Chinese demand continues to drive export growth in Western Australia, with more than 57 per cent ($6.2 billion) of the state’s $10.9 billion of goods exports in August bought by China.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum is seeking to recover about $11 million in unpaid royalties amid producer disquiet about possible royalty rate increases.
Small-to medium-sized businesses can expect savings on their energy bills of between five and 10 per cent following the axing of the carbon tax, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says.
China's surprise decision during free trade talks to impose tariffs on Australian coal shows the importance of getting an agreement soon, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
The unemployment rate rose in September, but economists are taking the figures with a grain of salt after the Australian Bureau of Statistics admitted there were problems with its recent data.
The huge rise in employment in August and the spike in the jobless rate a month earlier didn't actually happen - the Australian Bureau of Statistics intends to revise most of it away.
The International Monetary Fund expects Australia will have the worst jobless rate in the Asia-Pacific region, bar the Philippines, over the next two years.
Interest rates don't appear to be moving any time soon, with recent falls in the Australian dollar still failing to impress the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Perth's established suburbs accounted for just 28 per cent of all urban land development in 2012, well below the long-term 'infill' target of 47 per cent, prompting calls for regulatory reform from the Property Council of Australia.
Tony Abbott won't say whether the budget has improved or worsened since the coalition came to power just over a year ago, instead saying it was more "honest".
The state government has announced plans for the private sector to design, build, finance and maintain eight new public schools, using a contracting model that has previously been employed in four other states.
The federal government has given conditional approval to develop a single-entry marina, which will accommodate up to 500 pens and moorings at Point Peron peninsula in Rockingham.
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion says a partnership between Western Australia and Chinese geoscientists could help unlock the mysteries of the state’s geology.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is not expected to raise its interest rate until at least early 2015, but that might come sooner if the Australian dollar keeps falling.
Western Australian utilities are boosting the state government’s budget bottom line, partially offsetting falling GST and royalty revenue, according to the latest round of annual reports submitted to state parliament.
Consumer confidence in Western Australia is well below levels in the European Union, despite leading indicators suggesting there is a positive story in the state’s economy, according to Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief economist John Nicolaou.
Treasurer Joe Hockey will pursue more savings across all government departments after conceding defeat over a raft of tough welfare and pension measures.
Tony Abbott is determined to get his government's finances back into balance despite continued objections to some of its May budget measures and the additional costs of beefing up national security.
August saw mixed performance in retail, with turnover up 0.1 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest monthly report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Department of Mines and Petroleum says it will return millions of dollars in unconditional performance bonds associated with dead tenements to mining companies and individuals through its rehabilitation fund program.
