Government

The number of international visitors to Western Australia each year has surpassed 800,000, with the state again recording the highest average trip expenditure per visitor for the country.

Australia's growth rate fell to 0.3 per cent in the September quarter, less than half the rate expected by market analysts, resulting in annual growth sliding to 2.7 per cent.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the cash rate unchanged for a sixteenth consecutive month at 2.5 per cent.

The Australian economy is picking up a bit of pace as cheaper petrol and low interest rates encourage more spending.

Premier Colin Barnett says he fully supports Transport Minister Dean Nalder, who is under review for a potential conflict of interest.

The federal government is happy to look at any future proposal for a nuclear power plant, but won't be offering taxpayer support.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott concedes there's pressure on the budget that wasn't there at the start of 2014.

Local government representatives from Perth’s suburban north-west have visited Canberra in an effort to spark federal support for the growth of the region.

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has called on business leaders to speak up against government regulations she says are making it harder for Australia to compete.

Western Australian racing and gaming minister Terry Waldron has resigned from Cabinet.

Our annual Transport and Logistics feature discusses the role of a maritime logistics officer, how a business caters to a skills shortage in the transport industry, the tier 3 rail lines, training for truck drivers in the Pilbara, and the recent completion of the Fremantle harbour rail upgrade.

Myer chairman Paul McClintock has again taken a swipe at GST laws, saying they are unfair and harming trade.

Labor has hijacked Senate question time in a bid to try and kill off controversial financial advice laws.

Australia will seek a free trade agreement with the European Union, as Tony Abbott pledged to take a "strong and effective" plan to the 2015 climate summit in Paris.

Former Fraser government minister Reginald ‘Toecutter’ Withers has died in Perth, aged 90.

The uranium industry is hoping to make trial shipments to India next year.

Burswood-based Programmed Maintenance Services has recorded a drop in after-tax profit for the six months to September to $9.8 million as a result of a continued fall in available work in the resources sector.

The Reserve Bank of Australia could slash its interest rate to just 1.5 per cent within a year amid weak consumer confidence and rising unemployment.

An innovative product developed in Western Australia is being exported to energy and resources companies internationally under the leadership of former Bankwest corporate and specialised banking head, Andrew Tolj.

Australian farmers and dairy processors will get a better deal than their New Zealand counterparts under a free trade agreement with China, the federal government says.

A multibillion dollar free trade agreement with China is a game changer that the Abbott government believes will supercharge the Australian economy.

Construction of a $63 million facility to house a space surveillance telescope being relocated from the US to Exmouth is expected to begin mid next year.

The state government has made further amendments to its decision to charge a $4,000 public school fee for families on 457 visas, after community backlash resulted in multiple delays.

Labor believes the federal government is planning to bypass a hostile Senate and introduce its controversial GP co-payment via the backdoor.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is confident the economy will gradually pick up pace in the next couple of years, with the labour intensive services sector a key driver.

Joe Hockey is not going to be panicked into further budget cuts despite a likely decline in the nation's income.

Sluggish wages growth and rising unemployment is hardly a recipe for a happy consumer.

The coalition government has accused Labor of betraying the renewable energy sector by abandoning negotiations on a new target.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia chairman David Turner says Australia's largest lender is "cautiously positive" about 2015 financial year.

Joe Hockey won't deliver a mini-budget when he updates the government's books next month.

A record-high surge in business conditions in October has failed to light a fire under Australian companies, with confidence taking a fall.

Leaner times in the junior mining and exploration sector have resulted in widespread cuts to chief executive pay, but the restraint has not been shared equally across the sector, with some actually lifting salaries.