Latest Headlines

WESTERN Australia’s peak property industry group, the Real Estate Institute of WA, expects the State’s real estate market to continue its solid growth throughout 2004 in response to WA’s strengthening economy.

THE State Government has provided conditional agreement to purchase failed retirement village project, Shenton Village, out of receivership.

MANDURAH housing estate, Port Bouvard, recently released the first stage of its new multi-million dollar luxury housing development.

PERTH’S universities are capitalising on their sizeable land holdings in an effort to remain viable in the increasingly competitive world of tertiary eduction.

2003 was a stellar year for large and innovative business deals in Western Australia. Mark Beyer, Tracey Cook and Noel Dyson detail the year's best.

A NEW-LOOK e’cucina will open later this month featuring more street exposure that is hoped will boost night and weekend trade, according to owner Steve Smith.

FUEL prices are not something I get worked up over very often.

E’CUCINA head chef Herb Faust began his career with an apprenticeship at e’cucina and, as chefs do, moved around to secure further training.

PATERSONS Securities and Euroz Securities have strengthened their position as the top Western Australian broking firms in equity capital raisings.

ENJOYING a bottle of 1993 Pol Roger Blanc de Blanc at a campsite in Nornalup was the perfect way to see in the New Year.

A SMALL group of Perth-based corporate advisory firms have established a growing niche in equity capital raisings for Western Australian businesses.

WITH sport so major an ingredient in Australian cultural life it’s not surprising new Labor leader Mark Latham announced he’d welcome, with “open arms” outgoing Test cricket captain Steve Waugh should he ever seek a political career.

DEMAND for Western Australian commercial property remained strong throughout 2003 and, despite the tightly held nature of this sector, the year was notable for a number of record-breaking deals,

MARKETFORCE emerged as the big winner among those competing to do business with the Western Australian government, signing a $134 million advertising contract.

2003 marked the start of a new era for players in the Perth radio market. Julie-anne Sprague reports on the often bitter battle for supremacy.

Western Australia has a strong basis for a vibrant IT industry, but more needs to be done to ensure its viability and growth. Alison Birrane reports on a sometimes-turbulent year for the ICT sector.

OCKERBY Real Estate, one of Western Australia’s largest residential real estate firms, is switching its banking business from BankWest to Challenge Bank.

THE State Government has confirmed that three types of stamp duty will be abolished on January 1.

While 2003 may have lacked the wheeling and dealing of previous years, it was a year of consolidation in many market sectors, as Tracey Cook reports.

HOME loan affordability in Western Australia fell by 0.5 per cent for the September 2003 quarter, according to the AMP Banking/REIA Home Loan Affordability Report.

FORCED to wait up to three months for bricks from Perth’s main brick producers, builders are turning to a brick company in the State’s Mid-West to plug some holes in the failing supply chain.

Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group is well on the way to ensuring its infectious mix of food and drink becomes the first choice for Perth pub goers, as Julie-anne Sprague reports.

Gusto takes a look at some of the events that shaped the year in Perth’s food & wine sector.

A BUSINESS that started building go-karts for kids in 1989 has undergone enormous growth – to the point where it claims to be the world’s biggest producer of small to medium beach buggy kits.

It’s not easy to pick the best of the year’s wine industry events or tastings, particularly when you’ve been invited to so many, but David Pike does his best.

FORMER Ernst & Young tax partners Dan Fogarty and Ian Crisp have joined forces to establish a specialist tax practice targeting the corporate and resource sectors.

THE Wine Industry Association of Western Australia walked into a storm when it announced that our State had a glut of red wine and that millions of litres were sitting unsold from last vintage.

IF elections, complex internecine party machinations and factional imbroglios aren’t your favourite – and you qualify for long service leave after mid-2004 – take some time off and go interstate or overseas for that long-planned holiday.

A PERTH bicycle manufacturer has come up with an invention that could take the world by storm.

PERTH-BASED Oi! Toys Limited is progressing with its plans to become a powerhouse toy and entertainment producer and manufacturer.

WHEN Troy Hughes turned his mind to more than the just production of cardboard boxes he charted a new course for his Kewdale business. And that direction has taken him into a new realm altogether – cardboard cutting to cater for kids.

Design is an important component in the success or otherwise of a retail outlet, as Tracey Cook reports.