SPECIAL REPORT: Gender equity is a key goal for major accounting firms but their track record is varied, especially in WA.

Law firm Jackson McDonald has launched a branded secondment service in response to growing demand from clients and lawyers for more flexible working arrangements.

It may seem a trivial matter, but a recent Court of Appeal ruling on who was responsible for maintaining the shower recess in a $1,700 per week rental property should be of keen interest to many landlords and insurers.