SERVICES

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has soften her tone and argued with new semantics to push for the carbon tax.

From IG Markets Analyst Ben Potter:On Wall Street overnight, stock finished the quarter and end of the first half in bullish fashion, logging its fourth consecutive gain as Greece passed a second crucial vote on the implementation of the latest austerity package and a much stronger-than-expected Chicago PMI number.

Small business support for the Australian Government has fallen to a 15-year low, according to the Sensis Business Index released today. SMEs have become much less supportive of the Federal Government’s policies, with the indicator declining sharply during the quarter to be the lowest level since February 1996.

Small businesses in Australia should brace for more pain this coming financial year, the ANZ warns in its latest report released on Wednesday as the power of a stronger dollar and the lure of the Internet marketing on Australian consumers will continue to weigh down on sales.

Australia's small, non-bank lenders have begun applying small increases in its upfront home loan fees and discharge fees in response to the loan exit fee ban.

As world-wide fans give much regard to their virtual farms, pets, mafia gangs, game creator Zynga has deemed it necessary to cast $1 billion international public offering (IPO) tomorrow, 30 June.

At lunch the Australian share market is having a much better day, with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) around 0.4 pct or 19.7 pts higher to 4533.5. Close to all sectors are higher, with gains from the banks and miners helping to keep the market in positive territory.

The Australian government is prepared for the counter-offensive as leading cigarettes firm Philip Morris takes legal action against a planned marketing prohibition in the country.

The organisation of small non-bank lenders in Australia will continue the battle to extend competitive mortgage fees as against the big banks in spite the leveling of exit fees, the industry-led Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) said.

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard is celebrating her first year in government with almost 60 percent of citizens wary of extending support to reforms she wanted to undertake specifically a carbon emissions tax deemed unpopular in an economy fueled by the mining sector.

The Australian stock market is seen receiving a little shove from the negative leads over volatile overnight sessions in the US and European stock markets. The ASX is seen performing modestly on Friday.

National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) has again stoke Australian banking competition, urging its rivals to either act, or explain to their customers why they refuse to give them the best possible deal.

Company software developer AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, has warned Australians of the persisting personal identity theft as more scams might develop and are being created for the tax return season starting on 1 July.

Australian consumers have been carefully weighing their spending and priorities have been set to stop themselves from buying things that are unnecessary.

A large number of flights to and from Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney are expected to be cancelled today.

Independents Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon have presented bills to phase out the live export trade over the next three years.

Remaining employees of Borders Group Inc will be spared being laid off as the company reached a deal with its lenders that would avoid closing more stores.

National property values fell by 2.1 percent during the first quarter of 2011 made worse by weak results from January and February, an inaugural report from Commonwealth Bank and RP Data has revealed.

Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies Tim Mulherin today launched a food policy for Queensland to further build the state’s billion dollar food industry.

People around the globe are changing what they eat because of the rising cost of food, according to a new global survey released today by international aid agency Oxfam.

The uncertain times have made Australian consumers less of a spendthrift and all the more of the conservative shopper preferring to stay clear of debts and save as much from their pocketed incomes.

For a third straight month, business owners in Australia have been down by pessimism as the Australian dollar reached new highs, an indicative report by the National Australia Bank (NAB) said.

Australian men are overweight, have a higher risk of cancer, prone to illicit drug use, injury, and smoking and have a shorter life expectancy that women but don't expect them to see a doctor about it, at least according to a recent study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

More Aussies are forgetting their manners and using their mobile phones inappropriately, according to new Telstra State of the Nation Research.

Beef cattle producers in Australia can expect an increase in projected farm cash incomes in 2010-11 as a result of improved seasonal conditions according to a new report released today by ABARES.

The Australian livestock industry may get a reprieve from the financial debacle posed by the six-month-cattle ban to Indonesia by tapping into the $5-million contingency fund of the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), said Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig.

An Air New Zealand Boeing 767 made an emergency landing at the Auckland airport on Thursday after experiencing engine problems shortly after take-off, the airline and emergency services said.

For the first time, Australia's biggest airport will be managed by a woman effective on 1 July, the company said as Ms Kerrie Mather has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sydney Airport.

Australia's government led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard did not promise to give the local cattle industry any compensation for the recent implementation of a live export ban to Indonesia, which will last for six months.