Former federal treasurer Joe Hockey is confident US President Donald Trump wants a critical minerals deal with Australia for supply of minerals needed for his nation's defence industry.
The United States government has announced a review of its $368 billion Aukus defence pact with Australia and the United Kingdom, in a move which could have major local ramifications.
Australia and the US maintain a strong economic relationship, the foreign minister says, as Donald Trump retakes office as president and spikes concerns about trade tariffs.
The former premier is on the payroll at four businesses after accepting advisory roles at Joe Hockey's consulting firm Bondi Partners and listed company APM Human Services.
A greater proportion of Western Australian taxpayers are likely to benefit from immediate changes to tax thresholds passed through parliament yesterday than other states, according to Business News analysis of Australian Taxation Office data.
The opposition parties in Perth and Canberra are kicking the can down the road on debt, despite the parlous state of their respective budgetary positions.
Attorney General George Brandis says every decision he made in relation to the Bell Group liquidation protected the interests of taxpayers, as the Insurance Commission of Western Australia estimates the litigation over the matter could take another 15 years to resolve.
Treasurer Mike Nahan has called on the federal government to test a variation of its state income tax plan in Western Australia, after saying WA was again ripped off in the latest Commonwealth Grants Commission distribution.
South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon has renewed his call for an inquiry into the cause of the dramatic recent fall in the iron ore price while in Perth today, as shares in the state's biggest miners continued to fall.
Australia needs to reduce its corporate tax burden to remain competitive, according to a series of submissions to the federal government's tax reform white paper.
SPECIAL REPORT: Business News looks at what needs to be done to energize small business during the state's economic transition, reviews the growth of franchises in WA, and looks at the rise of women owning SMEs.
The ‘iron ore wars' and budget battles are defining where power and influence lies in business and politics in WA. Read our latest Most Influential feature to see who is on the rise, whose influence is waning and who has dropped off the list.
The federal government has adopted a Keynesian-style stimulus policy with its new temporary instant asset write-off, moving cash flows for small businesses forward and recouping the revenue in later budgets.
Treasurer Joe Hockey has delayed the federal government's return to surplus by another year, forecasting that the country will be not be in the black until 2019-20 and meaning the Commonwealth will extend its run of seven deficits to 11.
Western Australia subsidised federal spending in other states by around $120 billion dollars during the decade to 2012-13, continuing a trend started after Australia abandoned protectionism in the 1980s.
It may not be popular in political or financial circles, but the treasurer's call for a debate on the use of superannuation for housing resonates where it counts.
The federal government has watered down planned changes to the research and development tax incentive scheme, which industry players say will improve its impact on productivity.
Treasurer Mike Nahan, who is coming up on a year in the job later this month, spoke to an audience of nearly 500 at a Business News Success & Leadership breakfast last week.
Treasurer Mike Nahan has reiterated the state government's commitment to return to surplus by 2016-17, but has pledged not to do it by hitting families or businesses, at today's Business News Success and Leadership breakfast.
The Productivity Commission has flagged reform of the minimum wage, penalty rates and enterprise agreements in its workplace relations review issues paper, which was accidentally released early today.
In a recent interview, RBA governor Glenn Stevens suggested the Australian dollar might fall to US75 cents in 2015. And he intimated that it wouldn't be a bad thing.
The Business News annual export review has the latest data on 33 businesses representing $122 billion in outgoing trade. It also shows that while iron ore continues to dominate, the emergence of LNG, agriculture and services will benefit from a lower dollar.
Treasurer Joe Hockey has announced Australia will implement a new tax reporting standard from 2017, as part of a global initiative to tackle tax avoidance led by the G20.
More than 4,100 Western Australians will take part in the federal and state government versions of disability care, which will run in conjunction from next week.
SPECIAL REPORT: The Economic Regulation Authority has dismissed calls from several industry bodies for the creation of an independent infrastructure advisory body, saying it is an added cost unlikely to contribute much.
Western Australian voters will return to the polls tomorrow for a Senate election re-run which could have major consequences for the federal government's legislative agenda.
