Government

The defamation battle between West Australian treasurer Troy Buswell and his former lover Adele Carles has turned nasty, with the ex-Greens MP accusing her former parliamentary partner of trying to "sweep her under the carpet".

Former treasurer Peter Costello has ruled himself out of being a part of the Abbott government's commission of audit, but has offered up his thoughts on what the auditors should do.

Bad economic news and some personnel mismanagement are putting pressure on Colin Barnett's leadership.

Australian shares finished lower, but stemmed some of their losses on the back of strong Chinese economic data.

Clive Palmer's political party is now in prime position to win a Senate seat in Western Australia.

Western Australia's Future Fund is a disaster set to worsen with the state losing its AAA credit rating, the opposition says.

Billionaire Clive Palmer is on track to win a seat in federal parliament, as the end of vote-counting in the Queensland seat of Fairfax nears.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he won't be changing the GST despite calls from within his own party for a fresh look at the tax.

Port assets are being sized-up for sale by the Western Australian government in a bid to restore the state's AAA credit rating.

Angry teachers have converged on Gloucester Park protesting cuts to education, leaving more than 60 schools closed for the morning.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott's promise to shut down the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has cast doubt on $400 million worth of loans to businesses in Western Australia.

Australia's online retailers are more likely than traditional store owners to hire staff in the next year.

Tony Abbott sacked three department heads within minutes of being sworn in as prime minister but one of the nation's most influential public servants, Martin Parkinson, defied speculation and retai

Western Australia's prized AAA credit rating was cut today, with ratings agency Standard & Poor's criticising the Barnett government's "limited political will" to improve its budget.

Australia's economic growth is still tracking below trend, but momentum is expected to pick up soon.

The Australian Greens say the coalition government's plan to shut down the Clean Energy Finance Corporation will wreck job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

The search is on for a new director general for the Department of Planning following Eric Lumsden's resignation from the role.Mr Lumsden was appointed as the director general in 2008.

Retailers have urged the new Abbott government to hit the ground running to help boost confidence heading into the Christmas shopping season.

Major party MPs have defended the Australian Electoral Commission amid sustained attacks by businessman and political hopeful Clive Palmer.

Plans to charge $4,000 per year for the children of 457 visa holders attending Western Australian public schools have been watered down after a backlash over the budget-boosting measure.

Federal Labor's leadership ballot, which will involve rank-and-file members for the first time, has the capacity to make or break the party – including in Western Australia.

Three Cabinet ministers is a reasonable start for WA, but this state ought to be aiming for more.

Three Western Australian politicians have been named in Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott's new ministry, with two others receiving posts in the outer ministry.

Canberra's mid-year budget update, usually released at the end of the year, may be delayed until early 2014 by the incoming federal coalition government.

Western Australia's private sector says the state government's decision to sink another $46 million into the Muja AB power station is a questionable decision that lacks financial discipline.

The continued cooling of the mining industry is being blamed for Western Australia's rising unemployment rate, which has jumped to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5 per cent.

The certainty and stability that business craves from Canberra may not be delivered.

Economy rides Abbott victory

Premier Colin Barnett says 457 visa holders deserve more information about plans next year to slug them $4,000 a year for their child's education.

An internet petition set up by a Liberal-voting student to save Labor's national broadband network has become Australia's largest ever online petition.

The federal government's leading employment index fell for an eighth consecutive month in September, pointing to below trend jobs growth in coming months.

The governments of Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett face big challenges when it comes to cutting spending.