Abbott spurning Indonesia’s invite confirms relationship troubles Australian prime minister Tony Abbott’s decision not to accept Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s invitation to meet at the Open Government Partnership forum Yudhoyono is chairing in Bali this week leaves the bilateral relationship where it has been since November – stuck....

Eating organic food significantly lowers pesticide exposure: study Eating an organic diet for a week can cause pesticide levels to drop by almost 90% in adults, research from RMIT University has found. The study, led by Dr Liza Oates found particpants’ urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs) measurements were 89% lower when...

Abbott off to Indonesia next week Tony Abbott will interrupt his work on the budget to make a rushed trip to Bali early next week for his first face-to-face encounter with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono since the revelations of Australian spying fractured bilateral relations. The President invited Abbott...

The word innovation is often associated with banks of computers, not the back paddock. But Australia’s agricultural sector is actually a world leader when it comes to research and development. Calls are growing for Australia to reverse a productivity malaise by investing more in knowledge infrastructure – it would...

Australia’s future prosperity depends on how well it marries structural change in the economy to new opportunities emerging in Asia, especially China. At a time of deep shifts in the Australian economy, the challenge is to find new sources of growth and investment beyond mining. The Hon Andrew Robb...

Real estate advisory arm of Korda Mentha have  revealed that the Australian Government’s Significant Investment Visa scheme is booming, with the number of approved visas growing exponentially in the second half of 2013. The visa requires, a “significant investor” to commit at least $5 million worth of investment into...

Rumblings of discontent from leaders of emerging market economies around the middle of last year when it looked as though the US was about to commence tapering quantitative easing. These rumblings are likely to get a whole lot louder this time around though, as the impact of US policy...

On Knife’s Edge: Elections and Democracy in Thailand Gripped by a deadly crisis, with grenades exploding in the streets of Bangkok, the people and politicians of Thailand once again find themselves back in the global media headlines. Unfortunately, much of the coverage is sexed-up and superficial, which is normally what...

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR.   Year of the Horse. 2014 is the year of the Wood Horse. Unlike the year of the Water Snake in 2013 foretelling diplomacy and planning, the year of the Wood Horse is about decisive actions and fast victories. Be certain of your choice, as once...

Engaging in Myanmar: whose interest are we serving? By Jonathan Bogais, University of Sydney Myanmar is the “new frontier” of the Asia-Pacific region. With its large potential markets, abundant natural resources and strategic position, competition for control of the anticipated revenues intensifies pressure on all sides. While economic development...