Media releases

The Treasurer, Peter Costello, welcomed the announcement by James Hardie that it has finally reached agreement with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on the taxation issues relating to funding a

The Treasurer today announced the nomination of Mr Phil Bowen PSM, a senior official with the Department of Finance and Administration, for appointment as Director, Asian Development Bank (ADB) fr

ABS Government Financial Estimates released today show that the Australian Government is budgeting a fiscal surplus of $10.8 billion in 2006‑07.

The diesel component of the Cleaner Fuels measure will come into force on 1 January 2007.  This aims to ensure that Australia's diesel and our urban environments remain amongst the c

Today’s All Groups Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.9 per cent in the September quarter 2006, to be 3.9 per cent higher than a year ago.

Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane today announced the first two projects under the Australian Government’s $500 million Low Emissions Technology Demonst

   

The IMF has commended Australia’s sound macroeconomic management and continuing structural reform, which it says has underpinned Australia’s sustained strong economic performance.

The Government is delighted with the passage today of the Trade Practices Legislation Amendment Bill (No 1) 2005 (the Dawson Bill).

Today we announce that the Government will refine the Trade Practices Legislation Amendment Bill (No 1) 2005 (the Dawson Bill) to strengthen the role of the Australian Competiti

I have today raised no objections under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 to the proposed acquisition by Thales Australia Holdings Pty Limited, from Transfield Holdings Pty

Australia is the eighth lowest taxing country in the 30 member OECD according to the latest edition of OECD Revenue Statistics.  The chart below shows the member countries’ total taxa

As part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the tax system is operating effectively, I have asked the Board of Taxation to undertake reviews of two different aspects of the tax s

Following consultation with the members of the Ministerial Council for Corporations, it is the Australian Government’s intention to recommend to the Governor‑General that Mr Tony 

The Government will transfer $13.638 billion to the Future Fund during 2006-07.

The Australian Government general government sector recorded an underlying cash surplus of $15.8 billion (1.6 per cent of GDP) in 2005-06.

The Treasurer today officially opened the Life Skills Technology Quest and Trade Fair in Maitland in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales.  At the Fair 600 local school students used a new

Preliminary figures released today by the ABS show that total births in Australia in 2005 is now estimated at 265,031.

Following my announcement of the appointment of Mr Glenn Stevens as Governor of the Reserve Bank from 18 September 2006, I have agreed with Mr Stevens that it is timely for the Government and the R

The Government today welcomed the appointment of ASIC Chairman Jeff Lucy as the inaugural Chairman of the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators.