Staff Reporters

THE senior executive team at Wesfarmers has agreed to a salary freeze for two years and will forego individual bonuses potentially worth a collective $4.5 million.

Frankland River Olive Company director Paul Letari has significantly boosted his shareholding, spending more than $1 million in the rights issue to take his interest to just over 19 per cent.

High investor demand has lifted Carnegie Corporation's capital raising target to nearly $6 million with funds to be used to acquire the intellectual property rights to a wave energy technology.

Cash-strapped Maximus Resources has put its assets up for sale, including its stake in the Windimurra uranium deposit in WA, as it resigns itself to the belief it will not be able to raise enough funds to develop its first major mine.

Western Australia has experienced the largest fall in skilled job vacancies in the country for May with a drop of more than 11 per cent, above the national decline of 7 per cent, new data shows.

Gold miner CGA Mining has increased its capital raising target to $C20 million ($A23 million) after high demand from investors.

Mining services company Emeco Holdings has again cut its net profit forecasts for the current financial year as a result of continuing volatility in global mining and construction industries.

Rio Tinto has agreed to a "realistic" cut of more than a third in iron ore prices with Japan's biggest steel maker, as its customers face up to challenging market conditions.

West Perth-based Terrain Minerals has told shareholders to take no action on an off-market takeover bid by Iron Mountain Mining.

Eastland Medical Systems plans to raise more than $2 million, partly underwritten by Patersons Securities, to fund the final step of its anti-malaria treatment project.

Oil and gas explorer Red Fork Energy has raised $5 million through a placement to fund the development of its projects in Oklahoma.

The average weekly wage in Western Australia has grown more than 6 per cent over the past year to $1,338, higher than the national average of $1,182.

Property developer Aspen Group has locked in $41 million from its planned $82.4 million capital raising, with the institutional component oversubscribed.

THE Note has noticed the closing gap in what was once a yawning chasm between the arts and sport.

ALAN Newman has joined the board of infrastructure investment company Pacific Energy.

TWO Western Australian quasi-government agencies will pocket almost $120,000 in funding under the federal government’s Enterprise Connect’s small grants round, designed for remote and regional small t

ARCHITECT Steve Woodland has been appointed Western Australia’s new government architect. Mr Woodland is design director for architectural firm Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland.

PERTH’S median land price fell 3.9 per cent in the December quarter 2008, but still remains the second most expensive in the country behind Sydney.

STATIC house prices and low interest rates have improved housing affordability for first time buyers to the best levels in seven years.

HAVING recently won a number of international awards for a local radio advertising campaign, The Brand Agency is optimistic of a good showing at the world’s most prestigious advertising awards ceremon

East Energy Resources managing director Mark Brusa has spent more than $3.1 million buying shares in the company as part of a rights issue.

IS your mission statement a promise, a commitment, or a bunch of hot air? Have you ever read someone’s mission statement and said to yourself, “What a load of rubbish.

GREENS candidate Adele Carles claimed a historic victory in a Fremantle by-election over mayor Peter Tagliaferri.

GOLF, painting, listening, composing. Which of the words above is the odd one out and why? Listening, because it is the hardest skill to acquire.

ALCOA of Australia managing director Alan Cransberg, Hawaiian property group manager Kate O’Hara (pictured) and KPMG tax partner Craig Yaxley have been appointed to the Black Swan State Theatre Compan

A SUBIACO-BASED consulting firm launched this week says the global financial crisis has provided it with an opportunity to ensure other companies survive the downturn.

KWINANA-BASED AusGroup is set to enhance its service offering and expand its geographical reach after acquiring scaffolding business Modern Access Services for $15 million.

Miner Panoramic Resources has moved a step closer to full ownership of the Lanfranchi nickel project after shareholders of a joint venture company approved the sale.

Neptune Marine Services has secured $20 million worth of contracts with a range of blue-chip companies including BHP Billiton and Woodside Petroleum.

Property developer Aspen Group has unveiled plans for a fully underwritten capital raising of more than $82 million, which will be used to "secure an enhanced senior debt facility".

A consortium of banks, owed $600 million, have called in receivers to timber plantation and cattle project manager Great Southern.

Shares in Mincor Resources have jumped as much as 30 per cent today after the nickel miner said it had made a potential discovery below its Mariners nickel mine near Kambalda.