The Coalition’s rewriting of economic history continues apace as part of its obsession with the Howard years.
Business / Economy
Rio Tinto, BHP results cloud mining tax bottom line
Just how much money will the government’s revised mining tax end up raising from the big players, ask Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane?
The issue of interns
Many workplaces have interns, helpful young students who volunteer in return for some practical experience (the Crikey intern gets our coffee!). But what are the legal issues of an intern in the office? Anthony O’Donnell explains.
What’s in a name? Lots of money…
A snappy and memorable product name is critical to commercial success. It’s not just the brand name, the recent Coca-Cola “share-a-Coke” campaign created a Pavlovian response in people, writes Moensie Rossier.
How a rate hike could save the banks
Australia’s banking systems have a weakness – our so-called ‘funding gap’ – and it’s time to bring that weakness into the open, given that ANZ is this week deciding whether to lift mortgage interest rates, writes Robert Gottliebsen.
Kohler: trouble in a carry trade paradise
Keynesian purists are all clutching their foreheads, but actually it’s pretty fabulous that Australia’s politicians are competing with each other to promise budget surpluses.
The Reserve Bank’s inclination to punish
The Reserve Bank of Australia are a callous lot, says Richard Farmer. Let’s not worry about those 5.2% of people without a job, or all those working less hours than they would like to.
Gottliebsen: productivity problems? Call IT
Australian businesses and US businesses are adopting totally different strategies for the year ahead. Our chief executives are going down a dangerous path, says Robert Gottliebsen of Business Spectator.
Wayne Swan causing a credit squeeze? Get real
Claims that Wayne Swan could hurt the banks by pressuring them to pass on rate cuts are rubbish.
Plenty of light in the doom-and-gloom retail figures
The headline fall of 0.1% in the seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for December got the “rate cut looms” mob back on the hunt this morning.
The impact of FOFA — industry claims brought undone
A new report shows how hysterical the financial planning industry has been in its opposition to reform.
Maley: a Greek writedown chain reaction?
Global equity markets have enjoyed the best start to the year since 1994, but their euphoric mood is about to be sorely tested.
Politicians and the awful reality of a strong dollar
For all her problems, Julia Gillard understands just how important the strong dollar will be not just for business but governments, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
Residential property market continues to struggle
Despite the best attempts by housing bulls, banks and politicians to resuscitate the flailing residential property sector, the Australian market (Sydney excluded) continues to struggle
IMF offers grim growth
predictions
Crikey media wrap: Christine Lagarde, chief of the International Monetary Fund, likened current economic conditions to the Great Depression overnight, with new IMF figures predicting a downturn in global growth.
Why state governments need to get out of industry policy
Much damage can be done in the name of industry assistance by state governments.
Gottliebsen: facing off against a jobs raid
Global hedge funds and the capital markets are engaged in a two-pronged game to skyrocket Australian unemployment, writes Robert Gottliebsen, at Business Spectator.
Why the RBA should hold fire on rates
The local and international economies aren’t as bad as many claim, and the RBA should hold off on cutting rates.
Kohler: carried away in an Aussie dollar dance
Global hedge funds are starting to make big returns from borrowing in euros and investing in higher-yielding currencies such as the Australian dollar.
Kohler: why unemployment is heading to 6%
There is an unfolding employment disaster going on in Australia, but compared with Greece and Spain, Portugal and Ireland, we’re doing just great.
Something for everyone in new employment data
The latest unemployment data are a decidedly mixed bag. The real concern is the participation rate.
Hey World Bank, unless there’s a Lehman-like collapse this isn’t ’08
Lehman’s collapse was an unanticipated, unknown event set up by the pre-existing toxic cocktail of the sliding US economy and other issues — so the World Bank is wrong to predict the same kind of results this time round, writes Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
