Don’t get too excited about the super cheap international holidays available right now. A weak Aussie dollar keeps our manufacturing up, our unemployment down and our exports competitive, writes Tom Elliot.
Manufacturing
Riding the coattails of Asia’s success
Despite initially being the hardest hit by the GFC, Asian economies have proven more resilient than US and Europe. Manufacturers are hopping on board, exporting to developing countries like China and India and reaping the rewards.
Carr has his head in the sand on exports
Australia might be free from recession and recovering, but the big traditional manufacturing (making) economies of the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea are still very sick. Demand for goods that are ‘made’ is going to be very weak for some time.
Tech-sploitation? Life inside a Chinese gadget sweatshop
The manufacturers of tech products recently came into the spotlight after a Chinese worker at an iPhone factory committed suicide. So what’s life really like for the people who build your iPods, laptops and digital photo frames? Seriously depressing, according to this worker’s account.
Economic data puts Australia on the precipice
Business indicators fell in the March quarter, confirming expectations of a negative reading for first quarter growth.
Keffiyeh: Made in Palestine
The keffiyah: the scarf once a symbol of Palestinian nationalism and now an item of tragic Western hipster fashion. Monocle visits the last Palestinian keffiyeh factory, now in competition with cheaper Chinese manufacturers.
Australian manufacturing in record decline
Australia’s manufacturing industry is at a cross-roads: it’s sinking fast, but a new research centre at Swinburne Uni might offer a glimmer of hope.
BNW? Rolls Joyce? China’s knock-off cars
You’ve enjoyed their knock-off clothes and electronics for years, now China is manufacturing cars that look almost exactly the same as popular Western models.
China: the new Detroit
China is now the world’s largest market for cars. If Beijing gets its way, the future of the auto industry will be small, green and — of course — made in China
Political snippets: What are our diggers dying for?
Meaty snippets from the home of government by Richard Farmer.
Dyer’s Real Economy wrap: Grim news for German growth, Cruise industry sinking
What’s the German word for spin? … German growth looking grim … More deals for air travellers? … Cruise lines are sinking … Read the fine print on housing news … How do you solve a problem like Japan? … Chock biscuits sales fall, Big pizzas up … Oroton shows them how it’s done … CK suffers.
Manufacturing slumps, but that’s just the good news
Manufacturing is contracting in Australia, just as it is in the US, Japan, Europe and all other major economies, writes Glenn Dyer.
Hard to beat automakers for greed and incompetence
Just when you thought that the automakers deserved one last chance — what do the CEOs do? They fly down from Detroit to Washington in private jets, writes Adam Schwab.
Fisher and Paykel: Rudd’s first trade credentials test
Fisher and Paykel appliances is closing its Brisbane whitegoods plant and moving it to Thailand to save money. Here’s an early test of the Rudd Government’s trade credentials, writes Glenn Dyer.
