The fate of Western Australia's Senate election looks set to be decided in court - or with a new election for six WA senate seats - after the Australian Electoral Commission admitted it had lost more than 1,300 votes.
The state government will introduce legislation this week which it says will encourage greater transparency around the environmental approvals process for mining projects and cut costs for business.
With hopes fading that non-mining sections of the economy will take up the slack of a waning resources investment boom any time soon, an independent forecaster believes government infrastructure spending must be encouraged.
More than 1,100 West Australian public servants have applied for generous voluntary redundancy packages, as the state government strives to trim the budget.
Billionaire Clive Palmer has accused the Australian Electoral Commission of "complete incompetence" after more doubts emerged during the recount of votes for Western Australia's new senators.
A council representing industry heavyweights including BHP Billiton and Alcoa has thrown its support behind the City of Kwinana's proposal to take over part of the City of Cockburn and assume responsibility for the Kwinana industrial strip.
Non-mining investment is at levels not seen since the 1990s recession but a falling Australian dollar, low interest rates and improving business confidence should turn things around.
The federal government has announced the first stage of its promised sell-off of Medibank Private, saying a scoping study will be completed by the end of February 2014.
New laws to repeal Labor's mining tax could save the federal government $13 billion over the next four years, as it also plans to scrap a range of measures designed to assist small business and families.
Premier Colin Barnett says there is no link between Perth Glory boss Tony Sage donating $25,000 to the Nationals and the club receiving compensation over the refurbishment of nib Stadium.
Australia's inflation rate was higher than expected in the September quarter, prompting economists to review whether the Reserve Bank will agree to any further interest rate cuts.
The Abbott government has named leading businessman Tony Shepherd and former WA bureaucrat Robert Fisher as members of a federal commission of audit with very broad terms of reference.
Western Australia has recorded one of the lowest local election turnouts in the state's history, with just over a quarter of enrolled voters taking part.
Western Australia remains the top economic performer but the fortunes of all the states and territories are expected to improve, following the election of a new federal government.
Labor leader Bill Shorten has named his opposition ministry, with WA MPs Gary Gray and Melissa Parke awarded the resources and assistant health portfolios respectively.
WA MP Don Randall insists he was entitled to claim expenses including more than $5,000 for a trip to Cairns on "electorate business" and a refund for a children's cookbook.
The state government has introduced legislation to merge Synergy and Verve Energy, but is yet to release regulations that will specify how existing contracts between the government entities and the private sector will be protected.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is planning to fundamentally change the way federal and state governments interact, including a shake-up of the Council of Australian Government meetings, according to WA Premier Colin Barnett.
The possible privatisation of Higher Education Contribution Scheme debt could see Australia become like the United States, where degrees are unaffordable for many, the National Union of Students says.
Australia's economy has suffered a significant loss of momentum since the start of the year as its transition away from being a mining investment gets bumpy.
Providing greater access to training and boosting links with industry will be the focus of a new review of the state's vocational education and training sector.
