John Findley

From John, June 2015 (somewhere in China)
Hi Ken,

I spent an evening with the major shareholder of a Chinese auto manufacturer. He has a range of battery powered light trucks. Government has a direct action subsidy plan whereby the manufacturer of the truck actually gives it free to the user. No tax imposed, just direct action.

Polluting trucks are no longer permitted into the city of Beijing. Only 2 manufacturers of electric trucks have a license, including my friend. Theirs will be permitted into the city.  More...

(Note: John is currently in China on a two-month work trip, travelling widely across China. This is his latest update from ‘on the ground’ in China)

The Chinese 7 per cent growth is outstanding, but it is likely that it will be resourced internally. There are indications that the mega construction boom is tapering. The China growth will be in tourism, domestic consumption, etc. The local market can supply the demands of those industries. That will reduce the need to import resources such as Australian iron ore. Reduce, not eliminate. More...

Hi Ken,
 
Did you see Richo's column in The Australian this morning?  I don't know what I can do or what ICA can do, but Richo is right.
 
I have years of experience in heavy and light industry; the workers are lovely people but they are not as adaptable as the dry economists wish they were. More...

GE has produced an exciting view of the future of uses of the internet and computing: "The Industrial Internet: Pushing the Boundaries of Minds and Machines".

To me, as an engineer, this is an exciting view of productivity growth.  However, as a small business operator it raises more questions about how we (SMEs) can participate in the bounty and benefits of computing and the internet. The GE paper focuses on big business.  More...

This survey by Deloitte Access Economics suggests that small business people are low tech adapters. John argues there are other reasons. He asks: are SMEs tech savvy?

I believe there is a huge gap in the development and distribution of computer-based solutions for SMEs. More...

I can state quite frankly my belief that the language requirements under Australia’s worker visa requirements are racist, harking back to the shameful White Australia policy.  That policy grew out of trade union pressures, just as it does these days. More...

I don't know how to put into words the excellence of the trains in China. Today I travelled from Beijing to Jinan on the fast train—it's about 500km and took 1.5 hours. Compare that with Sydney to Canberra—about 300km and nearly 4 hours.

And the stations are just wonderful.  Our decrepit 150-year-old structures just make us look like the poor of Asia. More...

I’m still on the road in China, today in Beijing.  Along the way, I have been talking with many people.  It seems ordinary folks in China are doing it tough presently.
 
Inflation has been high for several years and prices of everyday items seem to me to be about 30% to 40% higher than a couple of years ago. More...

Important contract law developments in China are explained here.

Here’s a summary:
China’s Supreme Court continues to refine legal procedures.  The “Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on Issues Concerning the Application of Law for Hearing Cases of Sale and Purchase Contract Related Disputes” came into effect in July 2012, addressing practical issues that have emerged since the 1999 version of the law.  It provides clarification in sales contracts. More...

Here is a wonderful pictorial selection that explains why China will continue to grow. The pictures show the possessions of average Chinese families. China will move these people out of poverty.  But will China’s ageing population kill the growth? Have a look at this graph. More...