Australia Talks

While the analysts are divided on just how severe it will be, most agree that the resources boom that's driven our economy for most of this decade is now slowing. There has been a decline of 20 to 30 per cent in most of our commodity markets over the past few months. The indications are that while China has driven much of the growth, that economy too is slowing. And the crisis on Wall Street is far from resolved.

So what's ahead for Australia's economy? Does our future still lie with Asia and, if so, what are the opportunities? Should we be looking to the education and service industries rather than primary production, and does that require a new approach to training and education?

Guests

John Buchanan
Director of the Workplace Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney.

Stephen Wyatt
China commentator and commodities writer for the Australian Financial Review

Tom Karmel
Managing Director, National Centre for Vocational Education Research

Guy Templeton
Chief executive, Minter Ellison. Member of the Business Council of Australia's education skills and innovation taskforce

Presenter

Antony Funnell

Story Researcher and Producer

Debra McCoy