Infrastructure

Works cannedNearly 400 jobs in limbo as FMG dumps contracts

The iron ore miner says 380 contractor jobs are affected by its cancellation of a string of construction contracts as it scrambles to rein in costs at the troubled Iron Bridge project.

Sean Smith and Daniel Newell

Financial assuranceGupta’s Whyalla steels for Greensill fallout

Regulators have ‘raised concerns’ with Whyalla steelworks saviour Sanjeev Gupta as the solvency of his key financier falters.

Perry Williams, Cameron England, Nick Evans

Infrastructure fundsLoan puts Australian Potash closer to Lake Wells dream

Australian Potash is the latest aspiring potash player to secure a big lick of cash from the Federal Government to fund its Lake Wells project near Laverton.

Stuart McKinnon

$59b pipelineThe five WA projects that need to steam ahead

Five WA infrastructure projects have been listed as national priorities in a $59 billion pipeline to bolster economic recovery following COVID-19.

Sarah Ison

Pooling moneyWACA pool: $25m thrown at project with no plan

There was no business plan for a pool at the redeveloped WACA Ground when the City of Perth’s State-appointed administration committed $25 million to project, according to Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas.

Michael Traill

Pipe dreamTranscontinental gas pipeline back on agenda

APA and Western Gas are looking at a proposal to sell gas from the Equus field to east coast customers.

Sean Smith

Virus bitesNRW shares smashed on weaker margins

Shares in NRW Holdings nosedived today despite the WA-based contractor lifting its payout to shareholders off the back of surging first-half revenue.

Daniel Newell

Power punchLibs’ flagship energy policy ‘unachievable’: Labor

The WA Liberals’ ambitious renewables-led energy transformation would result in ‘rolling blackouts’, huge job losses and add billions of dollars to State debt, Premier Mark McGowan has claimed.

Josh Zimmerman

Go hard, go earlyIndustry insiders say hydrogen energy is watts up

Hydrogen energy sounds like something medieval alchemists would busy themselves with when they weren’t trying to turn lead into gold. But what was once science fiction is now industrial fact.

Ben HarveyChief Reporter

In the moneyWyatt denies WA surplus is a ‘mountain of cash’

The WA Treasurer has defended a $3.1 billion surplus, insisting all of the money had already been assigned to infrastructure projects.

Josh Zimmerman

Recovery planFears labour shortages will delay infrastructure works

Deloitte Access Economics worries the poor financial performance of the contracting sector will shrink the numbers of major firms willing to bid for government work.

Sean Smith

DiscrepancyLabor: Libs ‘grossly underestimated’ Reid Hwy upgrade

The WA Liberal Party has committed $30 million to upgrade the intersection of Reid Highway and Erindale Road, but Labor says the Liberals have ‘grossly underestimated’ the cost of the project.

Joe Spagnolo

Big winNRW wins $80m crushing contract at FMG’s Solomon

The deal comes as the contractor closes in on its full takeover of Perth-based mining specialists Primero.

Daniel Newell

Gathering strengthIron ore port cleared as Lucas bears down

The Pilbara Ports Authority told all large vessels to clear the terminal overnight in anticipation of the arrival of the first tropical cyclone of the summer.

Hiring spreeLocal labour demand hits eight-year high

Demand for labourers has skyrocketed as building companies rapidly expand on the back of significant government incentives that are also helping fuel near record lending by WA homeowners.

Kate Purnell & Sean Smith

Energy playGlobal investor swoops on WA energy firm

I Squared Capital sees its purchase of Clean Energy Fuels Australia providing a platform for a $500m investment program in Australia.

Sean Smith

Off the railsEurostar survival fears grow as UK firms seek rescue

Eurostar has seen traffic plunge 95 per cent during the pandemic and was set to run out of cash in coming months even before the border lockdown that begins Monday.

Christopher Jasper

Tenure shortenedGorgon LNG permits halved in win against Chevron

Conservationists have won a limited victory against Chevron, successfully arguing that the environmental licence for the gas giant’s Gorgon LNG project be reduced to allow for more frequent reviews.

Sean Smith

Holding patternNothing’s plane sailing as COVID strikes back

New COVID outbreaks and lockdowns threaten more turbulence for the struggling airline industry in 2021.

Geoffrey Thomas

College groundedWA’s China pilot training school calls in liquidators

A Jandakot-based training school for future China Southern Airlines pilots has called in liquidators to wind up the company.

Daniel Newell

Union’s safety fearsSecond train down at Gorgon, third likely to follow

Evidence of more welding problems at the facility comes as news emerged of just how close Chevron came to completely shutting down its neighbouring Wheatstone project over cracking issues.

Ben Harvey

More tonnesNew mine deals to grow Gero port exports

Geraldton Port’s annual exports are expected to surge by 1.5 million tonnes from existing mines and a further 2m tonnes now agreements have been signed with the owners of three new mines.

Geoff Vivian

Cost savings$199m to merge Cockburn Cement operations

Owner Adbri has pushed the button on a multimillion-dollar project to transform its WA cement operations south of Perth.

Daniel Newell

Fixing the gridOff-peak power bills slashed in Synergy trial

Some households will have their power prices slashed in non-peak periods but more than doubled in the evenings as part of a trial that could signal the blueprint for the future.

Josh Zimmerman