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Welcome to QETA Newsletter 6 2013. QETA NEWS April 26th Position Paper Competition entries close May 11 QETA Professional Learning 9am – 1pm Queensland Law Society May 30 Econopak Number 2 Published July 18 UQ Student Day 10 am – 2 pm St. Lucia Campus July 19 QUT Student Day 10 am – 2 pm QUT Gardens Point July 22-26 UQ Student Economics Competition July 22-26 Economics Week August 30 Econopak Number 3 Published November 20 QETA Annual General Meeting 1.QETA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING MORNING QETA will be conducting a Professional Learning Morning on Saturday 11th May 2013 at the Queensland Law Society Rooms, Ann St., Brisbane from 8.30am – 12.30pm. The speakers will be: 9.00am “China and the Australian Economy” James Laurenceson, University of Qld lecturer, and President, Chinese Economics Society of Australia. 10.30am “The Australian Economy”, Michael Knox, Chief economist and Policy Strategist, RBS Morgans, and President, Economics Society Queensland. 11.30am “Technology and the Economics Classroom” Sharon Armstrong, Nazareth College, Melbourne and VCTA Member. These functions are always well attended. Registrations will be via the QETA website only. Registrations are now open at www.qeta.com.au, Upcoming events . Cost is $55 (member) $77.00 (non-member) for registrations received by 4th May. Late registrations add $20.00 2. QETA POSITION PAPER COMPETITION This Competition is new for 2013 and has been developed by Helen Bitossi, one of our new Committee members. We ask for your support in this – it’s a great opportunity to extend your more able students and to offer them a challenge. The Competition will be judged on one A4 page of work only, so it is not an onerous task. It could be a great teaching activity as well! We will shortly have registration open for the Competition on the QETA website, so that you can express interest in this. The judges will be from QUT and the Presentation function will be held at QUT. Let’s all support this new initiative! Register school interest at www.qeta.com.au Upcoming Events. 3. QUT DAY, UQ STUDENT DAY AND STUDENT ECONOMICS COMPETITION Registrations are now open on our website for these events. Full program details etc will be available after the holidays. 4. ECONOMICS PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL Don’t forget that QETA has some promotional material available to promote Economics. Subject brochures are $8.80 per pack of 20 and Economics Pens are $15.40 for 20. These are great for subject selection nights and other promotional opportunities. Our Economics Poster is currently sold out, but we will be working on a new one and hope to have it available soon! PROFESSIONAL LEARNING QETA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING MORNING 11th May 2013, Qld Law Society Building, Ann St. Brisbane. See program outlined in QETA NEWS above. QSA ASSESSMENT WORKSHOPS This workshop will develop the understanding required to design effective assessment instruments for the Economics Senior Syllabus 2010. It will focus on evaluating, refining and designing effective assessment for senior Economics and syllabus standards. http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/events/pd_ws_flyer_economics_assess.pdf FISCAL ACTIVISM - ECONOMICS SOCIETY PLEASE NOTE – QETA IS A MEMBE ROF THE ECONOMICS SOCIETY. THIS ENABLES OUR MEMBERS TO ATTEND SOCIETY FUNCTIONS AT MEMBERS’ RATES. On Thursday 9 May, the Economic Society of Australia (Qld) is holding a Professional Development seminar on fiscal activism with Professor Tony Makin of Griffith University. In response to the global financial crisis, governments around the world lifted budget deficits to levels which were unprecedented in peace time and are now attempting to wind back deficits to control escalating debt. The seminar covers one of the key issues for economics this century and is very relevant to economic trends overseas and at federal and state level in Australia. It will provide a strong theoretical and empirical basis for assessing the impact of the very challenging Federal budget to be brought down on 14 May. The seminar is targeted at economists and others with interest in this important field. Title: Fiscal Activism: What are the short and long effects of fiscal expansion and contraction Presenter: Professor Tony Makin, Griffith University Date/Time: Thursday 9 May, 12.15pm for 12.30pm to 2.00pm Price: This is a FREE event to members of the Economic Society of Australia (Qld) and $30 for non-members Refreshments: Sandwich lunch provided Location: Deloitte Access Economics Address: Level 25, Riverside Centre, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane RSVP: Registrations by Friday, 3 May 2013 unless sold out prior. Sponsor: Deloitte Access Economics See the attached flyer for further details. State review panel reports published The 2012 State review panel reports of the moderation process for Authority subjects in general implementation last year are now available in a single document. It provides subject specific advice on assessment design and application of standards, and should help schools to implement procedures consistent with the processes of externally moderated school-based assessment in Year 11 and 12. The Economics Report is attached to this Newsletter. AEF-ACSA Study Programs: Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand In partnership with the Australian Curriculum Studies Association (ACSA), AEF is offering three study programs to Asia following the 2013 ACSA Biennial Conference in September. The study program destinations are Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Participation in an AEF-ACSA Study Program provides the opportunity to build the necessary Asia relevant capabilities to implement the Australian Curriculum. Each of the Study Programs are aligned to the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Sustainability Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia. See the AEF web portal for more information. RESOURCES 1. FROM THE FEDERAL TREASURY The 9As Club - Australia's AAA credit rating reaffirmed again Extract: Australia's gold-plated AAA credit rating has been confirmed once again with Fitch Ratings overnight reaffirming its AAA assessment of Australia (with a stable outlook). Read more Minimum wage increases must balance needs of low paid and national economy The Gillard Government says any increase to minimum wages should reflect changes in living costs and the overall strength of the Australian economy. Read more China and Australia Announce Direct Currency Trading Together with the People's Bank of China, we announce today an agreement to launch direct trading between the Australian Dollar (AUD) and the Chinese Renminbi (CNY). Read more Asia-Pacific Financial Market Development Symposium The Treasurer's closing address to the Asia-Pacific Financial Market Development Symposium. Read more 'A strong, fair and sustainable financial system' The Treasurer's address to the Bloomberg Australia Economic Summit. Read more Address to Australia-Hong Kong RMB Trade and Investment Dialogue The Secretary to the Treasury, Dr Martin Parkinson PSM gave an address to the Australia-Hong Kong RMB Trade and Investment Dialogue. A transcript of the speech is now available on the Treasury website. 2. FROM THE ABS 5368.0 International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, Feb 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/5368.0?OpenDocument 3401.0 Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Australia, Feb 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/3401.0?OpenDocument 2033.0.55.001 Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2011 (Replacement Content) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/2033.0.55.001?OpenDocument 8501.0 Retail turnover rises 1.3 per cent in February 2013 (Media Release), Feb 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/MediaRealesesByCatalogue/676AC4CC578D6559CA25773400204519?OpenDocument 8731.0 Building Approvals, Australia (Media Release), February 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/MediaRealesesByCatalogue/8F919D91E9992461CA2568A9001362B8?OpenDocument 6291.0.55.003 Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Feb 2013 (Replacement Content) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/6291.0.55.003?OpenDocument 8501.0 Retail Trade, Australia, Feb 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/8501.0?OpenDocument 8731.0 Building Approvals, Australia, February 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/8731.0?OpenDocument 3101.0 Australian Demographic Statistics, Sep 2012 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/3101.0?OpenDocument 5232.0 Australian National Accounts: Financial Accounts, Dec 2012 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/5232.0?OpenDocument 6354.0 Job Vacancies, Australia, Feb 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/6354.0?OpenDocument 6202.0 Labour Force, Australia (Media Release), Mar 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/MediaRealesesByCatalogue/46DFE12FCDB783D9CA256B740082AA6C?OpenDocument 6202.0 Labour Force, Australia, Mar 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/6202.0?OpenDocument 4102.0 Australian Social Trends, April 2013 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/4102.0?OpenDocument 3. FROM THE IMF IMF Policy Paper: Asia and Pacific Small States - Raising Potential Growth and Enhancing Resilience to Shocks Summary: The small states of the Asia and Pacific region face unique challenges in raising their growth potential and living standards. These countries are particularly vulnerable because of their small populations, geographical isolation and dispersion, narrow export and production bases, lack of economies of scale, limited access to international capital markets, exposure to shocks (including climate change), and heavy reliance on aid. In providing public services, they face higher fixed government costs relative to other states because public services must be provided regardless of their small population size. Low access to credit by the private sector is an impediment to inclusive growth. Capacity constraints are another key challenge. The small states also face more limited policy tools. Five out of 13 countries do not have a central bank and the scope for diversifying their economies is narrow. Given their large development needs, fiscal policies have been, at times, pro-cyclical. Within the AsiaPacific small states group, the micro states are subject to more vulnerability and macroeconomic volatility than the rest of the Asia-Pacific small states. http://www.imf.org/external/pp/longres.aspx?id=4746 Working Paper No. 13/82: China’s Demography and its Implications Author/Editor: Lee, Il Houng ; Qingjun, Xu ; Syed, Murtaza Summary: In coming decades, China will undergo a notable demographic transformation, with its old-age dependency ratio doubling to 24 percent by 2030 and rising even more precipitously thereafter. This paper uses the permanent income hypothesis to reassess national savings behavior, with greater prominence and more careful consideration given to the role played by changing demography. We use a forward-looking and dynamic approach that considers the entire population distribution. We find that this not only holds up well empirically but may also be superior to the static dependency ratios typically employed in the literature. Going further, we simulate global savings behavior based on our framework and find that China’s demographics should have induced a negative current account in the 2000s and a positive one in the 2010s given the rising share of prime savers, only turning negative around 2045. The opposite is true for the United States and Western Europe. The observed divergence in current account outcomes from the simulated path appears to have been partly policy induced. Over the next couple of decades, individual countries’ convergence toward the simulated savings pattern will be influenced by their past divergences and future policy choices. Other implications arising from China’s demography, including the growth model, the pension system, the labor market, and the public finances are also briefly reviewed. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=40446.0 Working Paper No. 13/83: China’s Path to Consumer-Based Growth: Reorienting Investment and Enhancing Efficiency Author/Editor: Lee, Il Houng ; Syed, Murtaza ; Xueyan, Liu Summary: This paper proposes a possible framework for identifying excessive investment. Based on this method, it finds evidence that some types of investment are becoming excessive in China, particularly in inland provinces. In these regions, private consumption has on average become more dependent on investment (rather than vice versa) and the impact is relatively short-lived, necessitating ever higher levels of investment to maintain economic activity. By contrast, private consumption has become more self-sustaining in coastal provinces, in large part because investment here tends to benefit household incomes more than corporates. If existing trends continue, valuable resources could be wasted at a time when China’s ability to finance investment is facing increasing constraints due to dwindling land, labor, and government resources and becoming more reliant on liquidity expansion, with attendant risks of financial instability and asset bubbles. Thus, investment should not be indiscriminately directed toward urbanization or industrialization of Western regions but shifted toward sectors with greater and more lasting spillovers to household income and consumption. In this context, investment in agriculture and services is found to be superior to that in manufacturing and real estate. Financial reform would facilitate such a reorientation, helping China to enhance capital efficiency and keep growth buoyant even as aggregate investment is lowered to sustainable levels. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=40447.0 IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) - Hopes, Realities, and Risks, April 2013 -- Table of Contents http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2013/01/index.htm IMF Survey : Inflation Likely to Remain Stable, IMF Study Concludes In contrast to previous recessions, inflation has not fallen sharply during the Great Recession, and it is unlikely to spike as the recovery strengthens, according to a new study by the IMF. There is little risk of monetary policy repeating the mistakes of the 1970s and igniting stagflation. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/res040913b.htm IMF Survey : Low-Income Countries Show Comeback in Growth Performance Low-income countries have bounced back in the past two decades. Analysis in the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) suggests that dynamic low-income countries are on a stronger economic footing today than before the 1990s, and therefore better placed to stay on course. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/res040913a.htm IMF Survey : IMF Weighs Reforms to Debt Limits Policy The IMF is studying ways to strengthen the focus of its debt limits policy on debt sustainability while allowing countries to manage debt in a more flexible way, a new report says. The IMF’s Executive Board has given the green light to develop proposals in the coming months. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/pol040813a.htm "Fulfilling the Asian Dream—Lasting Growth and Shared Prosperity" By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2013/040713.htm IMF Survey : Changing Trends Call for Policy Mix on Jobs, Growth A stable economic environment is essential for generating jobs and growth, the IMF says in a report. But changing trends—including technological advances, globalization, and shifting demographics—now require a broader range of national policies as governments strive to boost employment and raise output. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/pol040413a.htm IMF Survey : How Labor Markets Can Support Workers, Economic Growth Advanced economies face the task of putting millions of people back to work and getting the young started in their careers. A new IMF discussion paper focuses on the design of labor market policies and institutions to reduce average unemployment rates and boost medium-run growth. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/res032913a.htm IMF Survey : Security, Stability Measures Needed to Fix Fragile States A country suffering any or all of the following adverse conditions—political and economic instability, poverty, civil disorder, terrorism, human trafficking, or disease—can be labeled a fragile state. These fragile situations are not limited to low-income countries. The issue of governance is a concern for countries around the world. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/int032913a.htm Working Paper No. 13/81: Too Cold, Too Hot, Or Just Right? Assessing Financial Sector Development Across the Globe Author/Editor: Barajas, Adolfo ; Beck, Thorsten ; Dabla-Norris, Era ; Yousefi, Reza Summary: This paper introduces the concept of the financial possibility frontier as a constrained optimum level of financial development to gauge the relative performance of financial systems across the globe. This frontier takes into account structural country characteristics, institutional, and macroeconomic factors that impact financial system deepening. We operationalize this framework using a benchmarking exercise, which relates the difference between the actual level of financial development and the level predicted by structural characteristics, to an array of policy variables. We also show that an overshooting of the financial system significantly beyond levels predicted by its structural fundamentals is associated with credit booms and busts. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=40441.0 Press Release: IMF Calls for Global Reform of Energy Subsidies: Sees Major Gains for Economic Growth and the Environment http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2013/pr1393.htm IMF Survey : Extended Period of Low Interest Rates Can Rekindle Financial Risks Several years of exceptionally low interest rates and bond buying by some advanced economy central banks have improved some indicators of banks’ health while supporting the economy and financial stability, according to new research from the International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/pol041113a.htm IMF Survey : Lagarde Sets Out Global Policy Actions to Stay Ahead of Crisis IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde calls upon global policymakers to act to get ahead—and stay ahead—of the crisis. In a New York speech she notes that in far too many countries, improvements in financial markets have not translated into improvements in the lives of people http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2013/new041013a.htm "The Global Policy Actions Needed to Stay Ahead of the Crisis" By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2013/041013.htm 4. FROM THE RBA The Reserve Bank of Australia has released the April 2013 issue of the Chart Pack. You can view the Chart Pack at: http://www.rba.gov.au/chart-pack/index.html For your information the Reserve Bank of Australia issued the Index of Commodity Prices for March 2013. You can view this statistical release at: http://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/frequency/commodity-prices/2013/icp-0313.html For your information the Reserve Bank of Australia issued the Financial Aggregates for February 2013. You can view this statistical release at: http://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/frequency/fin-agg/2013/fin-agg-0213.html The Reserve Bank of Australia has released the March 2013 issue of the Financial Stability Review today. http://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2013/mar/html/contents.html The Reserve Bank of Australia has released the following Research Discussion Paper today: RDP 2013-04, ‘Home Prices and Household Spending’, by Callan Windsor, Jarkko Jääskelä and Richard Finlay http://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2013/2013-04.html A speech delivered by Mr Glenn Stevens to the Symposium on Asia Pacific Financial Market Development in Sydney is available on the Reserve Bank website. http://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/sp-gov-100413.html Remarks delivered by Dr Christopher Kent to the Bloomberg Australia Economic Summit 2013 in Sydney is available on the Reserve Bank website. http://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/sp-ag-100413.html 5. FROM WORLD BANK Within Our Grasp, a World Free of Poverty The World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim outlined a bold agenda for the global community toward ending extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity to boost the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the population. Speech | Press Release | Replay the Webcast 6. HOW DOES DEVELOPMENT SAVE LIVES? Learn what the World Bank is doing to fight poverty and hunger, send kids to school, improve the health of mothers and children, and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Read More » 8. Longreads: China 2013 Survey, Low Carbon Competitiveness, Pakistan's Overseas Workers, the Great Chinua Achebe "...a new Climate Institute/GE Low-Carbon Competitiveness Index finds that France, Japan, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom are 'currently best positioned to prosper in the global low-carbon economy.'"— Donna Barne, March 29 View Featured Blog | View all Blogs » 7. TOURISM FOR DEVELOPMENT IN BHUTAN This new case study profiles how the tiny kingdom of Bhutan is trying to balance maintaining its traditional cultures with the improvements that connecting to the world can bring. www.globaleducation.edu.au/case-studies/tourism-for-development-in-bhutan.html 8. GLOBAL EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS The details of the complete set of resources available for free from your local Global Education Project professional learning provider are here. www.globaleducation.edu.au/resources-gallery/resource-gallery-publications.html 9. HOW SICK IS THE WORLD? Preventable diseases such as malaria, polio and tuberculosis kill millions of people each year. Good health is a fundamental human right and has been recognised in three of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): MDG 4: Reduce child mortality MDG 5: Improve maternal health MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Health will improve with the achievement of other MDGs. 'Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger' (MDG 1) will help families become healthier and not have to spend so much money on preventative healthcare. 'Achieve universal primary education' (MDG 2) will help children understand the importance of improved hygiene and nutritional practices. 'Promote gender equality and empower women' (MDG 3) will improve the health of families as women tend to have more say in family decision-making. 'Ensure environmental sustainability', including sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation (MDG 7), combined with good hygiene behaviours, also contributes to improved public health. Use these links to explore some aspects of improving health: Global campaign to wipe out polio could falter with the finish line in sight Fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria Hans Rosling on GAVI's targeted fight against poverty and disease However, many countries are not on track to meet the health Millennium Development Goals and the poorest and most vulnerable people continue to bear the greatest burden of ill health. How sick is that? Going further AusAID – Health AusAID – Emergency Phone Project saving lives Global Education – Health 10. MALNUTRITION, HEALTH AND POVERTY World Vision's upper primary and lower secondary student activity sheet, accompanied by teacher notes, develops understanding of malnutrition and its connection with health and poverty. It uses a mapping activity to explore prevalence and statistics to explore potential change. A graphic organiser is used as a tool to encourage students to consider challenges and solutions. Malnutrition, Health and Poverty 11. AUSTRALIA TO HIT 23 MILLION AROUND ANZAC DAY (from Sustainable Population Australia) Anzac Day in 1915 was both a tragedy and a disaster, so it is entirely appropriate that Australia’s population should reach 23 million around Anzac Day this year. An arid continent that can only support agriculture at its margins, Australia passed its optimal population some time back, perhaps in 1966 when the population was half what it is now. As climate change and oil shortages worsen, our carrying capacity may diminish rapidly through this century. On current trends, we will have 40 million people by 2050. We may then look back longingly to the time, post World War II, when we had a mere seven million, or even to 1900 when we had less than four million. Meanwhile, a Gallup survey of over half a million people in 154 countries interviewed between 2012 and 2012, found that 13 per cent of the world's adults – or about 630 million people -- say they would like to leave their country and move somewhere else permanently. Of these, 26 million said they would like to come to Australia. Even more than our current population! According to McCrindle Research, 52 per cent of Australians think our population growth rate is too rapid and only a third think we are growing at the right rate. A population growth rate of 1.7 per cent is significantly higher than most OECD countries. It means our population grows by a million every two and a half years, or the equivalent of a city the size of Canberra every year. No wonder the 25 March Herald Sun editorial expressed concern that this population growth was “putting unprecedented pressure on the nation's infrastructure and services”. It noted how Victorian schools are already under pressure. “Some are full to bursting. Children are being taught in makeshift classrooms in libraries and arts rooms while they wait for new portable accommodation.” The editorial added that health services were another problem area with not enough beds in the state's hospitals to accommodate the sick and those waiting or elective surgery. Mark McCrindle of McCrindle Research, who came up with the Anzac Day estimate, agreed. "Growing commute times, crowded public transport, and extended waiting times for public services raise the issue of population size," Mr McCrindle said. Overseas migration accounts for more than half of Australia’s population growth rate. Despite fertility rates being below replacement, there are still significantly more births than deaths every year. Meanwhile, in the most recet Cabinet reshuffle, guitar playing Tony Burke took on yet another portfolio such that he is now, not only Minister for Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, but Minister for the Arts as well. Poor old Population is getting less and less of a look in. Population growth rate now 1.7% In the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on March 28, the estimated resident population of Australia at 30 September 2012 was 22,785,500 people. This reflects an increase of 382,500 people since 30 September 2011. For the year ended September 30, 2012: • Natural increase of 154,500 people was or 6,000 higher than that recorded for the previous year. • Net overseas migration of 228,000 people was 55,500 higher than that recorded for the previous year. POPULATION GROWTH RATES • Australia's population grew by 1.7% during the year ended 30 September 2012. • Natural increase and net overseas migration contributed 40% and 60% respectively to total population growth. • All states and territories recorded positive population growth. Western Australia continued to record the fastest growth rate of all states and territories at 3.4%. Tasmania recorded the slowest growth rate at 0.1%. 12. VIDEO: DEVELOPMENT GAINS IN AFRICA From training nearly 50,000 teachers to distributing 17 million anti-malaria mosquito nets, IDA has been making a difference. Learn more. Read More » 13. WILL CLIMATE CHANGE DRY UP WATER RESOURCES? Without cooperation, 43 to 50% of the global population could be living in water-scarce countries by the end of the century. Read More » 14. FROM BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA Australia–China CEO Roundtable Meeting 10 April 2013 The third meeting of the Australia–China CEO Roundtable, held yesterday in Beijing, was hailed as a success by co-hosts the Chairman of China Development Bank, Mr Chen Yuan, and the President of the Business Council of Australia, Mr Tony Shepherd. The CEO Roundtable is the premier bilateral business forum between Australia and China. BCA President Tony Shepherd said the discussions drove home the realisation that we can do more together to make the most of opportunities from doing business in the region – including by encouraging open and competitive markets and improving business-to-business links. A particular emphasis of the discussions was China’s desire to promote the development of its trade in services, noting that the services sector will be a key driver of its national growth. With world-class strength and talent, Australia’s services companies offer China an ideal regional partnership opportunity which could be of mutual benefit to both nations. The full statement is available at the following link: http://www.bca.com.au/Content/102134.aspx 15. FROM THE BUSINESS SPECTATOR WEEKEND ECONOMIST: Still stimulating 12 APR 2013 | 7:18 PM | BILL EVANS Any doubt about the prospect of another rate cut was quashed this week with dips in consumer sentiment and business conditions outweighing renewed housing confidence. read more > WEBSITE Teaching Economics: The Ten Chairs http://www.teachingeconomics.org/content/index.php?topic=tenchairs Doug Cave QETA Secretary/Treasurer [email protected] http://www.qeta.com.au If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, send an email to [email protected] with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line. If you know of others who would like to subscribe, have them send an email to [email protected] with “subscribe” in the subject line. To subscribe, they or their school must be a member of QETA.