Tag: Tim Harcourt

It seems like only yesterday that Bob Hawke and Paul Keating floated the dollar. Australia, the so-called lucky country, made its own luck as our leaders opened up our economy to Asia and the emerging world. Back then, baby boomers began taking their business out of ‘Fortress Australia’; trying their luck on the world stage, often in new lands that weren’t as affluent or familiar as they are today.

While our trade data is dominated by swings in the commodity cycle, some new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) tells us a little bit more about the Australian exporter community and how its members have been affected by the GFC.

From soccer to samba and Carnival to Copacabana, Brazil is seen as an exotic country of liberal excess and partying. However, beyond the beaches and the tourist hedonism, Brazil’s most promising leader to date, President Lula da Silva, has been powering on with economic reform and international strategic alliances that have seen the country emerge relatively unscathed from the GFC. Tim Harcourt reports what this means for the future and where trade with Australia may fit into Brazil’s promising economic outlook.

Foreign investment and domestic jobs have been inextricably linked since Australia’s convict days. Austrade’s Chief Economist Tim Harcourt explains.

As Sydney 2000 illustrated, the Olympic Games present a wonderful opportunity for the host country to channel the attending global attention into commercial momentum. But with the global economy on the slow road to recovery, will Canada be able to parlay the triumph of Vancouver's recently concluded Winter Olympics into sustained business success?

The world is getting much smaller, which is a particularly good thing for Australia, writes Austrade’s Chief Economist Tim Harcourt.

It was widely predicted that 2009 was going to be the year that hit the first world economies the hardest when it came to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). And for many it did just that. Australia, however, managed to weather the worst of it. Tim Harcourt reports on Australia’s strong export industry and showcases some shining examples of Australian exporters growing in these turbulent times.

According to the latest rankings released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, China is again our number one trading partner. But it raises the question: Do we have too many eggs in the China basket?

It is generally thought that a soaring Aussie dollar is terrible for exporters. However, as Austrade's Chief Economist Tim Harcourt reveals, there are two sides to every coin.

Ten years ago, Australia’s ‘old economy’ looked to be an emerging liability. In the next ten years, however, this same ‘old economy’ foundation – expertly equipped to fuel the emerging Asian economies – will likely deliver unparalleled opportunities for transformation and national prosperity. So say Tim Harcourt, Chief Economist at Austrade, and Chris Richardson, Director of Access Economics.

Climate change is already remaking the global economy. The changes that Australia has to make in order to become a responsible and competitive player in this greener global marketplace are comparable to the liberal economic reforms made in the 1980s, says Austrade’s chief economist, Tim Harcourt.

Chicago used to have a reputation for lawlessness and corruption. But, as Austrade’s chief economist Tim Harcourt reveals, it’s now a top-tier global business town and a place where Australian companies are shining.

The latest DHL Export Barometer reveals that, far from dropping like flies in the current environment, Australian companies that export are weathering the storm remarkably well. Why? Because of their commitment to education and human capital.

Australia is top of the pops when it comes to perception. Look at most of the global brand surveys from Anholt to Future Brand....

So how did 'The Great Recession' on Monday become "The Great Recovery' by Friday? Well it didn't, but in between the beginning and end of the week, we did have a remarkable run of good data to boost our spirits (such evidence is now better known as 'green shoots' after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke used the term to describe a positive run of data showing signs of a possible recovery).

At a time of global economic uncertainty, the issue of trade and employment is becoming the focus of public debate - particularly with news of large scale redundancies in the media. If this trend continues, there is the risk of increased calls for protectionism here in Australia (as has already occurred in the USA). This is a concern because we all know what has happened in the past when the world has returned to protectionism - mass unemployment, inequality and conflict extending well beyond the trade sphere.

Chile, the “jaguar” economy of South America, holds a newly-minted Free Trade Agreement with Australia. The Airport Economist, Tim Harcourt, explains why this is good news on both sides of the South Pacific Ocean.

Australian exports to China and India are booming on the back of insatiable demand for commodities. However, that’s not the full picture. Tim Harcourt...

For years, Australian entrepreneurs dreamed of riding the Chinese dragon. Now, at last, Aussie SMEs are too busy wheeling and dealing in China to...

China has been the economic panda in the room for over a decade. Now, in the spring preceding the Beijing Olympics, foreign export opportunities...