Opening Australia’s trade window

Trade-related regulatory requirements are administered and enforced by more than 30 agencies at the federal level in Australia, as well as some at the state and territory level, with little coordination between them.

Prospects for an Australia–India trade deal

China’s economic bullying of Australia is turning the eyes of exporters and trade negotiators to another Asian economic superpower – India.

Timtams, wine, and whisky

Trade deals have become the single most important issue for a post-Brexit UK. As Australia is experiencing its own trade tensions, the time is ripe for an Australia-UK trade deal to become a reality.

Reducing Australia’s trade dependence on China

China’s use of trade bans to place political pressure on Australia means we must find alternative trading partners for a host of products, including iron ore and clean energy.

The boom is bust

Whether it’s the gold rush of the 1850s, the mining booms of the early 2000s, or the China market boom of the past six years, Australians never like to admit the good times are over, but we’ve got a pretty good record of finding new sources of prosperity.

More than ore

Despite current political tensions, Australia’s non-traditional exports to China, including the now-threatened shipments of wine, have enjoyed runaway success since the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) was concluded in 2015.

China’s wine dumping ‘investigation’ shows Australian businesses must plan for Chinese coercion

Australian companies are getting the point—trade with China is hostage to the actions of the ruling Chinese Communist Party regardless of consumer desires or business partnerships formed over decades.

Don’t underestimate Australia-US trade relations

The idea that Australia faces a tension between its security alliance with the United States and its economic relationship with China overlooks the importance of its economic relationship with the United States.

Whither Australia-China trade?

The Australia-China trade relationship is currently under significant strain.  In the long run, increased protectionism would not improve Australia’s economic welfare. 

Take the trade dispute with a grain of barley

When Australian trade with China is disrupted, commentary quickly gravitates towards the frame of economic coercion. With such deeply intertwined trade relations, coercion is, in reality, only one possible cause.

How Covid-19 infected global trade

The head of the WTO, Robert Azevedo, abruptly announced his resignation on 14 May. He didn’t explain his reason, but as the guardian of the global trade rules, it could well have been despair.

Where’s the beef?

Business interests are calling for Australia to surrender its values and independence to appease China’s communist dictatorship and preserve their personal profits, but that’s a price too high to pay for beer and barley.