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Wholesale changes to Western Australia’s planning system, including a reduction in the number of development assessment panels, a more streamlined Western Australian Planning Commission, and standardised local government regulations have been welcomed as a boost to housing affordability and a catalyst for greater diversity of housing choice across the state.

Monadelphous has secured a $60 million contract for work on Rio Tinto’s Pilbara rail network, the latest of a string major contracts it has received from the mining giant.

Cirrus Networks says it has won two contracts with the Western Australian government worth a combined $5.5 million, less than a week after it announced it secured a $5 million contract with the Australian Capital Territory government.

The Australian share market has opened lower following a negative lead from Wall Street, with the healthcare sector leading early losses.

Fast-track visas for world’s best

Oil prices were little changed overnight as expectations that major producers would continue to reduce global supplies ran into worries about sluggish growth in crude demand due to the US-China trade conflict.

Gold prices rose overnight and stayed above the key $US1,500 per ounce psychological level as stock markets slipped on concerns about global economic growth and the US-China trade dispute, triggering safe haven bids.

A summary of last week's smaller deals that did not get included in our daily news coverage.

A summary of last week's smaller deals that did not get included in our daily news coverage.

Home building activity will continue to shrink over the next 12 months in Western Australia, with the state’s residential construction companies having to wait until 2020-21 for any improvements in a sector that has been in decline for a half decade.

Twelve big companies have pledged to lift their indigenous procurement to 3 per cent of their annual spend, seeking to match targets the federal and state governments have already set for their own agencies.

Labour and capacity constraints in South Australia could lead to cost blowouts and delays in the building of new naval vessels, Premier Mark McGowan said today, as he lobbied federal counterparts to move more maintenance work for existing submarines out west.

The Australian share market has finished up slightly, with a lifting in healthcare and consumer discretionary shares outweighing losses for the mining sector.

PCF Capital has struck a joint venture deal with Zhaojin International Mining, as the Hong Kong-based company looks to invest in the Australian gold sector.

While the ‘hackers’ who make the news are usually associated with cybercrimes, a legion of good hackers is at work helping keep your online data safe.

Two Perth businesses and their director must pay almost $90,000 in fines and costs after claiming to be authorised to undertake work for which they were not registered.

The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended environmental approval for the state government's Thornlie to Cockburn rail line extension, despite adverse effects on residents and cockatoo habitats.

Con Michael believes his portable, video conferencing technology can help save lives, and is calling on the state government to do more to help him realise this vision.

Northern Minerals has signed an offtake agreement with Thyssenkrupp, replacing its deal with Lianyugang Zeyu New Materials Sales.

Altrad Services has become one of the largest contractors in Western Australia after the privately owned French group merged and rebranded its Cape Australia and Hertel businesses.

SPECIAL REPORT: An alliance between two big unions will put pressure on oil and gas contractors at a time when many enterprise agreements reach their expiry and a big projects are set to get under way.

SPECIAL REPORT: Four prospective domestic gas projects will be key to ensuring adequate supply in WA in the next decade, despite new facilities recently starting up.

SPECIAL REPORT: Business News spoke to green advocates to explore how the petroleum industry might find common cause with the environmental movement, as pressure builds on billions of dollars of projects.

Eden Innovations is set to raise $8 million via a share purchase plan to strengthen its working capital.

JB Hi-Fi shares have surged after the electronics and whitegoods retailer lifted full-year profit 7.1 per cent to $249.8 million and tipped more to come.

Australian Finance Group has signed a binding agreement to acquire Melbourne-based Connective Group in a cash-and-scrip deal worth around $120 million that will create an entity with over 6,575 brokers.

Nine looks set to take sole ownership of Macquarie Media, with an offer unveiled on Monday that values the 6PR, 2GB and 3AW talk radio owner at $275.4 million.

The Australian share market has opened lower after the heavyweight mining sector started the day in firmly negative territory.

Opening salvo in battle for subs jobs

Oil prices rose more than $US1 a barrel on Friday, supported by a drop in European inventories and OPEC output cuts despite the International Energy Agency reporting demand growth at its lowest since the financial crisis of 2008.

Gold prices steadied on Friday, on course for their best week in over three years, as interest rate cut-inclined central banks, escalating US-China trade tensions and negative debt yields around the globe kept prices close to $US1,500 per ounce.

Trucking company CTI Logistics has foreshadowed a marginal profit for the latest half-year, saying weak economic conditions particularly in Western Australia had resulted in significant reductions in activity and increased margin pressure.