Government

Business confidence is at its highest level in almost four years, but it is uncertain whether the improvement will last.

Lending has risen to its highest level in more than six years, as businesses and individuals take advantage of low interest rates.

The National Tertiary Education Union has argued that the impact of the federal budget cuts would leave Western Australia's universities almost $500 million worse off.

Treasurer Joe Hockey has rejected advice from his Liberal predecessor Peter Costello that he cut his losses and scrap unpopular budget measures such as the $7 GP co-payment.

Russia must stop bullying Ukraine or face increased sanctions from Australia and its Western allies, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has warned, a day after Russia announced a 12-month trade ban on agricultural goods from Australia, the European Union, US and several other Western nations.

In a crushing blow to job seekers, the central bank has warned that it does not expect a sustained fall in the unemployment rate for another two years.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has assured a business conference that tax reform has not ended with the repeal of the carbon tax.

Interest rates aren't likely to be moving for the foreseeable future as the Reserve Bank waits to see how the Australian economy copes with its current challenges.

Small businesses will lose more than $2 billion over three years because of welfare changes that will force people to apply for 40 jobs a month, Labor says.

A surprising jump in Australia's unemployment rate has poured cold water on any expectations of a rate hike in the foreseeable future.

Local Government Minister Tony Simpson has used a speech to the Western Australian Local Government Association AGM to urged councils to reform and harmonise regulations across the state.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says Australia’s leading role to win international agreement to deal with the aftermath of the MH17 airline crash has underlined the nation’s can-do attitude.

An independent audit has damned Labor's rollout of the national broadband network and recommends all major infrastructure projects be subject to a published cost-benefit analysis.

Australia's trade balance remained in the red with a deficit of $1.683 billion in June.

Businesses confidence has hit its highest level in 11 years, as the services sector and retailers become more optimistic about their sales outlook.

Job seekers could be the hardest hit if the federal government continues to struggle to get its first budget endorsed.

Another month of solid jobs growth is not expected to be enough to bring the unemployment rate down from its highest level in 10 years.

Inflation appears to be off to a soft start in the September quarter, allowing the Reserve Bank to remain in wait-and-see mode on interest rates.

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey's call for everyone to take a "chill pill" over the budget has brought a heated response from opposition leader Bill Shorten.

The state government has a lot of political capital invested in a successful build of its Burswood stadium.

If Joe Hockey is relieved that Australia's triple-A rating remains intact, he isn't about to show it.

Last-ditch talks between Argentina and the US hedge funds it has branded "vultures" failed to reach agreement, effectively pushing the country into default.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed Clive Palmer's call for a mini-budget as the government struggles to win crossbench support for its tough measures.

The Western Australian economy will return to average growth levels over the coming two financial years as the resources investment boom fades, according to Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief economist John Nicolau.

The latest mining tax take would barely cover the annual salary of a single senior public servant.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has joined the leaders of other major resources companies in calling for the scrapping of the mining tax.

The federal government has today released draft reforms to its employment services model, including changes to work for the dole and $5.1 billion of spending over three years to deliver the programs.

Economic recovery in the United Kingdom and the United States has helped drive a surge in overseas' travellers to Australia.

Former Department of Regional Development director general Paul Rosair has received a $412,000 golden handshake after stepping down from the role on June 30, nine months earlier than stipulated in his contract.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to remain in wait-and-see mode on interest rates following solid inflation figures.

The chief of resources giant BHP Billiton has urged Labor and the minor parties to help the Abbott government repeal the mining tax, saying investment is being destroyed by "a lot of antics" in the Senate.

If the economy needs lower interest rates, that's just what the economy will get, according to Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens.