Christine Gaylican

The election campaign fever in Australia is starting to heat up as declarations of key campaign platforms are being revealed.

The chief of Infrastructure Australia says new financing solutions are necessary to attract private investors to put in funds into building projects, as taxpayer money gets hard come by.

Coles and Woolworths, the major supermarket players in Australia, continue to spend huge amounts of money for marketing, of which the results will be shown when both post their sales revenues for the fourth quarter in the week to come.

A government official in Queensland has been given the boot for not acting earlier on issues regarding contaminated water brought about by coal gasification tests done underground in South Burnett.

Swan Taxis, the leading taxi operator in Western Australia, has advised the firm’s shareholders to approve the takeover offer worth $38.8 million of ComfortDelGro, a transport company based in Singapore.

OZ Minerals has announced that it intends to expand its South Australia underground mining operations at Prominent Hill due to favourable changes made to the mining taxes.

CSL boosts the medical research capacities of Victoria with its announcement of the expansion of primary biotech facility worth $235 million.

Eugene Liu, Asset Management director of Astarra, said he thought his position as firm director was only an "honorary position" with no specific responsibilities.

Steve Brown, Assistant Police Commissioner of Western Australia, deinies allegations that initiation rituals involving Taser are a part of their culture.

Hopes for a new and strong Gold Coast waterways board would be assembled to handle botched Broadwater have been ruined when the Bligh administration has introduced a weaker committee instead, which is limited only to making dredging location decisions.

Kristina Keneally, Premier of New South Wales, has made a visit to Shanghai’s Bright Foods Store to see for herself how NSW’s Hunter Valley wine is doing in the Chinese market, currently the fourth biggest export line for Australia’s wine.

Wayne Swan, Treasurer of the Australian federal government, has accused Opposition leader Tony Abbott of holding and promoting “extremist views” that incite disunity, as he talked about the Australia’s economic credentials.

Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd has downgraded its profit forecast for the full year by around 31 percent as it strives to convince Aspen Pharmacare to up its takeover bid worth $A649.73 million ($US573 million).

Cotton On, the clothing firm based in Victoria, has paid back about $300,000 to thousands of workers that have been underpaid.

High speed broadband connections are about to become a reality for Kiama Downs and Minnamurra areas in NSW following the National Broadband Network’s deal with Transfield Services yesterday.

NAB (National Australia Bank Limited) has said talks over the possible divestment of AXA APH’s (AXA Asia Pacific Holding) Wealth.net arm were still on-going just several hours before the exclusivity deal of NAB over its $13.3 billion offer lapses.

Jetstar, the budget airline, has announced its expansion of the airline’s services in Queenstown by more than 50 per cent, with twice a week services from Melbourne to the Gold Coast by the middle of December.

Gold, though little changed in early Asian trade, is seen to lose its shimmer and prices may reach the $1,200 per ounce because investors are now keener to invest in other riskier assets.

Nufarm has announced a trading halt again this day in expectance of a profit downgrade this afternoon.

The Opposition has called for the sacking of Peter Garrett, Minister for Environment Protection, over restraints that will delay Queensland’s coal gas projects.

Australia's coal exports rose 10.1 million metric tons in June, as more demand from steel-making countries Brazil and India raises demand, according to data posted on the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corp.'s website.

A multitude of family members and friends came together to bid mining magnate Ken Talbot farewell at a funeral service held at St John's Cathedral in Brisbane this morning.

China's stock market rose after a two-week slump as forecasts showed earnings can exceed an economic slowdown.

Rio Tinto Group, Australia's third largest mining firm, reported a lower iron ore production in the second quarter, a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange indicated.

Qantas has advanced the delivery date of the first set of the state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliners by a couple of years, indicating the company’s confidence in the recovery of air travel demand.

Gindalbie Metals Limited, emerging iron mining firm, projects to shell out $80.4 million in developing its Karara development project worth about $2 billion for the third quarter of this year, which is situated at the midwest area of Western Australia.

IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Australia's third largest mining firm Rio Tinto today entered into a formal collaboration agreement, committing to work together over a three-year period.

Arrow Energy Ltd. said it has not formally received an approved offer from China's state-owned PetroChina of its bid to acquire the A$3.5 billion ($3.1 billion) Australian coal-seam gas producer.

The Australian dollar collapsed from near its highest in three weeks as a report likely to show economic growth in China-the country's largest trading partner-has likely slowed down.