Special Reports

SPECIAL REPORT: The state government's efforts to boost housing affordability have resulted in an increase in diversity of housing options for those buying their first home, with developers saying Perth is coming of age as a modern city.

SPECIAL REPORT: Despite the state government's best efforts, developers say bureaucracy is the main barrier to getting land to market in a timely fashion.

SPECIAL REPORT: Perth's northern and southern fringes remain the hotbeds for residential land development, but short-term supply issues have hit the industry's ability to keep pace with a surge in demand.

SPECIAL REPORT: One of the Barnett government's most innovative social reforms, seeking to marry hard-nosed investment bankers with not-for-profit groups, is under review.

SPECIAL REPORT: Associations are filling the market with events for business people, leading some to request additional venues.

SPECIAL REPORT: More national and international conventions are choosing to come to Perth, adding a boost to tourism and industry and catalysing a big change at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

SPECIAL REPORT: The past 12 months have been tough for WA's corporate finance professionals, but there is cautious optimism that 2014 will be a different story.

SPECIAL REPORT: The biotech sector came to life in 2013 but pricing was critical to the success or failure of capital raisings.

FEATURE: Gina Rinehart's ability to maintain momentum at the Roy Hill project put the mining magnate at the top of our people of the year list.

FEATURE: A diverse array of privately held and public-listed companies is angling to become the next success story in the onshore oil and gas sector.

FEATURE: Salaries have come under huge pressure during the past year as widespread cost cutting takes its toll on executives' take-home pay.

FEATURE: It has been a difficult year for many of WA's listed entities, but investors are backing the performance of most of the state's top executives.

FEATURE: The state's biotechnology sector is heating up as investors look for the next wave of investment opportunities amid waning resources investment.

FEATURE: The trucking and logistics sector is investing in new growth projects around Perth's two major freight hubs, despite the economic slowdown in WA.

Development activity in the Perth apartment market has risen to its highest level since the GFC, with national players getting more active in WA.

It will probably take Gina Rinehart a few years to catch Bill Gates in the race to be the world's richest person, but it is easy to see how she might overhaul the Microsoft founder's swag of $75 billion.

Property executives were the big movers in this year's Wealth Creators list, while the resources slowdown put the hurt on mining services directors' fortunes.

Choosing healthier food choices and finding the time to exercise can have significant effects on workplace productivity, as two Perth business executives discovered.

The corporate sector has a social responsibility to implement health and wellness strategies, according to speakers at this week's Success and Leadership breakfast.

Rare earths explorer Northern Minerals struck a 50 per cent offtake agreement with Japanese trading giant Sumitomo Corporation last December – but it was nine months before the deal was announced. The timeframe is indicative of the measured approach taken by the Japanese, according to Northern Minerals managing director George Bauk.

Chinese interest in Australian property and resources may be in the spotlight, but Japan still has a significant foothold, particularly in WA.

Things are looking up for WA grain producers, with a bumper crop on the way, but the outlook remains mixed for the state's live animal exporters.

Business News' annual export review charts the state's reliance on a handful of major companies and commodities, despite the emergence of new players.

Improving the flow of medical data is at the forefront of three technology projects aiming to reduce health-care demand.

Keeping people out of hospital can be as simple as a Skype session with a general practitioner, but confusion over who pays for what is thwarting adoption of such technology.

The past year has been tough for listed WA companies looking to raise funds but a lift in activity during the past three months has the industry cautiously optimistic.

A $93 million private merger funding for City Farmers' expansion sets the pattern for WA companies in a tight capital investment market.

The sale of 16 private businesses worth an estimated $500 million helped to sustain activity in what was otherwise a depressed market for mergers and acquisitions in the September quarter in Western Australia.

Strong population growth and changes to retail regulations are driving shopping centre sales.

ALDI's imminent arrival in WA and continuing competition between the retail majors has sidelined many retail developers who just can't pay the big prices Coles and Woolworths will shell out for new sites.

The arrival of a clutch of new international brands in coming years has the potential to rejuvenate the city retail sector, which has been hit by softer spending and the extended shopping hours at suburban centres.

Property group Hawaiian is building on its investment in the community to turn its neighbourhood shopping centres into meeting places.