Government

Former resources minister Martin Ferguson has joined Kerry Stokes' investment company Seven Group Holdings as its head of natural resources and will also chair the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association's advisory board.

The loss of Western Australia's AAA credit rating has played a role in the state government ditching plans for an extra storey at a hospital currently being constructed.

Western Australia's peak industry body has called on the state government to commit to comprehensive tax and regulatory reforms to get the state's economy back on track.

The City of Perth is pushing ahead with a bid to expand its boundaries, voting to add another prominent nearby landmark to its jurisdiction.

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey says the budget has deteriorated and the projected deficit for this financial year is likely to be worse than Labor's forecast.

The Abbott government is reportedly considering a review of all welfare payments, including income-support payments for single parents.

The state government will abolish the Swan River Trust and amalgamate its functions into the Department of Parks and Wildlife in a move it says will provide better protection for the Swan and Canning river systems.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is confident of striking the right balance between farmers, the environment and prosperity when it comes to maximising gas extraction in Australia.

The Liberal-led Western Australian government has contradicted itself, revealing it doesn't have a clear policy for state-owned energy assets, the opposition says.

The declining terms of trade means there must be a focus on productivity growth if wages growth is to be sustained, new research shows.

The federal Labor opposition must defend the mining tax and aim to engage with small business, leadership candidate Bill Shorten says.

A future fund designed to quarantine some of Western Australia's mining royalties for future generations isn't making enough cash to offset the state's increased cost of borrowing, the premier says.

The Barnett government kept spending growth to a 14-year low last financial year but revenue growth was even lower, the government's annual report on state finances reveals.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has warned banks and households to remain prudent with their lending and borrowing practices in the current record-low interest rate environment.

Plans to slug 457 visa holders for sending their children to West Australian public schools are still being thrashed out, with criteria for financial hardship provisions yet to be decided.

The man tasked with solving the West Coast Eagles' drug culture problem following the sacking of Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins has now been given the role of reforming Western Australia's prisons.

The Abbott government has set new targets for NBN Co and asked it to continue to roll out fibre-to-the-premises until a review is completed.

The state government is set to launch a new $3.6 million advertising campaign to entice tourists to visit regional Western Australia.

Peter Anderson is stepping down as chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in January.

The defamation battle between West Australian treasurer Troy Buswell and his former lover Adele Carles has turned nasty, with the ex-Greens MP accusing her former parliamentary partner of trying to "sweep her under the carpet".

Former treasurer Peter Costello has ruled himself out of being a part of the Abbott government's commission of audit, but has offered up his thoughts on what the auditors should do.

Bad economic news and some personnel mismanagement are putting pressure on Colin Barnett's leadership.

Australian shares finished lower, but stemmed some of their losses on the back of strong Chinese economic data.

Clive Palmer's political party is now in prime position to win a Senate seat in Western Australia.

Western Australia's Future Fund is a disaster set to worsen with the state losing its AAA credit rating, the opposition says.

Billionaire Clive Palmer is on track to win a seat in federal parliament, as the end of vote-counting in the Queensland seat of Fairfax nears.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he won't be changing the GST despite calls from within his own party for a fresh look at the tax.

Port assets are being sized-up for sale by the Western Australian government in a bid to restore the state's AAA credit rating.

Angry teachers have converged on Gloucester Park protesting cuts to education, leaving more than 60 schools closed for the morning.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott's promise to shut down the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has cast doubt on $400 million worth of loans to businesses in Western Australia.

Australia's online retailers are more likely than traditional store owners to hire staff in the next year.

Tony Abbott sacked three department heads within minutes of being sworn in as prime minister but one of the nation's most influential public servants, Martin Parkinson, defied speculation and retai