By Garritt C. Van Dyk, University of Waikato The day he took office for his second term, United States President Donald J. Trump unveiled his “America First” trade policy, including tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada (both of which have since been paused) and China. President Trump’s reasoning for the tariffs included revitalising the…
By Scott French, UNSW Sydney In a hectic 24 hours of trade diplomacy, US President Donald Trump has paused his threatened 25% tariffs on US imports from Canada and Mexico, while keeping 10% tariffs on imports from China. Australian companies with operations in Canada or Mexico such as Rio Tinto, whose Canadian operations export billions…
By David Elliott Senior Writer, Forum Stories, World Economic Forum From the climate crisis and geopolitical headwinds to next-generation technologies, a series of complex challenges are rewriting the rulebook for global value chains. Against this backdrop, what are manufacturers and supply chain companies doing to ensure their operations are fit for future success? A new white paper…
By Brent Balinski The most recent Economic Complexity Index rankings continue a downward slide for Australia, which has fallen from 93rd to 102nd. The figures, compiled by the Growth Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School, were updated in September, though have not been noted in news coverage since. According to Australia’s profile in the Atlas…
Although the consumer price index (CPI) slowed to 2.8 per cent this week, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that inflation is also “re-accelerating in some parts of the industrial ecosystem”, employer representative the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has said. In a statement on Friday, Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox called slowing consumer…
By Ross Garnaut, The University of Melbourne Australia now has a government and parliament wanting timely transition to net zero. We have a government and parliament wanting to build Australia as the renewable energy superpower of the zero-carbon world economy. For the time being, we have favourable international settings for using our opportunity. The government…
By Dr Jens Goennemann The passage of time can be unkind. As with any year, you could easily dig up artefacts from 2014 that haven’t aged well. However, the Compete to Prosper report, prepared by McKinsey for the Business Council of Australia, has not aged badly at all. In my view, it remains a relevant document. Its…
The quarterly ACCI–Westpac Survey of Industrial Trends has found signs of improvement in conditions among manufacturers, though the general business outlook from companies for the next six months, while improved, “remains deeply pessimistic”. A summary of the survey, which has been running since 1966, notes that national accounts figures indicate the Australian economy remaining in…
An annual survey run by recruiter Hays — considering the views of “more than 15,000 employers and professionals” — has found manufacturing employers want to expand their headcount but are stifled by skills shortages, while a concerning number of professionals are looking to take their talents elsewhere. The Hays Salary Guide (linked) appears to show…
Channel Nine media has revealed that a group of 70 economists from the nation’s most important universities support the recently announced Future Made in Australia policy. The exclusive story by well respected journalist Shane Wright in the SMH newspaper also puts a rocket up the Productivity Commission which has continued its long standing antipathy to…