AAP

Musician John Butler has joined a protest group blocking access to the proposed site for a $30 billion gas hub at James Price Point in the Kimberley.

A green group has released analysis that suggests exemptions for big polluters under the renewable energy target (RET) will cost households and businesses $7.1 billion by 2030.

The Australian share market opened higher today after two of the major United States indices rose, but worries continued that Greece's debt troubles could spread.

Labor's plan to create a single national regulator for offshore petroleum and gas storage is bad policy, Liberal Senator Alan Eggleston says.

The Australian dollar is a fifth of a US cent stronger, after the currency recovered some of its recent losses overnight and as the market waits for developments on Greece's debt crisis.

Global markets spin as Greece teeters on brink – The West; Gillard shapes her vision of brave new Australia – The Aus; MPs revolt over Gillard policies – The Fin; Coal dispute could affect trade talks – The Fin; Conquest-Catalpa 'wake-up' – The West

Better-than-expected reports on home building and jobs pushed two of the three major stock indexes higher on Thursday.

Mining may be dominating the economic policy landscape, but it is not where most of the jobs have been created since the commodities boom began.

ANZ Banking Group is taking a small step `back to the future' by opening a branch in India, 11 years after the Asian financial crisis forced it to sell its underperforming Grindlays unit.

Over $28 billion was wiped from the value of Australian shares, which slumped to a nine-month low, as fresh pessimism swept world markets on renewed concerns about the Greek debt crisis and health of the United States' economy.

Prominent Perth businessman John Kizon and his investment partner Nigel Mansfield face a retrial on insider trading charges after Commonwealth prosecutors won an appeal against their acquittals.

Western Australian police officers will take immediate industrial action over the government's "pathetic" pay offer, says their union.

Western Australia's corruption watchdog could increasingly be corrupted if the government extends its role into investigating organised crime, a parliamentary report has found.

A leading business lobby group is demanding the Reserve Bank hold off raising interest rates, saying it would be "devastating" for a manufacturing sector that is in a slump.

The federal government won't risk prime farming land with its carbon farming plan, parliament has been told.

Telstra Corporation chief executive David Thodey says it is not appropriate to answer questions about the national broadband network (NBN) amid reports the telco and government are close to a deal.

The Australian stock market opened more than one per cent lower as the worsening Greek debt crisis and a US economic slowdown weighed on investor sentiment.

Gold miner St Barbara said it was reviewing the merger agreement between Catalpa Resources and Conquest Mining and would consider its position.

The Australian dollar is trading more than one US cent lower this morning, as traders worry that Greece's debt crisis could spill over to other economies.

Flights in and out of Perth are resuming as a volcanic ash cloud veers south and out to sea.

US stock markets fell sharply on Wednesday, more than wiping out the prior day's gains, as investors worried about weakening economic data and Greece's escalating debt crisis.

Stevens defies critics on rate rises – The Fin; Electricity tsar lashes Garnaut – The Aus; Green tick for $25b gas project - The West; WA ready with cattle ban plan – The Fin; $1.2b Catalpa deal thwarts bid – The West

The federal parliament’s sole veterinarian says Australia faces its own animal welfare disaster if 150,000 cattle can’t be exported.

THE science-fiction film Moon portrayed a future where the lunar surface had become a mine site and driverless machines extracted helium-3 for energy.

Dulux' manufacturing facility in O'Connor has just hit the market and is expected to generate serious interest from developers and owner occupiers, according to its vendors.

The ash cloud from a Chilean volcano will circumnavigate the globe a number of times, but Australia should escape a repeat of the chaos that shut down air services this week.

The Australian stock market closed weaker after a "hawkish" speech from RBA governor Glenn Stevens and as jumpy investors ignored a positive US lead.

Agricultural chemicals supplier Nufarm says a writedown of the value of a disputed claim for money will cut its annual operating profit by $21 million.

At least 14 West Australian government agencies don't have adequate systems in place to detect or respond to a cyber attack, the state's auditor general has found.

A clear majority of Australians want the nation to move towards 100 per cent renewable energy, a major survey suggests.

A Perth accountant has been charged with 130 counts of gaining a benefit by fraud after allegedly making false loan applications totalling millions of dollars.

The outlook for interest rates will be widely seen as dependent on the next inflation figures, after a speech by Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens on Wednesday.