MORE South Australian firefighters will head to Kangaroo Island today, where bushfires have already claimed one life.

SALVAGE crews have refloated a bulk carrier that has been stuck in mud in a central Queensland harbour for more than five days.

THE drilling of new bores on domestic properties in Adelaide will be banned for at least the next nine months to ensure groundwater supplies are not depleted during the drought.

SALVAGE crews have refloated a bulk carrier that has been stuck in mud in a central Queensland harbour for more than five days.

AUSTRALIAN construction activity has expanded for the third month in a row but an interest rate rise in November has slowed down the growth rate, a survey shows.

TREASURER Wayne Swan says Australia remains well placed to deal with the global economic fallout from the US sub-prime housing market crisis.

SYDNEY, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The Australian dollar AUD= crept cautiously higher for a second session on Thursday as a further rally in equities spoke of improving confidence in the U.S. economy and in riskier investments.

NEW YORK (AFP) - Oil prices rebounded Thursday, crossing 90 dollars a barrel, as the US government announced a mortgage aid plan that could ease credit strains in the world's largest economy.

A Western Australian-based agricultural group says it feels vindicated by a Federal Court finding that Telstra misled consumers about its Next G coverage.

The Greater Bunbury Region Scheme, the grand plan for future development in south-west Western Australia, is now in force.

Aussie construction activity has expanded for the third month in a row but an interest rate rise in November has slowed down the growth rate, a survey shows.

NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar weakened against the euro Thursday after the European Central Bank raised its inflation estimates for this year and 2008 raising expectations that the euro zone bank could be forced to hike interest rates, dealers

WELLINGTON, Dec 7 (Reuters) - The value of New Zealand residential building work grew strongly in the third quarter, data showed on Friday, but the rise is unlikely to alter views the central bank will not lift interest rates further.

Most Australians remain upbeat about the nation's economic future despite many fearing they are just one interest rate rise away from financial ruin.

SYDNEY, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose 0.3 percent on Friday, with U.S.-focused firms such as CSL Ltd CSL.AX gaining on hopes that a White House plan to stem home foreclosures would ease the impact of the housing slump

SYDNEY, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Australian equipment hire company Coates Hire Ltd COA.AX raised its current fiscal year earnings growth forecast to 20 percent on Friday, from an earlier forecast of 15 percent growth.

Industrial equipment hire company, Coates Hire Ltd has upgraded its earnings guidance for this financial year.

With the recent schedule released by AMA Pro Racing of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF, fans of the venerable outdoor motocross series can now expect a season filled wit...

AUSTRALIAN farmers are likely to be among the hardest hit in the world from climate change, losing up to a 10th of their production to global warming in less than 25 years, according to a grim new assessment from the

MORE South Australian firefighters will head to Kangaroo Island today, where bushfires have already claimed one life.