Latest Headlines

Mining services company NRW Holdings says it is in line for a $200 million BHP Billiton contract for its Rapid Growth Project 5 in the Pilbara.

Coles to be main act at Wesfarmers' briefing; Forrest, China in talks over Pilbara push; Bank move on B&B holders; Inflation data in the March quarter eases the RBA; Qantas flies with Etihad deal

Balcatta-based Repcol has announced plans to invest nearly $20 million in mining services company Resource Equipment Rentals and sell its debt collection business for $350,000.

The state opposition has called for $4 million from the royalties for regions fund to be committed to the $171 million Ravensthorpe biomass energy project, which could create hundreds of jobs in the region.

The state's supply of land for home development is expected to smooth out after the government said it will reintroduce a land tax concession in next month's state budget.

The federal government says there is still some way to go before a proposed liquefied natural gas project in the Kimberley region is approved.

Shares in Bonaparte Diamonds have risen as a second suitor, Queensland company Union Resources, enters the takeover battle.

Iluka Resources expects to pocket $77 million from the sale of its controlling stake in Queensland company Consolidated Rutile after Unimin Australia launched a $150 million takeover bid.

Shares in Anvil Mining have slipped in morning trade as the copper miner enters an underwriting deal for its $C30 million ($A34 million) capital raising.

Property taxes remain one of the biggest revenue earners for government, with the state and local governments in Western Australia raking in more than $4 billion from property taxes last financial year.

Woodside Petroleum announced today that the Kimberley LNG hub was its preferred site for developing its Browse Basin gas fields, even though its joint venture partners have not yet made a decision.

The listed entity of Costarella Design Ltd is preparing to change its activity and name after acquiring Asian Centre for Liver Diseases and Transplantation Ltd.

The Federal Government has officially launched the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute today, with support from 85 bodies including 40 major companies.

China's GDP growth has slowed to its lowest rate in almost 10 years, growing 6.1 per cent in the year to March, in further bad news for Australia's economy.

Copper miner Anvil Mining has called a trading halt while its stockbrokers seek to obtain subscriptions for a C$30 million (A$34 million) capital raising.

Stockland has secured Shell Development Australia, a subsidiary of global energy company Royal Dutch Shell, as a major tenant at its new 2 Victoria Avenue office building in Perth.

WA junior Emmerson Resources has entered into a landmark $28 million binding agreement with Ivanhoe Australia to fast track the discovery of potentially world-class deposits within its fully-owned tenements at Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

THE state government has released the fourth instalment in a series of housing initiatives to address acute housing shortages in the Pilbara.

Peter Hickson has catered to all types of people in his 40 years in the industry.

THE recent completion of a nickel concentrator plant and a proposed expansion to service a new mine makes Western Areas' Forrestania project a rare good story in the nickel world.

Some hard questions still need to be answered on Chinese investment in Australia.

In the second part of our series on big ideas for WA, we feature FORM's Lynda Dorrington,a passionate advocate for change.

How are political and business decisions made to achieve short-term goals of any real benefit to society?

Governments are seeking new, innovative approaches to social housing after almost a decade of stagnation.

Perth planners could learn a lot from our neighbours to the north, in Singapore.

WESTERN Australia hopes to snare a larger portion of funding in round two of the federal government's National Rental Affordability Scheme after receiving 401 homes in round one, which was announced in March.

There's no excuse for leaders losing their cool, particularly with those unable to defend themselves.

FOR more than 30 years, Habitat for Humanity has operated internationally as a non-denominational Christian community organisation with a charter to build simple, affordable and sustainable entry-level housing in partnership with low-income families.

WITH the waiting list for public housing now at 20,000, the state government is seeking community agencies, industry groups and not-for-profit organisations to help alleviate the acute shortage of affordable housing in Western Australia.

THE state government is progressing with its plan to relocate social housing stock from high-end Perth suburbs into lower-cost suburbs In October, Treasurer Troy Buswell announced a review into Homeswest housing in wealthier suburbs, ordering the Departme

QUESTIONS are being raised within the housing industry about the federal government's ability to meet its commitment to supply 3,000 new social housing dwellings in Western Australia through its housing stimulus package.

The Western Australian Trade Opportunities Service is operated by the International Trade Centre of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia.