Federal Politics

Don't worry, 2017 will be better than you think, says Deloitte

  • 41 reading now

Don't worry – 2017 will be better than you think.

At least according to Deloitte, which has released the first of its "Voice of Asia" series with the message that despite Brexit and Trump, and less than optimistic forecasts from the IMF, Asia looks like leading the way in global growth – with Australia well placed to reap flow-on benefits.

Up Next

We need a Federal ICAC - Shorten

null
Video duration
01:43

More National News Videos

Wake up call for politicians

Australians are dissatisfied with democracy, don't trust politicians or have faith in their ability to fix the economy, new report finds.

Chris Richardson of Deloitte Access Economics recognised the risks "revolving around the potentially volatile mix of President-elect Trump, trades and tariffs" but said "too many forecasters are too negative of Australia's 2017 outlook".

He said the global economy was "finally normalising after a decade of shocks", world trade was lifting, with benefits for Asia and India and China, considered the continent's "mega economies" were "increasingly being powered by consumer booms, acting as a stabilising force in their economies and for the regions".

The result of that "triple threat", Mr Richardson said, could spell good news for Australia.

But there are still caveats.

Advertisement

While Asian economies are emerging as the beneficiaries of global growth, global interest rates, led by the US Federal Reserve, are also beginning "their long climb back to normal", the report found, which could generate volatility. Deloitte believes "Asia is better placed than most to handle that stress", but cautions for an eye to be kept on financial markets, with the potential for a larger drop in the Chinese yuan.

Then there are still the "3Ts" – Trump, tariffs and trade, with the potential for Donald Trump to follow through on his threats of tariffs on China, which would lower growth across Asia  and the world.

In delivering his mid-year economic update last month, Treasurer Scott Morrison urged the nation to confront "the air of unreality" surrounding the government's budgetary problems, which have seen Australia's AAA credit rating put at risk.

A downgrade in the credit rating would mean the government and Australian banks and corporations would have to pay more to borrow offshore, which would see a flow-on increase in the rates charged to consumers on their borrowings.

While ratings agencies made no move after the mid-year economic and fiscal update, it is expected they will be closely monitoring Mr Morrison's next budget, due in May.

Parliament returns next month.

Follow us on Twitter