Government

The International Monetary Fund believes Australia is probably the best-positioned of the developed countries to handle a further deterioration in the global economy.

All European Union countries, except Britain and the Czech Republic, have agreed to sign up to a new treaty designed to stop overspending on the eurozone and put an end to the bloc's crippling debt

A media adviser for Premier Colin Barnett has resigned after admitting he leaked false information to the media about Opposition Leader Mark McGowan and circulated a photograph of his house.

Global economic uncertainty is hampering the ability of companies to grow and deters them from creating new jobs, according to a survey released today.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has blamed "excessively pessimistic" reporting of Australian economic indicators for keeping local confidence down.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos says there is "total convergence" among political allies on new austerity measures needed for a second bailout and debt cuts to avert default.

The federal opposition believes the Reserve Bank of Australia, and not the government, should do much of the heavy lifting if the local economy needs a boost in the face of a souring global economy

Labor leader Mark McGowan has announced his new shadow cabinet and created a portfolio to address cost of living pressures.

Western Australia's Chamber of Minerals and Energy has predicted investment in the state's resources sector to continue at pace, driving the state's Gross State Product up 4.3 per cent in 2011-12,

Listed investment firm Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC) expects uncertainty in Europe to continue to cause market volatility in the coming months.

Buying Australian-made or grown goods creates local jobs and helps the economy, a consumer group says.

Nearly 80 per cent of Western Australians expect to be able to shrug off the ongoing global economic turmoil over 2012, despite 34 per cent expecting the local economy to deteriorate, a survey rele

Job advertisements on the internet fell by three per cent in December compared to a month earlier, national data shows.

The federal opposition believes Treasurer Wayne Swan will need to be a magician to deliver his promised budget surplus in 2012/13 in the light of downgraded global growth forecasts.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan is being "sneaky" by promoting an opt-out provision for workers under proposed Sunday trading laws, the government says.

More Australian businesses left bills unpaid for 90 days or longer during the December quarter than a year earlier, Dun & Bradstreet said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the federal government will help find jobs for the 350 Toyota workers made redundant and shore up the car industry overall.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has supported calls for Europe to take more action to solve its debt crisis, saying no country is immune from the fallout.

Western Australia's resources sector has applauded the now bi-partisan support for Sunday trading, saying the added vibrancy from more open shops may help attract more migrants from the eastern sta

Oil prices rose modestly Monday after the EU slapped an embargo on Iran's crude exports as part of tough new sanctions aimed at stopping Tehran from funding its disputed nuclear program.

Another official interest rate cut is looking more likely as new evidence shows price pressures are easing.

Toyota Australia has confirmed it will cut 350 jobs due to pressures caused by the high Australian dollar.

Newly-installed state Labor Leader Mark McGowan has confirmed the party will support the introduction of Sunday trading and will not revoke any approvals for uranium mines in Western Australia, in

Motorists will pay less for petrol in the weeks ahead after unleaded petrol prices hit an 11-week high last week, an economist says.

A lower than expected rise in producer prices is expected to set the tone for the release of key inflation figures later this week.

Western Australia continues to lead the nation's economic growth and is set to maintain its course for most of this year, a new report says.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith says he is not concerned that incoming Western Australian Labor leader Mark McGowan could battle the federal government on infrastructure funding from the mining tax.

Economists believe the rate of inflation in Australia is continuing to slow although it maybe the cooling world economy that will play a greater role in cutting interest rates.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the government is "determined" to return the federal budget to surplus, despite a soft jobs market and reduced expectations for global growth.

Western Australian Labor leader in waiting, Mark McGowan, says some decisions by the federal government have hurt his party's chances at a state level.

Australia's jobs market is still weakening, official figures show, adding to the case for a further cut in interest rates next month, economists say.