POLITICS & POLICY

The Transportation Security Administration warned airlines and foreign security agencies on Wednesday that terrorists groups might try to surgically implant bombs under the skins of passengers.

National jobs figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today revealed a significant rebound in the employment market, confirming the underlying strength of the Australian economy.

The Australian government has mellowed down its carbon tax policy that would not be too much of a burden to small and medium enterprises. Industries affected by the carbon price had been reduced to 500 from the previous 1000, the government said.

The national construction industry contracted further in June with solid falls in new orders and activity across the sector. The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) in conjunction with the Housing Industry Association, fell 3.8 points to 35.8 (a reading below 50 indicates a contraction in activity).

Australia has announced it would lift a ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia and resume trade with additional safeguards in place to address animal cruelty concerns.

The campaign for carbon pricing have gathered new supporters as the push for the government policy has turned to popularity and gathering of numbers.

As budget airline Tiger Airways heeded calls made by the Australian consumer watchdog on Wednesday to halt it ticket sales on Wednesday in light of the company’s uncertain flight status, the country’s aviation authority indicated today that a new decision will be issued on Friday.

NBN Co is opening up employment opportunities to registered training providers equipped to skill the workers who will build the National Broadband Network. Training is planned to start in the second half of 2012 to ensure sufficient workers are in place for the full scale rollout of the network, scheduled to begin in 2014.

After battling with GFC and a record-high dollar, Australia’s exporters are now facing a new threat in the face of carbon tax.

As the national broadband network overhauls Australia’s telecommunication industry, so is the largest telco in the country, Telstra Corporation, which announced on Wednesday consolidation on its services and reorganization on the firm’s leadership functions.

The local economy is not as robust as its seems and projected growth could falter down the line in the current year as indicated by the latest Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decision to hold off any rate movements for the month of July on Tuesday.

The Reserve Bank saved Australians from higher mortgage rates and borrowing costs for another month, keeping official interest rates on hold.

Putting pressure on the government, Australia’s solar peak bodies today said at least 73 solar jobs a day are now being lost in NSW due to the policy void around a fair and equal price on solar power.

The Reserve Bank has maintained benchmark rates at 4.75 percent this afternoon which creates a further respite for construction and retail sectors that have been languishing and expect to fully bounce back in 2012.

The Australian Government plans to announce a price on pollution this weekend as the central element of a comprehensive policy to tackle climate change, cut pollution and drive the transformation of the Australian economy to a clean energy future.

Australia's mining boom strengthened the country's trade surplus that has hit a seven-month high to A$2.33 billion ($2.5 billion), from a revised A$1.62 billion surplus in April, the Bureau of Statistics said in a report in Sydney on Tuesday.

Australia's Lynas Corp. took in a new shareholder as Japanese bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has taken close to a 10 percent stake in the mining firm worth $324 million.

See how the Duchess of Cambridge pulls herself together despite angry winds, splashes of water, and other uncontrollable elements.

A spur of new orders for goods gave a glimmer of hope to Australia's services sector industry in June and possibly in the coming months.

Blame it to the camel, which according to an Aussie firm, contributes as much as one tonne of carbon dioxide emission each year to the country’s atmosphere basing on their last accounted population of about 1.2 million heads.

The Royal couple added a dose of adventure to their 8-day stay in Canada as they participate in a Chinese dragon race against each other.

While on their 5th day visiting Canada, William, The Duke of Cambridge took part in an emergency helicopter landing drill while his wife Catherine, watched on.

According to a body language expert, the Royal Couple's affection is evident in the way they address each other with their movements.

See new photos of the Royal couple as they continue their 8-day Canadian tour

Tiger Airways intends to cooperate with Australia’s aviation regulator following the suspension of its domestic services within the country on Friday last week as ordered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Australia’s consumer inflation rates remained flat in June that may reduce the pressure on the central bank to increase benchmark interest rates in the near term, according to the private-sector led survey by TD Securities and the Melbourne Institute.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland today released new research which shows nearly one in six Australians have been a victim or known somebody who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past six months.

Thais had voted for their first woman prime minister. Yingluck Shinawatra received the highest votes so far as the Elections Commission finish their tallying until this afternoon. Other leading candidate, concurrent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has conceded defeat on Sunday evening.

The manufacturing sector in Australia has begun its positive production kick in four months in spite the difficulties in coping with the high value of the Australian dollar and subdued local demand.