Government

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says he has "personal evidence" Australians are having trouble finding work in the mining and other industries because overseas workers are filling jobs through the 457

A legal challenge against the federal government's mineral resources rent tax has started in the High Court with lawyers for miner Andrew Forrest arguing the controversial impost breaches the

The Barnett government is facing the prospect of a third bout of industrial action during the state election campaign, with Western Australia's public sector union calling a mass meeting

Corrective services minister Murray Cowper is being investigated for alleged illegal land clearing at a holiday shack community, prompting calls for him to be sacked.

Australia's current account deficit shrank by two per cent to $14.678 billion in the December quarter, thanks to a rise in mining exports.

Australian retailers recorded their strongest January sales growth in six years as increasingly confident consumers headed back to the shops.

Workers' output has increased over the past decade but wages have not risen proportionally because of corporate greed, Australia's peak union body says.

Australian businesses have shelved plans to hire new staff or make significant investments in the first half of 2013.

Nearly a third of voters believe the federal government's controversial mining tax should be amended to raise more money rather than being dumped altogether, a new survey has found.

Australian junior miners' growth ambitions are being stymied by a lack of federal government support, a new report says.

Job advertisements rose in February to their highest level since October 2012, a leading employment survey says.

A rise in iron ore and coal exports is expected to have been the major driver of economic growth in an otherwise weak final three months of 2012.

The number of companies that posted a profit during the recently concluded reporting season rose to its highest level in three years.

On the last Sunday before the state election, the Liberals and Labor were making promises to families, seniors, people with disabilities and children.

Western Australia's relationship with Asia is 20 years ahead of the rest of the country, Premier Colin Barnett says.

There are signs of life and glimmers of hope in the market after a reporting season that beat expectations - albeit only slightly - and promised better things to come.

The credibility of Liberal and Labor election promises are both under question, with Troy Buswell admitting the Liberals three major pledges are reliant on being half funded by the Commonwealth, an

Thousands of angry unionists knocked on Premier Colin Barnett's office door to voice their frustration at overseas recruitment yesterday - only to find he was out campaigning thousands of kilometre

Western Australia's Liberal party is promising to chip away at the state's housing crisis by removing outdated restrictions on granny flats.

The federal government has released a consultation paper for its plan to change the timing of company tax payments.

A better-than-expected capital expenditure outlook is another sign the Reserve Bank of Australia won't need to cut the cash rate further.

Disgruntled prison officers in are about to decide whether to strike for a better pay deal as the state election approaches.

Global credit rating agency Standard & Poor's expects Australian economic growth will remain close to trend in coming years, as public debt peaks at a low level.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard believes the Australian dollar will stay high for some time but says this shouldn't stop the nation from having a viable manufacturing sector.

Premier Colin Barnett has committed a future Liberal government to build the long-proposed Perth-Darwin Highway adding to a string of expensive transport projects the competing parties have promise

The Australian Greens and the federal coalition both want Labor's mining tax subjected to another Senate inquiry, but for entirely different reasons.

Qantas has rejected former prime minister Malcolm Fraser's claim it interfered in the case of two Australian businessmen languishing in detention in Dubai.

Former Premier Ray O'Connor, who was jailed for six months in the mid 1990's as part of the WA Inc scandal, has died.

Western Australia's business community says a pledge by Troy Buswell at this morning's debate with Ben Wyatt to increase the payroll tax threshold by $100,000 does not go far enough to ease pressure on companies. (Click through to watch the full debate).

Seven Western Australian business representative groups have come together in a united front against payroll tax, urging whichever party wins next month's state election to “lift the tax on jobs”.