Mid September 2008 saw a significant change for the Australian economy, with the collapse of the Lehman Brothers triggering the Global Financial Crisis. The Global Financial Crisis was characterised by a tightening in the availability of money from overseas markets and resulting in governments having to intervene to maintain market stability. The Australian economy and its leaders generated considerable discussion about the prospect of a global recession, while most expected the financial crisis would have a major impact on the Australian economy, a factor that was not considered was the immediacy of its effects. The December quarter of 2008, saw business stocks devalue by $3.4 billion, the largest fall on record. In addition, there was a considerable softening in property prices, resulting in many companies/people having too much debt vs. too little wealth. With this, consumer confidence plummeted which in turn deteriorated consumption. Throughout the month of September and into October, the financial crisis spread from the United States to Europe, and all around the global economy, with economies contracting in growth.
In response to the most challenging global economic conditions since the Great Depression, the 2009-2010 Budget and the Economic Stimulus Plan focused on nation building and was crafted to boost employment, create a solid foundation for future growth and place the Australian economy to capitalise on the global recovery.
Key Initiatives
Stimulus now and investment for the future
A balanced stance on fiscal policy was targeted by the Government in response to the global recession between short and long-term policies. These measures involved bonus payments to low and middle-income Australians to insta...
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...d 2009, ‘Rudd stimulus package protected jobs: OECD’. Retrieved May 23rd, 2010, from -
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(n.d.). Monetary Policy in Australia 2010 (pp. 1-6). West Perth: WACE Revision Centre.
Wayne Swan 2009, ‘Budget Speech 2009-10’, Australian Government. Retrieved May 20th, 2010, from - http://www.ato.gov.au/budget/2009-10/content/speech/html/speech.htm
Wayne Swan 2010, ‘Budget Speech 2010-11’ Australian Government. Retrieved May 20th, 2010, from - http://www.budget.gov.au/2010-11/content/speech/html/speech.htm
Westpac Institutional Bank May 2010, ‘Westpac Market Insights Australia, New Zealand, G3 & China’. Retrieved June 6th, 2010 from - http://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/media/reports/australian-economic-reports/
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Show MoreLazar, Harvey. “The Spending Power and the Harper Government.” HeinOnline. 34 Queen's L.J. 125 2008-2009
House of Representatives. (1965, April 29). Retrieved March 16, 2014, from Commonwealth Parliamentary Debates: http://www.dva.gov.au/commems_oawg/commemorations/education/Documents/avw_topic1.pdf
The Australian Budget is an annually published document which details the Federal Government's plans to affect the level of economic activity, resource allocation, and income distribution through the use of fiscal policy. It describes the framework which the government intends to follow during the next financial year which will result in the attainment of their objectives. The budget is a publication of the government's plans regarding the use of fiscal policy, and is published to parliament and the general public on “budget night”, so as to allow open dissemination about the status of public finances and to promote transparency in Australia's fiscal policy.
For government budgeting to be effective, the process that guides it must be an evolving one. As the government gets bigger, it will most likely destabilize the existing method. Therefore, it must change to keep pace with the demands and growth of the country. The process must be capable of handling the complexity of our nation and its multifaceted needs so it will always need revisions and restructuring to face these new challenges. Its ultimate goal must be to reinforce the government and strengthen the country.
McManus, Doyle. “Drawing Budget Battle Lines.” Editorial. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2011. Web. 5 June 2011. .
Australia’s resources otherwise known as factors of production – natural resources, labour, capital and enterprise, are relatively scarce, resulting in the economic problem of relative scarcity as we cannot satisfy all our needs and wants in Australia as they are unlimited. Collective and individual wants are
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Alternative Federal Budget 2011, Report: Rethink, Rebuild, Renew (pg. 69, 70, 72, 75) Retrieved from: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/AFB2011
The financial crisis occurred in 2008, where the world economy experienced the most dangerous crisis ever since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It started in 2007 when the home prices in the U.S. Dropped significantly, spreading very quickly, initially to the financial sector of the U.S. and subsequently to the financial markets in other countries.
Over the past five years the Australian economy has gone through many changes experiencing both the peaks and troughs associated with business cycle.
Australia has had one of the most outstanding economies of the world in recent years - competitive, open and vibrant. The nation’s high economic performance stems from effective economic management and ongoing structural reform. Australia has a competitive and dynamic private sector and a skilled, flexible workforce. It also has a comprehensive economic policy framework in place. The economy is globally competitive and remains an attractive destination for investment. Australia has a sound, stable and modern institutional structure that provides certainty to businesses. For long time, Australia is a stable democratic country with strong growth, low inflation and low interest rate.(Ning)
"Australia." Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI, Corruption. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. .
Therefore, economic and political with surrounding states must be preserved to ensure their economic security. The decline in mineral exports to China, a major export, has put considerable strain on the Australian economy still recovering from the effects of the property bubble and subsequent financial crisis. With the Chinese economy slowing down, Australia, is actively seeking alternative economic agreements to fill the rising gap. Recently, the Australian Government repealed the ban on selling uranium to India and has come to an agreement on exportation to India. This move reflects Australia’s plans to focuses on India rather than Indonesia to for long-term economic security. The move towards India poses the question of what benefits that would be gained with cultivating closer ties to the Indonesian
In time of economic crisis the government has a choice to cut spending or increase spending for public goods and services. “In 2009, Congress passed the American Recovery and Rein- vestment Act, which authorized $787 billion in spending to promote job growth and bolster economic activity”(Stratmann/Okolski 3). John Maynard Keynes, an economist of 20th century, suggest that the government should run a deficit if it will create jobs and increase capital gain. This theory support the current stimulus package that has been introduce during President Obama’s term. Although the flaw with this concept is that it makes the assumption the government has done studies and understands which areas needs the funding the most and knows where it will be beneficial, realistically that is not true. “Federal spending is less likely to stimulate growth when it cannot accurately target the projects where it will be most productive” (Stratmann/Okolski 2). This can be seen because political figures will spend money where it directly supports their needs as well. For instance, the political figure would rather spend money to things that will yield a p...
Permatasari, S (2011, 7 August) Australia’s Economy has Strength to meet challenges, Swan Says; Bloomberg, Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-07/australia-s-economy-has-strength-to-meet-challenges-swan-says.html
Keynes, S. and Tetlow, G. (2014) Survey of Public Spending in the UK. [Online] Available from: http://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/publications/bns/BN43%20Public%20Spending%202014.pdf [Accessed: 29th February 2016]