One of the hottest topics at the skills shortage forum was the negative attitude of students and parents towards traditional trades such as metalwork and mechanics.
St John of God Healthcare national chief executive Dr Michael Stanford believes failure to take account of social trends has contributed to the current skills shortage.
The traditional apprentice system, which has undergone little change for several decades, needs to be modernised and become more flexible, industry representatives told the skills shortage forum.
The City of Perth might oversee the heart of corporate Western Australia, but business is under-represented on its governing council. Mark Pownall reports that many believe the State Government should recognise the unique needs of our CBD.
The bulk of Perth’s 30,000 potential business voters might be viewed as apathetic when it comes to going through the motions of getting or maintaining their place on the city’s electoral roll, but at least one major group bucks that trend.
Property prices in Dongara and Port Denison have risen significantly during the past 12 months as increasing numbers of retirees, and those in search of a sea change lifestyle, add to the towns’ already thriving industry and business sectors.
The latest quarterly reports from the oil and gas players with stakes in the highly prospective Perth Basin indicate strengthening prospects on the back of a rising oil price and planned joint venture activity.
The seaside towns of Dongara and Port Denison are booming. But developments in the oil and gas industry and an influx of new residents are putting pressure on local amenities, as Alison Birrane reports.
The State Government’s budget surplus in the current financial year could be as high as last year’s unexpectedly large $793 million surplus, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA.
The State Government has started its tax reform package by cutting the rate of payroll tax to 5.5%. We talk to industry about why more needs to be done.
Mayor Tony Vallelonga and the City of Stirling’s plan to redevelop the Scarborough foreshore has met intense opposition from local action group Save Our Sunsets, established by Karrinyup resident John Keall.
All those at the WA Business News coastal development forum agreed that the inadequacies of the town planning system presented the main hurdles to coastal development.
Differences of opinion between local and State governments regarding development in Perth often mirror those found in the broader community, according to the two representatives of local government at the roundtable.
Developers are scrambling to take advantage of the high level of privately held waterfront property and turn the attractions of living on the coast into profit.
A key challenge for developers wanting to change the beachfront skyline is to find a balance between their own proposals and the requirements of the community in which they hope to operate.
Scarborough is Perth’s latest coastline battleground, with The City of Stirling council proposing a planning amendment that would make way for a significant overhaul of the foreshore.
The pristine Western Australian coastline has always played an integral role in the lifestyle, culture and recreational pursuits of those who live here.
High-rise development is often met with resistance because of the lack of comparable, successful projects at the time, according to some of those at the WA Business News coastal development forum.
Each of the four WA Business News’ First Amongst Equals winners has used the time since winning the top accolade to execute bigger and better business ideas.
This week marks the launch of WA Business News’ 2005 40under40 Awards program. Julie-anne Sprague, Noel Dyson and Alison Birrane profile some of the past winners.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, Woodside joined with the WA Youth Orchestra in taking a 56-member youth orchestra to the centre of Woodside’s Pilbara operations, an event that won the mining giant this year’s award for outstanding commitment
