Western Australian businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about the economic outlook over the next 12 months, according to the latest Westpac/Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA report.
The state government will hit the business sector with increased payroll tax bills and make further cuts in public sector spending after confirming that its annual budget will plunge to a $1.29 billion deficit in the current financial year.
The international stage has helped this year's local business and political leaders stand out from the pack – including our Person of the Year, Richard Goyder.
The federal government's Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption has recommended criminal charges against a number of officials from the CFMEU and Health Services Union, while the government has also released terms of reference for a review of the country's workplace relations framework.
Western Australia led the nation in population growth in the 12 months to June 2014, but the state has experienced the slowest growth rate in eight years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Plans to upgrade a major Perth highway using proceeds from a trucking toll have drawn widespread criticism, with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Labor Party and the Greens all finding fault with the project and its funding.
The federal government will not make changes to the GST this term despite a recommendation from an independent economic body, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has indicated.
The state government will invest an additional $591 million to deliver the Perth Freight Link, including the Roe 8 extension, by 2019, with a plan to fund the investment through the first heavy vehicle user charge in the Perth metropolitan area.
The state government is proceeding with plans to create a City of Perth Act as part of its reform of local governments, with cabinet approving the drafting of legislation to be released early next year.
The state's private electricity providers have warned that an unfavourable result in the Energy Market Review could cause problems for independent operators, ultimately stifling competition and putting pressure on power prices.
This week, Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said this was the year that the government "commenced the critical task of repairing the budget".
The deficit forecast for the federal budget has blown out to $40.4 billion, with a surplus projected for 2019-20 in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook.
After two weeks of controversy over Transport Minister Dean Nalder's “perceived” conflicts of interest, a government report released today made it clear why Premier Colin Barnett stripped Mr Nalder of the finance ministry.
The unemployment rate has hit a 12-year high, despite a strong rise in the number of people with jobs, while Western Australia continues to have the lowest unemployment of any state.
The state opposition claims the MAX Light Rail project is doomed, after a Parliamentary Estimates hearing was today told the government was considering constructing an underground rail line to service the same transport corridor.
Domestic tourists spent $4.6 billion while visiting Western Australia in the year to September, which was 12 per cent more than the previous year and three times the average increase nationally.
Australia's free trade agreement with China is likely to deliver significant benefits to agricultural exporters but the gains will be mainly indirect and apparent over the longer term, a report by Rabobank has concluded.
China's consumer inflation fell to a five-year low of 1.4 per cent in November, the government says, amid concerns over the risk of deflation in the world's second-largest economy.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced the government will ditch plans for the $7 Medicare co-payment and instead pursue an optional co-payment, to be introduced at the same time the Medicare rebate to GPs is reduced by $5.
