Special Reports

Western Australia's main public universities have some of the state's most influential people serving on their governing councils and among their senior staff.

Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop has become the most influential Western Australian on the national political stage during the past year.

Perth is home to some of Australia's biggest private fortunes, but having a lot of money does not always equate to having influence.

John Akehurst may not have rated a mention in WA Business News' annual ranking of WA's most influential people a year ago, but during the past six months he has played a central role in deciding the fate of Alinta.

The state government employs thousands of public servants, yet real influence on public policy in Western Australia rests just with a handful of key advisers working in ministerial offices.

Gooding Pervan partner Dalton Gooding and Azure Capital managing director Mark Barnaba are part of a team that last year enjoyed the highest revenue and profit derived from football earnings than any other club in the Australian Football League.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd is fast approaching decision time on its giant Pluto gas project, which, if it proceeds, will be the single largest investment in a resource project in Australia's history.

Woodside is expected to record a small decline in net profit this year, primarily because the company's fortunes are closely tied to changes in the oil price.

The appointment of David Robb as Iluka chief executive last August may have been applauded by the investment community, but the positive reception for the man has not translated into support for the stock.

When former Wesfarmers executive, John Pirie, took on the job as chief executive of National Lifestyle Villages Pty Ltd more than two years ago he implemented remarkably similar management strategies to those David Robb is currently utilising at Iluka Res

It's lucky for David Robb that he likes a challenge, because his role as CEO at Iluka Resources is certainly providing him with one.

While securing venture capital remains a challenge for many in the state's online business sector, local and international investors continue to see opportunities in the Western Australian market.

WA businesses are spending more on their websites and using new internet applications in order to stay competitive and lift profits.

Two Western Australian-based technology companies were recognised last month at the national Consensus software awards for Australian software developers.

The arrival of Web 2.0 – the ‘new phase' in the internet that encompasses social networking sites, podcasts and blogging – was for some users the most significant event in cyberspace since the dot.com boom.

Western Australia's powerhouse economy has moved into top gear, sparking unprecedented levels of demand for infrastructure and creating a volume of construction work across the state that's challenging the sector.

Punters will be able to shop until they drop this Christmas with no fewer than eight new major shopping centre and showroom projects in Perth due to be completed before the year is out.

The CBD skyline will be transformed before the decade is out as developers move ahead with the construction of new apartment buildings across the city.

Western Australia's economic prosperity is generating unprecedented levels of building activity across public and private sector projects, with no shortage of developments in the planning phase.

Developers are seeking to capitalise on the growing industrial facilities shortage, delivering some of the most significant warehousing construction projects and driving the creation of large new estates.

Private businesses are being sold at higher earnings multiples in the current market compared with recent years, according to West Perth firm Mergers & Acquisitions Pty Ltd.

Most companies pursue acquisitions so they can accelerate their growth and build on their existing business; Neptune Marine was different.

The booming equities market has allowed several mid-cap companies in Perth to go on an acquisition spree.

Sales of hybrid vehicles in Western Australia have almost doubled on last year for the year to date, as 4WD and sports utility vehicles fall out of favour with buyers across Australia and overseas.

Carbon neutral, green energy and long-term sustainability are the new buzz words as business prepares for a carbon-constrained future.

Collie is at the crossroads of Western Australia's water debate in more ways than one.

The widespread deployment of emission-reducing clean coal technologies is about 15 to 20 years away, according to industry leaders.

Fremantle-based Oil Mallee Company Ltd hopes to capitalise on current market sentiment by working towards bioenergy production with an initial $300,000 capital raising and possibly listing on the Australian Securities Exchange.

This year's $US32 billion ($A40 billion) takeover of US power utility TXU was famous for being the world's biggest private equity deal, but it has also become renowned for the role of environmental activists.

Western Australia should move towards ‘sustainable functionality' through a restructuring of its agricultural industry and adaptation to the changing climate, according to an internationally renowned water expert.

The state government's long-awaited Climate Action Statement, injecting $40 million of funding into renewable energy development and committing to renewable energy targets, has received a mixed response from within the sector.

Three substantial commercial law firms have been established in Perth in the past year and each has adopted a fundamentally different strategy and business model.