AAP

Western Australia will have a newly sworn-in government at the end of next week after finalisation of results in two knife-edge electoral seats.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher, holding on to the gains made on Thursday after the release of stellar jobs figures.

Seven West Media chief Don Voelte says proposed media law changes are a blunt attempt to impose federal government control over the free press.

The Australian share market bounced back on Friday as traders decided the economy is doing better than a preceding three-day run of losses would suggest.

Gyms, travel agents and car hire companies have been put on notice that they face being sued over contracts that rip off consumers.

Former police minister Rob Johnson has put up his hand for the job of speaker in the new parliament, saying he was previously endorsed for the role by Premier Colin Barnett.

There are still good times ahead for the mining sector, says Australian and UK-listed fund manager Henderson Global Investors.

A union says $50,000 in disability allowances owed by Qantas to 400 workers will be donated to a charity if the airline pays up.

A Reserve Bank of Australia official says the large surge in employment growth in February will not, by itself, have an impact on the interest rate outlook.

Australian cattle numbers have grown substantially, partly as a result of the federal government's temporary suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia in mid-2011, says beef producer Australia

The National Broadbank Network has awarded another $334 million of work to Leighton Holdings company Visionstream.

The banks involved in Australia's most expensive and longest-running court case have won the right to take their battle to the High Court.

The Australian share market has opened stronger after stocks in the United States posted their longest winning streak in more than 16 years.

Shares in Alacer Gold fell almost four per cent after the company posted a full year loss of $342 million.

The S&P 500 flirted with an all-time high Thursday as equity markets continued their upward march in the wake of strong labour data and bullish market sentiment.

The Australian dollar has closed at a five-week high after strong jobs data raised the prospect the central bank would leave interest rates unchanged in the period ahead.

Lower interest rates have been helping the residential building market to recover, with prices in many markets rising, a Reserve Bank of Australia official says.

Wesfarmers is raising million (.8 million) following the successful pricing of a bond issue in the United States.

A proposal to sell the sandalwood plantations managed by agribusiness Elders in the Ord River region to Santanol Pty Ltd has been endorsed by growers.

The Australian share market finished more than one per cent lower after better than expected jobs data cut the chance of another interest rate cut.

Several seats left undecided after Saturday's state election remain on a knife edge as counting continues in Eyre, Collie-Preston and Midland.

James Packer says politicians should curb their rhetoric on foreign workers during the federal election campaign, saying the current debate damages the nation's reputation abroad.

Journalist and author Debi Marshall is the latest wordsmith to be served a subpoena by the lawyers of billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Labor senator Doug Cameron says there is no evidence the federal government should hand some of its powers over the environment to the states.

The Australian share market has opened flat despite stocks in the United States posting their longest winning streak in more than 16 years.

Department store retailer Myer made a better-than-expected profit of $88 million in the first six months of its financial year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new record closing for the seventh straight day Wednesday as US stocks registered small gains.

Emerging iron ore miner NSL Consolidated has struck a $12 million deal with a large Indian company to expand its mining projects on the sub-continent.

The Australian dollar is higher after the release of some encouraging consumer sentiment figures.

Businesses expect the pain of a high exchange rate to intensify over the coming year, with exporters saying they will respond by slashing their investment spending.