Despite it all, China dominates Australian trade – again

China has reasserted its dominance over Australia’s export markets, taking a record of almost 1 billion tonnes of mineral resources and agricultural commodities last year, and displacing the trading partners that helped Australia out during the years it suffered Chinese economic punishment.

Whatever happened to wellness?

The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda, but the battle against inflation and the new focus on productivity has pushed wellbeing back down its list of priorities.

Pet shop productivity

Former prime minister Paul Keating used to say the resident galah in any pet shop was talking about micro-economic policy. These days, if you encounter a pet shop with a galah, she’ll be chattering about productivity, but will the Government’s new roundtable allow progress to be made?

The future of USA-Australian trade

Donald Trump’s tariffs have rocked world markets but a more measured assessment of their impact on Australia-US trade relations should be informed by history and morality as well as dollars and cents.

Australian strategy for the Asia Pacific

Australia must realign its economic strategy to handle mounting pressure from US tariffs and global trade volatility by deepening ties with key Asian partners and investing in emerging sectors like space technology to safeguard its national prosperity and regional influence.

Death of taxes

No politician wants to introduce taxes, but Australia may have to as costs increase and revenue declines if Trump’s tariffs plunge the world into recession.

Labor’s productivity plan

The Albanese government’s second and possibly third term in office provides another opportunity to undertake the major structural changes required to secure Australia’s future as an inclusive and dynamic knowledge-based economy.

The productivity problem

Australia’s productivity performance has been poor for decades, but neither party wants to tackle the issue, despite its importance to economic growth.

Rough seas ahead

Businesses and global markets thrive in times of certainty, but Donald Trump’s willingness to drive a coach and horses through prior practice and common sense mean that the IMF’s world trade uncertainty index is currently 7 times higher than it was in October 2024, far higher than even during the pandemic.

Open for business

As Trump imposes tariffs to shut out the world, Australia could show the Indo-Pacific how open it is by killing the last of its tariffs, completing our trek from being a highly protected economy to one of the most open in the world.

A capital idea

To secure a prosperous future, Australia must address capital allocation within its economy, orienting to revitalise its domestic manufacturing industry.

Australia’s economic (mini) miracle

Despite COVID and the current cost of living crisis, the most striking feature of the Australian economy in the 21st century has been the exceptionally long period of fairly steady, though not rapid, economic growth.