Government

Western Australia continues to lead the nation in employment, with the creation of about 6,800 jobs in April pushing the state's jobless rate to a three-and-a-half-year low.

The Western Australian branch of the embattled Health Services Union has decided to look at withdrawing from the national organisation, saying it is strongly dismayed by abuse of mem

Mining giant Rio Tinto has flagged cutting some of its multi-billion dollar Australian expansion projects amid soaring costs, but says its Western Australian iron ore developments are likely to be

Australia remains vulnerable to macroeconomic headwinds and too reliant on the central bank to stimulate the economy, says former Liberal leader John Hewson.

Opposition Treasury spokesperson Joe Hockey says the business community is confused by mixed signals in the federal budget.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says small business has been looked after in the federal budget despite the surprise decision to axe the promised cut to the company tax rate.

The latest federal budget could not have been worse for Western Australia, with the state losing more than $1 billion in government funding compared with 2011/12, the state government says.

The federal government intends to spread the benefits of the mining boom, but from what continues to be a shrinking pot.

Australian companies have been abandoned by the federal government, the Tax Institute says.

The federal government has reportedly scrapped a promise to cut the company tax rate.

The federal government says it was always confident its carbon tax would withstand any legal challenge, after one of its biggest critics backed down.

The Senate has remembered Judith Adams for her bravery and stoicism during a long battle with cancer.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has described his fifth federal budget, to be delivered this evening with a forecast $1.5 billion surplus, as one for the "battlers".

Job advertisements posted a sharp fall in April after three consecutive months of rises, a private survey shows.

Business conditions worsened in April, unwinding the gradual improvement in activity of the past few months, a survey shows.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the International Monetary Fund has given a "ringing endorsement" to Labor's plan to return to surplus.

Premier Colin Barnett should leave the proponents of the $30 billion-plus Browse gas hub to make their own decisions and stop upsetting investors, the Labor opposition says.

Liberal leader Tony Abbott is unlikely to ensure Western Australia gets a better deal out of the GST carve-up after backflipping on his previous stance in favour of a per capita dist

Poorer than expected growth from China reduced the market capitalisation of Western Australian listed companies by 2.8 percent in April, according to new research released today.

The federal government insists there will be a floor price when the carbon tax transforms into an emissions trading scheme in mid-2015, despite independent MP Rob Oakeshott suggesting he could try

The government is confusing the public with mixed messages by announcing new defence funding ahead of next week's budget, the opposition says.

Australia needs a strong military deterrent to protect its valuable oil, gas and mineral deposits in the country's north, the federal opposition says.

Former Liberal party adviser and lobbyist Dean Smith will be sworn in as Australia's newest senator next week.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is warning the opposition will need to make "incredible" cutbacks to government services if it does not back spending cuts in Tuesday's budget.

The state government is under pressure to ease the impact of ballooning utilities bills on poorer households in the state's budget this month.

Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew Forrest expects his company will pay "little or no" minerals resource rent tax when it comes into effect from July 1.

One of the country's leading economists says there is no economic imperative for the government to return the budget to surplus so quickly.

Never-ending resource demand from China and permanent public support for action on climate change are two of the things former prime minister John Howard warned should not be assumed when he addres

Premier Colin Barnett says if the distribution of the GST revenue is not fairly shared between the states, the bigger states will take the matter into their own hands.