Australia is uniquely positioned to be able to cut carbon emissions, slash its burgeoning current account deficit and reduce its dependence on imported oil and cars – and all without reducing our living standards, writes Patrick J. Byrne. International pressure is driving the Australian government towards a carbon-trading system that will impose heavy costs on…
Murray-Darling Basin agriculture, which produces about 40 per cent of Australia’s food and fibre, is in major crisis, writes Patrick J. Byrne. With record low water available for agriculture, stressed farmers with record debts are ready to sell off their water and leave the land. Under the National Water Initiative part of National Competition Policy,…
Former ACCC chief Allan Fels and former editor of the Australian Financial Review Fred Brenchley have both said that Australia needs “to start questioning its mindset that opposes discriminatory industry policy and discriminatory trade negotiations”. Patrick J. Byrne reports. Ford Australia is planning to close its engine-plant in Geelong, Victoria, axing 600 jobs. In addition, an estimated…
China has a blend of a planned economy and unbridled capitalism that you won’t find mentioned in any textbook, writes Patrick J. Byrne. An intriguing question was raised recently in Der Spiegel magazine: “Hardly a day goes by on which Asia’s giant Red corporation does not report new and dazzling business figures. And the more…