Russia’s population is in steep decline. By 2015, the population could shrink by 15-20 million, from about 149 million in 2000. A country needs a birth rate of 2.1 children per woman to replace its population. Russia’s birth rate is 1.17 children per woman of child bearing age. Its death rate is 1.7 times higher…
In contrast to Australia, where a campaign of fear has discouraged the use of ethanol in fuel, other countries are switching to ethanol as more environmentally and people friendly than current fuel additives. In the last Federal budget, the Government put an excise on ethanol (it was previously exempt) to be paid to the ethanol…
Since the late 1970s, the defeat of inflation has been the number one priority of governments and reserve banks. Now that has radically changed. Recently, US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan declared that the number one priority is to stop deflation. Two International Monetary Fund reports have also said that deflation was now the dominant…
Last week the Industry Guidance Group (IGG) appointed by the Federal Government to recommend reform plans for the sugar industry was due to sign off on an agreed strategy. However, it is widely believed that a sizable number of the IGG have not signed off on the plan, as they believe it will be detrimental…