A good article discussing derivatives ($605 trillion) and how they impact our currency and governments. Join discussion...

"THE Coalition has unveiled a scheme to fund infrastructure development through bonds rather than through government borrowing."... "Successful companies would be able to issue commercial infrastructure bonds with the government providing a 10 per cent tax rebate". Join discussion...

"...Labor wants to change that so lenders would be prevented from drawing a credit card account over the maximum limit without the consent of the consumer. The government also proposes to ban unsolicited credit limit extension offers." Join discussion...

"Real estate professionals call it "buy and bail," acquiring a new house before the buyer's credit rating is ruined by walking away from the old one because it's "underwater," or worth less than the mortgage." Join discussion...

(PDF) "In the course of a recent Australia Institute study of the downshifting phenomenon, the authors became aware of an apparently widespread propensity of Australians to persist with life situations that are difficult, stressful and exhausting in the belief that the sacrifice will pay off in the longer term. The tendency to endure long hours in unsatisfying jobs was dubbed the ‘Deferred Happiness Syndrome’" Join discussion...

According to Robert Gottliebsen, "They gave confidence to global institutions to lend to our banks even though Australia’s enormous overseas bank borrowing puts Australian debt into a similar range to Italy and not far behind Spain when related to GDP." Join discussion...

This trend may be more important to watch than just GDP growth numbers. Join discussion...

Credit crunch ahead for Australia? Join discussion...

"MORE than 40 per cent of Australians spend around half their monthly income repaying mortgages, credit cards or personals loans, a new survey has found. " Join discussion...

In the US, the credit crunch for small business is ahead. Will this be the same for Australia? Join discussion...