Government

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has confirmed the Abbott government has temporarily frozen a controversial rollback of Labor's financial advice laws.

Clean energy, aged care and disaster management are among the sectors highlighted as potential growth areas in the Western Australian economy in a new report by Deloitte.

The state and federal governments have committed $62 million towards widening a section of the Kwinana Freeway in a bid to reduce congestion on the major road.

The federal government will try to pressure Labor over the repeal of the mining tax next week as the re-run of the Western Australian Senate election looms.

Prominent Perth company director Tracey Horton is among a group of business leaders appointed to a new federal Treasury advisory council designed to replicate the discipline provided by a private sector governance board.

An independent think-tank says Western Australia should follow the lead of the Newman government in Queensland and implement major spending cuts after recording the largest increase in operating expenditure of all states over the last three years.

Western Australian farmers are disappointed after being told the roll-out of a much-needed federal drought package will be delayed for several months.

The Abbott government has failed in its first bid to scrap the carbon tax, with the Senate refusing to pass a package of bills to repeal the Gillard-era climate change policy.

Tony Abbott's embattled assistant treasurer Arthur Sinodinos has stood aside after being dragged into a corruption inquiry, with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann assuming his responsibilities.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has lit his "bonfire of regulations", promising there will be many more repeal days to come.

It's looking more likely that the Australian economy will grow at a sluggish pace in 2014.

Former Treasurer Troy Buswell is unlikely to return to parliament until at least April 10 but it remains to be seen whether he intends to remain an MP.

Labor senators look set to ignore a plea from business groups to ditch the mining tax after opposition leader Bill Shorten reaffirmed his commitment to vote down the government's repeal legislation.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief executive Deidre Willmott has urged the Abbott government to go harder on its proposed industrial relations reforms, arguing more needs to be done to tackle union militancy.

The Reserve Bank is more optimistic about the economy, meaning a likely end to its interest rate cuts.

Three business lobby groups with large representation in Western Australia have presented a united front to urge the Senate to repeal both the mining and carbon taxes.

Australian households are each more than $13,000 better off thanks to trade with China, the country's ambassador to Australia told a business lunch in Perth today.

The choice of candidates for Western Australia's senate election rerun will not be as large as first thought, with 77 candidates nominating.

Mike Nahan has been tasked with the difficult job of managing the state's finances ahead of May's budget, replacing Troy Buswell as treasurer in a cabinet reshuffle.

Labor insists there's no rift between its Western Australian Senate candidates Joe Bullock and Louise Pratt, despite previous differences of opinion between the unionist and the gay marriage advocate.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been challenged to expel union heavyweight Joe McDonald from the Labor Party after he was fined for physically threatening a worker who refused to strike.

Controversy surrounding former Treasurer Troy Buswell continues to plague Premier Colin Barnett, while police are still yet to question the former minister about a car crash.

Up to 5,000 Qantas workers in the firing line have been given a month's reprieve after the airline agreed to delay its planned mass redundancies.

Western Australia's controversial shark kill policy will not be probed by the state's Environmental Protection Authority.

Consumer confidence within Western Australia has slumped to near record lows with the closure of high-profile businesses on the east coast and the prospect of higher interest rates rattling households.

The High Court has ruled that native title rights are not extinguished by the granting of mining leases, in what indigenous groups have described as a landmark decision which will provide a clear basis for the resolution of other native title disputes.

Former Treasury head Ken Henry has joined calls for the federal government to face up to the fiscal hurdles posed by the nation's growing welfare and health budgets.

The Western Australian public will differentiate between the state government's problems and the Liberal party's Senate candidates at the April 5 poll, Prime Minister Tony Abbott told a campaign launch in Perth today.

Recent improvements in business conditions seem to have hit a snag as a lack of employment growth weighs on consumer confidence.

The tide appears to be turning for the travel and tourism sector, with data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics highlighting a growth trend in the number of short-term visitors compared to resident departures.

Premier Colin Barnett will be forced to undertake another cabinet reshuffle in the lead up to May's state budget after the resignation of Treasurer and Transport Minister Troy Buswell.

The four major industrial precincts in Kwinana, Cockburn and Rockingham, known as the Western Trade Coast, contributed more than $14.7 billion to the state’s economy in 2013, making it the mos