POLITICS & POLICY

The Australian Parliament would likely change its tact on carbon emissions in the next three years.

The Queensland government announced new funding to help south-west Queensland's recovery efforts from floods earlier this year.

Human resources arm Centrelink could be facing the ire of retired workers after docking a 70 year old retired business owner.

Western Australian Christmas shoppers would be able to store-hop at least until 9:00 pm on weeknights come the holiday shopping season as the state parliament gave its approval on Tuesday night to laws that permit shops to operate late and some to trade even on Sundays.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd claimed that he and incumbent Prime Minister Julia Gillard do enjoy a working relationship, describing his present connection with the woman who deposed him as prime minister earlier in June as ‘positive’.

The Liberal National Party (LNP) in Queensland urged the state government on Tuesday to issue guarantee on residents that the existing price caps on energy would remain in place as the opposition party anticipates the looming electricity and gas market review in 2012.

The Western Australian government said on Tuesday that works are currently underway to strengthen the reliability and security of the state’s energy sector as it announced that a new contract would take effect between power retailer Synergy and energy producer Verve.

The mining sector may become a "major target" for both parties seeking votes in the upcoming state election, according to the Minerals Council of NSW.

Australia needs to increase the entry of skilled migrant workers, at least temporarily, if it hopes to avoid considerable damage on its economy as an immigration expert cautioned that particularly vulnerable on the growing skill shortages is the country’s IT industry.

A research fellow from the University of Oxford is puzzled why Australia is too reluctant to assume leadership position in the global campaign for modifying governments’ climate change policies.

Synthetic gas producer Cougar Energy Ltd (ASX: CXY) said on Friday that company measures were underway that would adequately address the environmental issues that plagued its underground coal gasification (UCG) project in the South Burnett region of the southeast Queensland.

The Queensland parliament approved a bill seeking changes in the way land tax is calculated.

Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said on Friday that the planned web filter by the government would not slow down internet speeds but simply ensure that child pornography would not invade Australian households hooked up on the national broadband network (NBN).

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) will be working for meaningful reforms in workplace relations.

The political uncertainty of having a minority government in Australia is not a particular problem for the economic outlook, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) assistant governor Philip Lowe said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Thursday that she welcomes the pronouncements made by BHP Billiton boss Marius Kloppers yesterday on carbon pricing in Australia, stressing at the same time that while the federal government is not rushing on the matter, the likelihood of a carbon tax is an open option for her leadership.

The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) insists on a reasonable pay increase in order to end the work-to-rule ban in hospitals across Western Australia.

The Queensland Government will be resuming properties to build a new train station at Yeerongpilly on Brisbane's southside.

Origin Energy Limited (ASX: ORG) and PNG Energy Developments will undertake an 18-month feasibility study for building an 1800 megawatt power plant on the Purari River in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) highlands.

Queensland Premier Ana Bligh said on Wednesday that the state is poised to get a huge amount of green energy source in the next 10 years once the proposed multi-billion hydropower project in Papua New Guinea is realised.

Newly-appointed opposition communication spokesman Malcolm Turnbull said on Wednesday that the federal government’s handling of the National Broadband Network could potentially lead to a huge waste of taxpayers’ money.

The Senate Economics Reference Committee found the country's corporate regulator to be overburdened.

The kingmaker Greens are beginning to use their influence on the prime minister and her court.

Consumer advocate Choice said on Tuesday that the federal government needs to exercise stricter oversight function on Australia’s banking industry in light of the reported harassment utilised by some major banks in demanding payments from beleaguered borrowers.

The working population will be receiving an early gift this Christmas once the Queensland parliament passes a bill creating extra public holidays on Christmas day and New Year's day.

A non-profit group research shows an alarming rise in the number of short-term lenders prying on low-income earners.

The newly formed government is putting the crucial financial services and superannuation areas in the hands of a 43-year-old 'faceless' man.

As it turned out, the new minority Labor government is now standing on the crucial support provided by two independent MPs, who in turn were enticed by pledges of up to $10 billion regional development initiatives from the federal government.

Former finance minister Lindsay Tanner is set to wear his business suit again but this time as a corporate advisor for Lazard Australia, following his bowing out of politics but not before leaving a major imprint in the previous Labor governments headed by Kevin Rudd and now incumbent Prime Minister Julia Gillard.