Government

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

The Australian Greens are crying foul over reports Labor may not preference them at the re-run of the Western Australian Senate election.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show retail spending rose 1.2 per cent in January, three times the 0.4 per cent rise economists had expected.

The federal government insists it is working to stop global companies avoiding tax.

GDP rose by a better than expected 0.8 per cent in the December quarter, taking economic growth to 2.8 per cent for 2013.

Western Australia will go back to the polls on April 5, after governor Malcolm McCusker confirmed the date of the re-run of last year's Senate election.

Industrial relations is set to become a new political battleground after the Abbott government introduced wide-ranging changes to workplace law.

Business investment in Australia had an unexpectedly large fall in the last three months of 2013, led by a big drop in mining related investment.

The state government has named Lend Lease as its preferred contractor for road and bridge works at the new $1.2 billion Perth Stadium.

Industry groups have welcomed the federal government's announcement of an independent review into the 457 visa scheme.

SPECIAL REPORT: Former Verve Energy CEO Shirley In't Veld says when it comes to government-owned businesses, politics often wins out over commercial imperatives.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt has stepped in to stop the auction of carbon units, saying it will give business certainty ahead of the government's plans to scrap the carbon tax.

The Western Australian Senate vote debacle has claimed two senior scalps at the Australian Electoral Commission.

Western Australians will see a lot of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and hear much more about the carbon and mining taxes as their Senate election is re-run.

A peak industry group says new data showing a drop in apprentice and trainee commencements is cause for concern and reflects continuing employer uncertainty about the state of the economy.

Western Australia's 1.5 million voters will go back to the polls to elect six senators after the High Court voided the 2013 election result.

The economy is showing signs of getting stronger and that means more interest rate cuts from the central bank are unlikely.

Western Australians could go back to the polls as early as next month after the High Court could not declare who was elected to the WA Senate because of lost votes.

Voters in Western Australia will find out tomorrow whether they will go to a fresh Senate election which could determine the fate of the Abbott government's agenda.

It takes a fair degree of political skill to effect changes to even the most unpopular of taxes.

The City of Subiaco has thrown two new proposals into the discussion surrounding local government reform, flagging a merger with the City of Perth or extending its boundaries to claim a portion of

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has attempted to rebuild bridges with Western Australia's major mining identities, admitting to past Labor mistakes while touting Perth as the iron ore capital of the

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he supports changing the law to allow Qantas to be majority overseas-owned, but won't be offering the airline a "free ride on the taxpayer".

Premier Colin Barnett has warned more workers could lose their jobs this year, after the collapse of contractor Forge Group and a jump in the state's unemployment rate.

Australia's unemployment rate rose to 6 per cent in January, official figures show, the highest level since July 2003.

Toyota and Treasurer Joe Hockey are at odds over whether workers' conditions and unions are to blame for the company deciding to pull out of car production in Australia in 2017.

Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in seven months as worries about rising unemployment and higher interest rates causes anxiety about household finances.

The Abbott government is reportedly preparing to sell off Medibank Private for $4 billion without having received expert advice on whether to do so and how.

Australian business conditions have risen to close to a three-year high, a private survey shows, while business confidence is up for the first time in four months.

Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi has renewed her push to include the complete Burswood peninsula within the City of Perth, arguing the Barnett government's preferred local government boundary changes dimish the city's importance.

Rumour and innuendo is causing grief in Australia's renewable energy sector, an industry that craves certainty yet has found little in recent times.