Paul Cleary’s book Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Australia’s Future, is a timely appraisal of the dramatic economic and social impacts, as well as the political ramifications of the current resource…
Paul Cleary’s book, Too Much Luck, paints a negative picture of Australia’s mining industry.
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CORRECTION: Stephen Kirchner’s review of Paul Cleary’s book Too Much Luck said he “wants the Foreign Investment Review Board to use its powers to force foreign companies to buy local”, and that he has…
India is emerging as a world economy - so why can’t Australia make more its relationship?
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CHOGM: As the leaders of Commonwealth nations prepare to meet in Perth this week, The Conversation is examining the role of the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) Meeting. In the first piece…
Activists protest against Glencore by placing bottles of polluted water at its Swiss offices.
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Welcome to “The most powerful companies you’ve never heard of” – an ongoing series from The Conversation that sheds light on big companies with low profiles. Today, The University of Western Australia’s…
Working to improve the performance of the resources sector is a challenging, yet important research focus.
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There is common assumption that those of us who undertake applied research with the commercial world must be biased. This month the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), which…
Despite strong export data, Australia’s trade relationship with China isn’t as developed as we think.
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AUSTRALIA IN ASIA: In the seventh part of our series, James Laurenceson looks at the challenges in doing business with China. The headline numbers surrounding Australia’s exports to China make for impressive…
Peace and stability will be crucial for Libya’s post-revolution development.
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With the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi’s autocratic regime, the transitional government in Libya is prompting hopes for a new era of democracy in the country. While a swift transition to democracy is certainly…
Out of the box: an export tax could be combined with the Federal Government proposed resources tax.
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Australia’s lagging manufacturing sector faced thorough scrutiny last week, amid calls for more government support for local industries following BlueScope Steel’s $1 billion loss and its decision to sack…
What can you do with a hole in the ground? It’s about more than planting trees.
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In late 1986, residents of Diamond St, Kingston, an outer southern suburb of Brisbane, began to notice a black sludge-like substance seeping through the soil and into their gardens. Within six months…
OPEC president Mohammad Aliabadi believes speculation in futures is inflating oil prices. He is wrong.
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OPEC Conference president Mohammad Aliabadi recently joined a chorus of international observers to blame speculation as the source of ongoing volatility in the global oil market. Speaking at an OPEC Conference…
Sunset on the Kimberley coastline. Is the future of tourism in WA at risk from mining?
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The West Australian government’s decision to reject a proposal to establish a coal mine near the Margaret River in the state’s south came after a drawn-out application and approval process that was anything…
Will Andrew Forrest succeed in his push to change the mining tax? Others have succeeded in the past.
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Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s visit to Canberra earlier this week didn’t prove particularly effective in swaying the government on its freshly drafted mineral resources rent tax (MRRT) legislation. But the…
Fortescue chief and mining magnate Andrew Forrest changes focus.
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Andrew Forrest, one of Australia’s wealthiest mining magnates, has announced his resignation as chief executive of Fortescue Metals Group. In a statement released to the ASX, Fortescue Metals Group Chairman…
China can easily rouse its banks, but awakening its consumers will be tougher.
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West Australian Premier Colin Barnett’s bold claim on Friday that his state was looking “over the horizon” past Canberra to forge stronger links with China capped off a few weeks of strong rhetoric from…