Infrastructure

BlueScope's Port Kembla steelworks may still be on borrowed time despite a three-year tax break from the NSW government that secures the immediate future of its 4,500 workers.

The state government has released plans to formalise a ‘protection area’ around the Western Trade Coast industrial area, pleasing existing industry but disappointing land developers.

Max Bergomi has left his executive position at engineering group Clough to take the helm as chief executive of Tempo Australia.

Brisbane-based Suncorp Bank is calling time on its sponsorship deal with Perth Arena, making it the first corporate partner to withdraw support since signing with the facility at its 2012 opening.

Crescent Capital Investments has sweetened its takeover offer for infrastructure services group Cardno, boosting the deal to $3.45 per share, one week after competitor Coffey announced a friendly takeover deal with global player Tetra Tech.

A new $32.1 million bus-only bridge will be built in the CBD to ease congestion and get buses out of the city faster, with construction set to begin early next year.

Conditions are ripe for the final piece of Bunbury’s harbour relocation.

SPECIAL REPORT: Economic diversity is just one of the region’s attractions.

The proponent of one of Perth’s three waste-to-energy plants is hopeful more local councils will commit to diverting waste from landfill towards the $400 million project, following a contractual agreement with a group of long-term supporters.

Local technology company DTI Group has won a $5.3 million contract to supply its video surveillance systems to the manufacturer building trains for Sydney’s Metro Northwest project.

A resident fearful of losing her home under the controversial $1.76 billion Perth Freight Link project has wept while making her submission to a senate inquiry.

Thirteen peak industry groups in Western Australia have backed the establishment of an infrastructure advisory group, in a move designed to give the business sector a unified voice and more weight in policy setting.

Business groups in WA are taking the lead on forming a peak infrastructure council after state government failure to support the concept.

Karratha has become the second regional centre in Western Australia after Onslow to complete a major airport upgrade this year, with Busselton and Port Hedland set to commence projects that will lift total spending to about $240 million.

Local manufacturer Civmec has announced plans to further diversify its services, with the formation of a new defence business unit and a $30 million spend to expand its Henderson facilities.

A joint venture between Civmec and Sedgman has won a $145 million engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract at BHP Billiton’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Under-pressure civil contractors have called on state and federal governments to take on further debt to finance more public infrastructure projects.

Former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants to see closer agricultural ties between Australia and Indonesia.

Perth-based Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has been hired to finish off work at Yara International’s $US800 million Burrup ammonium nitrate project in the Pilbara, after Downer walked off the job last week.

Three waste-to-energy projects have received environmental approval, while the state government has increased landfill levies.

Diversified contractor Brierty has won an $8.5 million contract to reconstruct three sections of the Coalfields Highway in the Shire of Collie.

The legal fallout from big resources and infrastructure projects continued to mount this week, when Downer terminated its contract on a $1 billion-plus ammonium nitrate plant in the Pilbara.

The board of infrastructure services group Cardno has told its shareholders to reject a $215 million takeover proposal it received earlier in the week from Crescent Capital Investments.

Shares in local diversified contractor Brierty slumped after it flagged a $6 million hit to its profit result on the back of a cost blowout on a Mains Road WA project.

Watpac Civil & Mining has been awarded $89.3 million in contracts in the gold mining and road infrastructure sectors, with the largest being with Chinese-owned company Hanking Gold Mining.

Diversified firm Transfield Services expects underlying earnings to remain flat but without a repeat of the one-off costs that hit this year's bottom line.

The Town of Port Hedland council voted last night to privatise the regional airport through a long-term leasing deal with AMP Capital and Infrastructure Capital Group, which will run the regional airport for 50 years.

The Town of Port Hedland is poised to complete Western Australia’s biggest privatisation in 15 years, with a consortium led by AMP Capital set to pay $165 million for a 50-year lease over the town’s airport.

Mineral Resources has highlighted new growth opportunities in mining services, infrastructure and manufacturing after posting a sharp fall in annual earnings and cutting its dividend payments to shareholders.

Infrastructure Australia has released its preliminary assessment of the Perth Freight Link, which concludes the project will deliver net economic benefits but also raises questions about its cost.

National rail and freight operator Asciano has agreed to a $12 billion takeover by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, which is planning to seek a listing on the ASX.