Category: Blog

Australia’s acute skills shortage was brought sharply into focus last week when the head of Total, the French energy giant, argued that a lack of manpower was threatening the success of Australia’s booming energy sector. Mr Christophe de Margerie, CEO of Total, applauded Australia for its unprecedented resources boom with surging demand from Asia for…

Australian Lawyer Mege Dalton explains the changes to the Australian migration program that will come into effect on the 1st of July 2012.  

Speaking to CEDA, the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia,  Kruno Kukoc of the Department of Immigration outlined the role of migration in assisting Australian productivity and workforce participation. “There is no doubt that the structural reforms of the past two decades have served Australia well and are a key reason why the country’s economic situation remains promising…

June 17 — Australian Finance Minister Penny Wong talks about the country’s economy and federal budget. Wong also discusses Australia’s planned tax on mining and carbon emissions, and Reserve Bank of Australia salaries. She speaks from Sydney with Susan Li on Bloomberg Television’s “First Up.” http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjdcsw_finance-minister-wong-expects-australia-economic-rebound_news

With a 1.2 percent contraction in Gross domestic product (GDP) and a loss of 80,000 full-time positions in the past two months there are fears that the Australian economy may be weakening. But closer examination of the data reveals long term strength. GDP fell by 1.2 percent in the first three months of the year,…

The new Australian budget was anounced by Treasurer Wayne Swan in Canbera last week. The focus of the budget is on tackling regional Australia’s labour shortages by increasing skilled migration and spending on skills training. Mr Swan said the budget presented a once-in-a-career opportunity to “convert a mining boom into an opportunity boom,” by attacking…

An unprecedented 16,000 skilled migration visas have been allocated for regional Australia for next year. Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan announced, as part of the new budget, a 60 percent increase in skilled migrant intakes under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. Under the Scheme employers can sponsor a skilled migrant on the condition that they live and…

Leading UN telecommunications official, Hamadoun Toure believes the development of Australia’s national broadband network will boost economic growth and take Australia to the top of global rankings when it comes to broadband. ”The way I see it here, Australia has undertaken the largest infrastructure project ever,” he said. ”Three to five years from now, Australia…

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gilard visted China last week and while there had high level talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. What is emerging is the size of China’s commitment to clean energy and its goals of reducing the intensity of its carbon pollution. China has pledged to reduce carbon pollution by…