Government

Removal of the carbon tax has dampened inflation, allowing the Reserve Bank of Australia to remain in wait-and-see mode on interest rates.

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.

Just a couple of weeks since they last met, Joe Hockey is jetting off this weekend for another meeting with his G20 counterparts in Washington.

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.

It's been a bad month for anyone with shares in the big four banks.

Activity in the services sector has fallen for the seventh consecutive month, but there are signs that it might be getting ready for a recovery.

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.

Half a million Australians have lied or omitted information on a credit application.

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.

Manufacturing activity has fallen for a second consecutive month as the winding down of the car industry overshadowed a big fall by the Australian dollar.

The head of the country's largest wealth manager has warned Australians will end up poorer and paying more tax to fund pensions if something isn't done to boost superannuation savings.

The amount Australians owe on their mortgages has notched up its fastest annual growth for three and half years.

Online retail spending growth continues to slow.

As worries about the global financial crisis fade, Australian households look ready to break open their piggy banks.

Western Australian industrial design firm Form Designs says its shark barrier technology is a more viable cost-effective solution to the shark nets proposed for 22 WA beaches by Premier Colin Barnett in media reports today.

Businesses are not adequately engaging with Asia, despite Australia's future economic growth depending strongly on the expanding region, a new report shows.

Accounting firm EY says debt levels and an ongoing focus on costs is placing more pressure mining services companies in Western Australia.

Standard & Poor's says Western Australia is unlikely to get a credit rating upgrade soon, but it seems encouraged by government measures to improve the state's finances.

The final federal budget deficit for the 2013/14 year has come in at $48.5 billion, $30 billion more than initially forecast.

A new estimate of job vacancies fails to give any credence to the reported surge in the number of people with jobs between July and August.

Western Australia has recorded its highest number of insolvencies for a month in nearly two years, with 841 companies entering external administration across the country in July.

Western Australian Treasurer Mike Nahan has defended his government's optimistic outlook for the state's most valuable export commodity in the past financial year, saying iron ore prices are "bloody hard" to predict.

The amount of money Australia reaps from resources and energy commodity exports is expected to fall this financial year, despite a pickup in volumes shipped overseas.

Western Australian treasurer Mike Nahan says he can't guarantee a budget surplus in the next financial year due to the recent volatility in iron ore prices.

Labor will back the free trade agreement with South Korea but has again raised concerns about giving foreign investors the right to sue the Australian government.

The state government has been urged to take a whole-of-state approach to infrastructure planning after it emerged a new tax was being considered to help develop roads, railways and other major projects in regional areas.

The federal government's competition review advisory panel has released its draft report, with recommendations including the abolition of the National Competition Council and Australian Energy Regulator, deregulation of taxis, pharmacies and trading hours, removal of restrictions on parallel imports, and promotion of user choice in health, education and community services.