Erik Pineda

The name South Australia was not attractive enough and a business group is firmly convinced state authorities should consider a complete rebrand to lure more investments and possibly more tourists.

The country's budget plan for the financial year 2012-2013 was not only configured to deliver a surplus but also to prepare the Australian economy for a likely disturbance of global fiscal settings this year.

The euro crisis is definitely worrisome, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Friday, but Australians can look forward on a robust economy, which she added is supported by an investment pipeline totalling to about $450 billion.

Holden will hit American roads again after more than 15 years of absence in the region, GM Holden reported on Friday, and the North American incarnation will come in the form of Australia's venerable sedan, the Commodore.

The Australian government affirmed on Friday allegations of animal cruelty that involved two Australian live animal exporters owing to their business connection with Indonesian abattoirs, which reportedly slaughtered animals using sub-standard techniques.

Financial stress has been causing discomfort among many Australian households and a new study showed that in the event of an economic downturn, millions mired in debt would be buried deeper before overcoming their credit dues.

Nations keep watch on the eurozone crisis, wary that the region's further deterioration could impact on their economies but for an Australian economics professor, the continent's financial stress could prompt for a lower borrowing cost in Australia.

The Australian government said on Thursday that issuing much affordable cigarette brands in the market was an act of desperation coming from the British American Tobacco Australia (BATA), which recently unleashed a new brand that sells for only $11.50.

Samsung is the king of smartphones for the first quarter of 2012, based on the latest global sales data released on Thursday by Gartner.

Apple will issue a new iPhone version later this year and based on reports that emerged, the hit gadget will come with a bigger screen, ditching the standard screen size that the smartphone has been carrying since its 2007 market debut.

Australia's Afghan Mission will definitely end by 2014, according to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, but the country will continue to honour it commitment of supporting stability in Afghanistan.

Australia belongs to the Apple universe, according to Google, which means more iPhones have been activated in the country than Android-powered smartphones as of the first three months of 2012.

Consumers were not buoyed by the huge rate cut handed down by the Australian central bank earlier this May despite the slight climb in the current month's reading of Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Confidence.

U.S. auto giant General Motors (GM) reportedly plans to halt its advertising presence on popular social media site Facebook, a move that the carmaker said was part of an ongoing review on its marketing approach and expenditures.

Facebook has generated enough market excitement that experts said its public offering debut would easily attract total buys that would kick up the company's value at around $100 billion.

Australia's general trading environment is far from being ideal but Coca Cola Amatil (CCA) is upbeat that profit gains will mark the initial half of its calendar 2012, which will be anchored on specific expansion moves.

New Queensland Premier Campbell Newman officially swore into office on Tuesday members of the new state parliament, which saw an overhaul during the March election and booted out the Labor government.

The national budget presented last week by Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan appears to have successfully boosted the poll numbers of the ruling Labor Party, according to the latest Newspoll survey.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Monday that former Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is free to comment on anything and anytime, dismissing suggestions that the ruling party was imposing on its erstwhile leader to shun media interviews.

Three of Asia's biggest economies have agreed Sunday to commence their discussions for the likely establishment of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among them, which China believes would propel the region to further economic strength.

Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin has decided to junk his American passport, believing that his U.S. citizenship would prove impractical as he stays most of the time in Asia, where he has long-secured residency status.

Gay marriage has won the unconditional backing of U.S. President Barack Obama last week and Argentine President Cristina Kirchner is sending an appeal letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, all representing the series of events that marriage equality advocates hope would prompt the Australian government to rethink its position on the controversial issue.

Sony Corp, once the envy of its rivals, chalked up anew billions in yearly losses, pointing to the sagging fortune of the Japanese firm that once crafted consumer electronic products that became ubiquitous in global households.

Australia appears to be on the right track on its carbon pricing program as a UN report that came out Thursday called on countries in the Asia-Pacific region to ramp up their efforts in reducing carbon emission while attaining economic prosperity.

Almost naturally, most men would have a taste of porn back in their younger days but a new study has suggested that no thanks to the accessibility of pornographic materials via the internet, exposure to graphic contents now come at a surprisingly early age.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key voiced out on Friday his personal support for gay marriage, joining U.S. President Barack Obama who openly said yesterday that "same-sex couples should be able to get married."

Kim Dotcom, the controversial figure behind the shuttered Megaupload, is set to hog the limelight a little more with the planned release of his biography and a documentary that reportedly will explore his colourful life and the events leading to his arrest earlier this year.

As Australia prepares to wind down its Afghan Mission, the Defence Ministry reported to the Parliament on Thursday that Diggers operating in Afghanistan gained considerable success in handling insurgents that were captured since last year.

Rio Tinto officials have admitted that challenges in the near-term could hamper the mining firm's full-growth capability, chief of which is the increasing cost of producing the company's prime commodities - iron ore and coal.