Government

Former treasurer and attorney-general Christian Porter has backed Gina Rinehart's call for a special economic zone in the nation's north.

 Former premier-turned-lobbyist Brian Burke has denied asking a senior public servant to break the law so he could obtain government information.

Consumer confidence has risen slightly, but remains sluggish despite several cash rate cuts and a relatively solid economy, a study has found.

A senior public servant on trial for corruption says he authorised himself to pass government information to former premier-turned-lobbyist Brian Burke, arguing it was not confidential.

Industry and lobby groups fear the Newman government's first budget will drive up unemployment in Queensland, due to substantial cuts to public service jobs and a hike in mining royalties.

Up to 800 nurses are expected to march on parliament to protest against parking fees at public hospitals where they work.

Good news for job seekers: employers are still hiring.A survey of Australian employers suggests the job market is likely to remain steady in the final three months of 2012.

Consumer confidence in Western Australia has fallen to its lowest level since the global financial crisis, with only 37 per cent of respondents to a survey released today saying they expect improve

Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan has challenged the federal opposition to prove it's ready to roll out new policies by handing them over to the parliamentary budget office.

BC Iron managing director Mike Young has come out in support of Gina Rinehart and accused the federal government of twisting the Western Australian mining magnate's words.

Despite another fall in the unemployment rate, the labour force figures offer plenty of support for the idea that the jobs market is weak.

She brought the big guns - 15 senior cabinet ministers - but in the end, Prime Minister Julia Gillard rarely needed to draw on them in the Labor industrial heartland of Kwinana.

Trade, higher education and green growth will top Prime Minister Julia Gillard's agenda when she meets with Asia-Pacific leaders at a major summit in Russia this weekend.

Australia's principal federal political leaders have rejected Gina Rinehart's suggestion local wages are too high and are holding back the nation's competitiveness.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has criticised the standard of national debate about the economy, saying it's being conducted in a "bizarro world".

Australia has chalked up an unprecedented 21 years of continuous economic expansion, but the central bank may have to step in before the end of the year if the buoyancy is to continue.

Australia's enviable run of solid economic growth is expected to have continued in the three months to June.

The state government has a $7.5 billion black hole in pre-election commitments that it will find harder to plug because of falling iron ore royalties, the Labor opposition says.

The Business Council of Australia has backed calls by coalition-led state governments for GST revenues to be distributed by the commonwealth according to population.

Western Australia won't hand control of its education system to Canberra and won't be dictated to by the prime minister, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has urged the mining industry to recruit Australians willing to work on projects rather than bring in temporary skilled migrants.

A fall in company profits for the past three quarters points to a broad-based slowing of the economy in the months ahead.

The corruption trial of former Western Australian premier Brian Burke has been put on hold pending discussions between defence lawyers and the prosecution.

Job advertisements have fallen for the fifth consecutive month, marking the weakest trend since late 2011.

The state’s peak business body has tipped the state's two-speed economy to become more pronounced, with conditions outside of the resources sector to get more challenging as business investmen

A private measure of inflation has posted its largest monthly increase in almost 18 months but very little is from the carbon tax.

The demand for skilled workers has risen to its highest level in 12 months, but poor consumer and business confidence was slowing the recovery, research shows.

Profit season 2012 was a bit like many State of Origin rugby league matches - tough, bruising and a couple of big hits - but not as bloody as predicted in the pre-game hype.

Carbon offset company Carbon Conscious says the loss of its biggest contract with Origin Energy and the government's scrapping of the carbon floor price will not be a huge blow to its finances this

The mining sector may have lost some of its sparkle, but Australia's economy is still the envy of the developed world.

Finance Minister Penny Wong has painted a rosy picture of Australia's economy during a visit to the US, as the Labor government awaits a crucial domestic growth report.