News Desk
Dissecting the numbers on labour prices and inflation
RMIT economist Jonathan Boymal talks about the low wage price increases and cost of living increases.
Why the bad news on unemployment isn’t so bad after all
In this podcast, economist Sinclair Davidson looks at the latest unemployment figures. He says the rise to 5.3% is not as bad as it seems because it shows the job market is picking up with more people looking for work.
Talking Business Interview: Craig Scroggie of Symantec discusses cyber security
This week’s episode of Talking Business features an interview with Craig Scroggie, vice-president and managing director for the Pacific of Symantec, the world’s largest data security company. Mr Scroggie talks about the changes that technology has wrought on the world, the opportunities it has brought for business, education, healthcare, entertainment and individuals and the growing criminal practices – fraud, identity theft and more – that lurk in its darker corners and threaten us all.
Talking Business: The week in news
In this week’s podcast: Garry and Leon talk about the RBA holding interest rates at 4.5%. Despite that, evidence suggests that inflation is building a head of steam and economists expect interest rates of 5% by the end of the year. Plus, more on housing prices, the mining boom, and Optus’ advantage over Telstra.
What does an older society mean for the economy?
RMIT economist Alberto Posso looks at the rapid increase in over-65-year-olds, which is three times more than the increase in younger people. He says this will put pressure on dependency ratios and economic growth. He says cuts to immigration are bad for the economy because they will put further pressure on dependency ratios.
Talking Business Interview: Michael Lawrey on the upgrades ahead for Telstra
In this podacst, Leon and Garry talk with Michael Lawrey, Executive Director for Networks and Technology for Telstra. Lawrey talks about the promise and opportunities of fibre optic technology, what we call high speed broadband, and the changes we can expect to see as Telstra moves away from being a provider of telecommunications infrastructure and becomes a service provider, and what those services might be.
Lonely Planet launches augmented travel guides for Australian Google Androids
As a new paradigm in travel applications, Lonely Planet is testing the water with an “augmented reality” Compass Guides for Android users. The application determines the user’s location via GPS and when the camera is used to scan the surroundings, information labels about points of interest pop up on the screen.
CSIRO teams with German companies to explore revolutionary food decontamination process
In the fruit and vegetable aisle, organic produce was labelled as such, and an unattractive bunch of specimens they were, too. The tomatoes looked like they’d been bludgeoned from the bush with a nail-studded bat and kicked all the way to the store. The potatoes had obviously been in a brawl with the onions.
Anthill’s SMART 100 Readers’ Choice Award Winners Revealed
They embody the passions of earnest inventors and the dreams of budding business builders. They are the products of industries old and new, from organisations both large and small. They are the spoils of skunkworks and represent the rigours of R&D. Above all else, they sure have a lot of friends!
Downloading illegally? Hey, join the crowd.
In a recent poll by product-comparison website Compare Broadband, 37% Of 313 random participants admitted to having downloaded content illegally. In addition, 29% said they regularly download illegal content over the Internet. “Regularly” was defined in the poll as having downloaded more than 10 pirated files.
