Government

 Job advertisements have fallen for the third straight month, led by declines in Victoria and the mining boom states of Western Australia and Queensland.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says he is confident the federal government's mining tax will withstand a High Court challenge.

 The state government plans to repeal 40-year-old legislation that deals with the estates of Aboriginal people in a discriminatory way.

Australia trade balance remained in deficit in May but is expected to return to surplus as exports pick up over the coming months.

Bakery chain Brumby's could be fined if found to have incorrectly linked upcoming price rises to the carbon tax, the federal government says.

Pricing carbon may actually stop the transition to cleaner energy, Premier Colin Barnett says.

A single-issue party is poised to enter Western Australia's political scene.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he would call a double-dissolution election if Labor senators block his attempts to dump the carbon tax.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the eurozone's latest jobless figures highlight the deep-seated challenges facing the region, despite some progress in resolving its debt crisis.

Younger Australians are more upbeat about the future than baby boomers while Labor voters are Australia's political pollyannas, a new poll has found.

A leading business lobby group has dismissed as a marketing exercise, a statement signed by hundreds of businesses backing the federal government's carbon tax.

Australia's rate of inflation has fallen to its lowest level since the global financial crisis, a survey shows, giving the central bank room to cut interest rates further.

Australia's central bank cut interest rates in May and June, but is not expected to make it three in a row when its board meets tomorrow.

Premier Colin Barnett says it's not too late for the federal government to halve its carbon price "to something around $10 a tonne", even though he does not believe it will reduce greenhouse gases.

Outgoing police minister Rob Johnson says he doesn't know why he was axed ahead of next year's election and is disappointed by Premier Colin Barnett's cabinet shake-up.

Economists doubt that the central bank will cut interest rates for a third month in a row when its board meets next week, despite further signs of weakness in demand for workers and new houses.

Like it or loathe it, the carbon tax is here.Climate Change Minister Greg Combet insists it won't lead to businesses going broke and power bills forcing families to the wall.

Despite some data showing the economy is growing strongly, it may not be growing strongly enough to match the growth in the number of people wanting jobs.

Retailers say they are nervous about becoming the "meat in the sandwich" when the carbon tax is introduced.

Three new ministers have been elevated to state Cabinet and two have been demoted after Premier Colin Barnett took the opportunity, forced on him by Christian Porter's shock decision to step down,

Business executives around the world have become much more gloomy about the global economy as the eurozone crisis pounds on, according to a new survey by McKinsey & Co.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australians can be proud of their economy which continues to grow and add jobs.

Governments, banks and households struggling with too much debt are dragging down the world's economy and more needs to be done to make the banking system safer, a global organisation of central ba

Fortescue Metals Group says it can beat the federal government's mining tax in a legal challenge that will thrash out the century-old states versus Commonwealth rights debate.

Australians are moving to the nation's mining states and paying handsomely to live there.

As Prime Minister Julia Gillard struts the world stage emphasising the virtues of the Australian economy, there are signs back home not all is going well.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned of "further stumbles" in the global economy, but says Group of 20 leaders have made good progress toward restoring growth and stabilising European banks.

People hoping for some relief from the carbon tax debate after the pollution price begins in 10 days shouldn't hold their breath, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says.

Australia's economic growth is expected to come to a virtual halt in the second half of 2012, a private sector survey shows.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says G20 leaders recognise that growth and austerity must go together to fix economic woes.

City of Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi has been shortlisted for the 2012 World Mayor Prize.

Instability in the euro zone, and its impact on global markets and commodity prices, encouraged the central bank to cut the cash rate again, earlier in June.