The Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR) yesterday admitted that export growth of elaborately transformed manufactures (ETM) has slumped to new lows.
ETM export growth figures for the last three financial years were as follows:
2001-02 – Minus 0.5%
2002-03 – Minus 7 %
2003-04 – Minus 4%
These negative figures illustrate the shrinkage of ETM exports. Each negative [...]
All of the small business representatives on a government committee set up to remove barriers to government contracts for small IT businesses have broken ranks and delivered an unprecedented independent report to Minister for IT, Senator Coonan.
This independent report differs dramatically from the sanitised report that is the ‘official’ conclusion of the ICT SME Joint [...]
Australian music lovers may face legal action from copyright owners for downloading their music on increasingly popular digital music players.
Australian University intellectual property expert Dr Matthew Rimmer said:
“In the US, the courts have recognised that the broad defence of fair use allows consumers to record and ‘time-shift’ television programs for personal use, and ’space-shift’ their [...]
The trade deficit continues to balloon and the state of Australian manufacturing continues to decline. The Howard Government has not done enough to counter this issue by encouraging Australian consumers to buy Australian made.
The Senate Inquiry into Possible Links Between Household Debt, Demand for Imported Goods and Australia’s Current Account Deficit heard yesterday that Australian [...]
The Howard Government has finally followed Labor’s lead in calls for consumers to resist online bank fees, and have acknowledged that internet bank fees are bad news for consumers.
Online banking fees are likely to be far higher than the actual cost of the transaction. The fees therefore reflect pure profiteering on the part of the [...]
The Howard Government’s move to introduce voluntary student unionism will destroy a range of essential services for university students at the Australian National University and University of Canberra.
Subsidised on campus childcare will no longer exist.
The high class sport and recreation centres at both ANU and UC will be left flounder.
The medical and counselling centres at [...]
The Howard Government has squandered an ideal opportunity to strengthen Australian manufacturing to drive future productivity gains and exports.
The manufacturing sector urgently needs support to boost skills training, encourage innovation, modernise transport infrastructure and build export markets. The Government has not adequately addressed any of these pressing priorities in the budget.
Most disappointing of all the [...]
Now is the time to invest in essential skills, innovation and freight infrastructure for Australian manufacturing.
Australian manufacturing is ailing under this Government. Between 2000 and 2004, 50,000 jobs have disappeared in manufacturing. Recent figures have shown that manufacturing growth continues to decline, now reaching record lows.
The trend in manufacturing exports is also on the way [...]
I support the Australian Consumer Association’s condemnation of Australia’s major banks who are hitting customers with new internet banking fees.
It is safe to assume that many customers took up internet banking because there were no fees.
Banks have urged millions of Australian customers to utilise online services so that they can make savings in reducing branch [...]
The Howard Government should introduce a $2,000 Trade Completion Bonus for Canberra’s traditional apprentices in the upcoming Federal Budget.
A Trade Completion Bonus is something the Howard Government can do immediately to help businesses in the ACT and surrounding region to get the skilled workers they need.
Skill shortages have ravaged ACT industries with traditional trades crying [...]
