We Must Export More Than Fresh Air

In the sixth of a series, Martin Feil argues that Australia should add value to exports.

Hunger For Imports Blows Deficit Out To $1.6b

THE national trade deficit swelled to a worse-than-expected $1.6 billion in August, as a surge in the import bill added to the negative effect on exports of the high Australian dollar.

Reserve Boss Relaxed As Dollar Continues To Climb

THE Reserve Bank governor, Glenn Stevens, is not surprised the dollar has climbed to a two-decade high, considering the "once in a century" boom in Australian export prices.

Farmers Brace For Interest Rate Rise

AUSTRALIA'S high dollar has stunted export growth, raising doubts about the wisdom of lifting interest rates when farmers and manufacturers are struggling to compete.

Dollar's Rise Both Good And Bad, But Not A Lot Of Either

Exchange rates don't affect import prices that much these days.

Wheat Imports Loom As Drought Bites

AUSTRALIA will import grain to offset a national wheat shortage due to crop failure and for the first time in 10 years faces buying wheat on the international market to honour massive export contracts.

What About All The Empty Containers? Channel Arguments Don't Hold Water

BLUE Wedges challenges Port of Melbourne Corporation chief executive Stephen Bradford to provide the names and specific draught restrictions of the 218 ships that he claims left Melbourne in the three months to September carrying less than their full capacity.

Mondeo To Rescue Ford?

For the first time in 46 years, the Falcon will take third place in the annual sales race. Now Ford may import a medium sedan, writes RICHARD BLACKBURN.

The Planning Force For Macquarie University

WALTER ABRAHAM 1923-2006 W.V. (WALLY) ABRAHAM had a long and fulfilling career as a town planner. Abraham, who has died aged 82, also had the satisfaction of guiding the planning and development of Macquarie University from its inception for almost 20 years, to make it what it is today.

Powerful Argument For Nuclear

IS URANIUM a good bet? If the evidence from Asia is anything to go by, the answer is yes. The economies of China and India are growing fast. Neither produce enough power for existing requirements.

Mining Boom Fails To Deliver On Long-overdue Export Recovery

AUSTRALIA'S long-overdue export recovery is still missing. While the terms of trade soared in the June quarter to the highest levels on record, export volumes staged only a small rebound from the cyclones of March.

Unmerry Month Of May Trade

AUSTRALIA has registered a record 50th consecutive monthly trade deficit. Despite record export prices, the May deficit jumped to $2.3 billion, the ninth biggest on record, the Bureau of Statistics reports.

The Shadow Of Giants

A plan by Melbourne Zoo to import Asian elephants has upset those who claim big animals don't belong in small spaces. By Carmel Egan.

Lodhi's Spy Kit Mistaken For Terrorism, Says Lawyer

THE so-called terrorism manual of Faheem Khalid Lodhi was nothing more than a "boy's own spy kit" used by a suspicious ASIO and police force to support a case that does not extend beyond "speculative analysis", a court has heard.

Export Surge Cuts Trade Deficit

A DRAMATIC surge in mineral exports has sliced Australia's trade deficit to a three-year low, highlighting the importance of trade ties during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit.

Consumers To Pay Price For Low $a

THE Federal Government, manufacturers and economists are hoping a lower Australian dollar will improve export performance, but retailers warn prices will increase.

Blind To True Import Of Awb Wheat Scandal

WHEN it comes to judging the AWB over the payment of bribes to induce Iraq to buy Australian wheat, many people seem to adopt a pragmatic view. So what if a bit of cash had to be spread around to sweeten the deal? Australia got the contract and that's all that matters, they say.

Bhp Claims 18 Big Us Buyers For Its Lng

ONE week after Woodside Petroleum announced new plans to export liquefied natural gas to California, BHP Billiton said 18 large buyers had signed letters of interest in purchasing gas from its rival $US600 million ($795 million) Cabrillo Port import terminal project.

Bhp Gas Buyers Line Up

ONE week after Woodside Petroleum announced plans to export liquefied natural gas to California, BHP Billiton said 18 large buyers had signed letters of interest in buying gas from its rival $US600 million ($A800 million) Cabrillo Port import terminal project.

Work, Quotas To Cut Deficit

ERNEST Rodeck's article (Business, 19/1) describing with clarity the unfortunate consequences of Australia's policy of unilaterally removing import quotas is most timely.