News Articles for Paul Papalia

About 30 small Western Australian food and beverage businesses have made the big leagues, winning contracts that contribute to $150 million committed to suppliers across five years at Optus Stadium.

Western Australia's premier food and wine event, Margaret River Gourmet Escape, will be held in its current form for just one more year, with the state government planning a reconfigured event that includes the Swan Valley in 2019.

Prominent Perth businessman John Langoulant has succeeded John Driscoll as chairman of the Rottnest Island Authority.

The state government has given the green light for a luxury camping retreat on Rottnest Island, to be developed by Baileys Group, which has also bought the former Aristos restaurant on the island after selling the Rottnest Express ferry service late last year.

The Fremantle Dockers women's team will play the first football game of any code at Perth Stadium next year in what is tipped to be the biggest standalone women's sport event held in Australia.

Accredited tourism businesses will be able to provide complimentary alcohol without a liquor licence, following changes to the state's liquor regulations announced today.

A decision on whether to sell betting agency TAB will not be made until after the Western Australian budget is handed down next week.

The state government will be seeking to pile pressure on the Commonwealth to secure more defence industry spending in the west, according to Minister for Defence Issues Paul Papalia, as he hit out at his federal counterpart over a perceived lack of naval shipbuilding cash flowing to local players.

The state government has announced Tourism WA chairman Peter Prendiville has stepped down after five years in the role.

The state government will appoint a defence advocate to lobby Canberra to win work slated for South Australia.

Tourism WA will open shop again in Sydney after nearly seven years as part of moves to boost the industry's contribution to the sluggish state economy.

Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia says Western Australia has been dudded in the federal government's $89 billion naval shipbuilding plan, of which WA will receive just over $3 billion of work, while the prime minister has lauded it as “unashamedly nationalistic”.

SPECIAL REPORT: A small group of ministers and backroom advisers close to Mark McGowan will set the agenda for the new state government.

Premier-elect Mark McGowan has given added responsibilities to incoming treasurer Ben Wyatt, while Rita Saffioti, Paul Papalia, Peter Tinley and Alannah MacTiernan have been given key economic portfolios.

The state government will be glad to put 2015 behind it, but there will be no let up in the financial and portfolio challenges it will face next year.

Local Government Minister John Castrilli has announced $10,000 financial packages for local councils that agree to prepare submissions for voluntary amalgamation by the August deadline.