Government

Atlas Iron has announced it will halt all production at its three Pilbara iron ore mines over the next month, a move that is likely to result in the loss of more than 500 jobs.

State Treasurer Mike Nahan has blasted the eastern states for their inability to come to what he considers a fair agreement on the distribution of the GST, and defended the state government's record on economic reform, touting independent public schools and the usage of public private partnerships as two key examples.

Federal Treasuer Joe Hockey has said Western Australia's budget has been hit by a perfect storm, but state treasurers from across the federation are opposing action to stop the slide in Western Australia's GST revenue.

Private driving service Uber has announced it will reduce fares for its budget UberX service in Perth by 20 per cent, making trips with the company up to 50 per cent cheaper than a taxi.

Western Australia might end co-operation with Canberra if it fails to win changes to the way GST revenue is distributed to the states and territories.

Australians would pay more for power at peak times, like hot days, and fork out extra at petrol stations under a government blueprint to grow the energy sector.

Labor has thrown its weight behind an industry compromise on the renewable energy target, but the federal government isn't budging on its lower aim.

March was slow month for new vehicle sales in Western Australia, adding to a slow quarter for the majority of the top industry players, with Nissan being one of the few exceptions.

The University of Western Australia has established a new policy research centre with the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, which is headed by international climate change contrarian Bjorn Lomborg.

BC Iron has terminated a mining services contract with Watpac Civil & Mining three months early as it seeks to cut costs at its Nullagine joint venture operation in response to the plunging iron ore price.

Supreme Court Justice John McKechnie has been named as the new commissioner of the Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission.

The federal government has shifted significant ground on its planned age pension changes, signalling the possible revival of a bonus scheme and tightening access to the part pension.

A young Perth job seeker will start a new job today after successfully spruiking his availability on St Georges Terrace.

BC Iron is the first Western Australian iron ore miner to receive royalty assistance from the state government's relief package.

Although not alone in doing so, Malcolm Fraser's failure to acknowledge the crimes against the Chinese people by the tyrannical Mao Tse-tung diminish his legacy.

Premier Colin Barnett will be looking for a new chief of staff now that Brian Pontifex has been appointed as Australia's next ambassador and permanent representative to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.

The news from the iron ore and petroleum sectors may be disheartening for producers and investors alike, but another of Western Australia's mineral exports is proving as resilient as stainless steel.

Producers and explorers will be breathing a sigh of relief this week after the state government announced it would leave resources royalty rates unchanged in this year's budget.

Amid the gloom, WA has some positive resources stories to tell,with uranium developers buoyed by improving news, investment certainty guaranteed around royalties rates - for now - and nickel reappearing as a sturdy performer.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described it as a "conversation starter" but some issues in the government's tax discussion paper, released today, are already proving debate stoppers.

Australian businesses should prepare now to take advantage of the recent free trade agreement signed with China, according to a recent report by ANZ.

Australians will have two years of their metadata stored by phone and internet providers after the Abbott government's controversial data retention laws passed parliament.

After more than a decade of strong interstate migration to Western Australia, the number of people moving to the west coast is being outstripped by the number of Sandgropers heading for the east coast, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten is reluctant to back a solution to a stand-off with Western Australia about how GST revenue is divided among the states.

Fortescue Metals Group has cited the finer points of the Australian Competition and Consumer Act to justify calls by its chairman Andrew Forrest for Australia's biggest iron ore miners to cap production in order to lift prices.

FOR as long as I can recall, numerous commentators have been forecasting a hard landing in China. And for as long as I can recall they have been wrong.

Software company Stochastic Simulation has joined a growing list of Western Australian businesses kicking goals globally in oil and gas technology development, as local providers increasingly target opportunities offshore.

Australia is likely to avoid a recession as the mining boom fades, the Reserve Bank of Australia boss says.

Trading hours will be extended for retail shops in the metropolitan area on Easter Monday and Anzac Day.

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser has died at the age of 84.

Western Australian teachers have accepted the state government's pay rise offer, with the education minister labelling the deal a win for common sense and financial responsibility.