Ashok A Khedkar
I am the last homeless on this earth.
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· I am the last slave on this earth.
· I am the last homeless on this earth.
· My wife doesn’t like me, she treats as if I am not her beloved Vishnu. I don’t earn wealth and money to buy a new car and house. She says I always think about the others and the world.
· I am the last racially abused, discriminated against on this earth.
· I am the last addicted, mentally ill, depressed, mentally unstable on this earth.
· I am the last anxious, scared, feared, and lustful on this earth.
· I am the last immigrant, skilled worker, permanent resident, citizen on this earth.
· I am the last engineer, consultant, doctor, economist, philosopher, psychologist on this earth.
· I am the last accountant, mythologist, alcoholic, drug addict, addicted on this earth.
· I am the last pornography addicted on this earth.
· I am the last refugee, legal immigrant, illegal immigrant on this earth.
· I am the last atheist, religious, non-religious, beggar, politician, CEO, CFO, CTO, CRO, CHRO, Board Member, Chairman, Executive, Director, Manager, Leader, Employee on this earth.
· I am the last banker, asset manager, wealth manager, MP, MLA, Premier, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Shadow Minister, Cabinet Minister, Voter, Exploiter, Deceiver on this earth.
· I am the last man in abject poverty for more than 41 years on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed sex, body, mind and senses on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with White skin colour, body, mind, senses and lust on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with material wealth, money, possessions and sex on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with Hollywood, Tollywood and Bollywood, celebrities, science, technology, AI, quantum computing, cloud storage, cybersecurity, internet of things, climate change, global warming, decarbonisation, net zero, cities, CBDs, built environment, countries, continents, armies, navies, air forces, nuclear weapons, missiles, terrorism, terrorists, Jihad, Hijab, Sharia, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Holy Land, and Jerusalem on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with Santa Claus, Christmas Tree, The Bible, Christianity, Church, Christmas and Easter on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Religion, Temples, Churches, Mosques, Religious Structures and Religious Identities on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with spirituality, tantra, mantra, rituals, fortune telling, palm reading, Puja, Pandits, Priests, Purohits, temples, Yagna, and scriptures on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with ascetics, monks, Gurujis, babas, devotees, storytellers, donations to build religious structures on this earth.
· I am the last obsessed with material wealth, money, possessions and sex on this earth.
· I am the last disadvantaged, underprivileged on this earth.
· I am the last lost, hurt, insulted, abused, discriminated on this earth.
· I am the last dancer, singer, artist, creator, destroyer and sustainer on this earth.
· I am the last on this earth.
· I will not even touch, shit, fuck, piss, spit on any White skin Australian, Canadian, America, British, Irish, Scottish, French, German, European woman’s vagina working as CEO, CTO, CFO, CRO, CHRO, Board Member, Chairwoman, employee, manager, investor, worker, investment manager, lender, borrower, banker, wealth manager, asset manager in the last 13.8 billion years. You are at least 13.8 billion years away from become human.
· I will not even touch, piss, spit, shit on any White skin Australian, Canadian, America, British, Irish, Scottish, French, German, European man working as CEO, CTO, CFO, CRO, CHRO, Board Member, Chairman, employee, manager, investor, worker, investment manager, lender, borrower, banker, wealth manager, asset manager in the last 13.8 billion years. You are at least 13.8 billion years away from become human.
· I would not be on earth if men didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck men. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if women didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck women. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if girls didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck girls. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if boys didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck boys. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if male didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck male. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if female didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck female. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if male didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like female. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if female didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like male. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if girls didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like boys. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if boys didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like girls. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
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· I would not be on earth if male animals, birds, insects and animate didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck male animals, birds, insects and animate. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if female animals, birds, insects and animate didn’t touch, kiss, lick, suck, fuck female animals, birds, insects and animate. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if male animals, birds, insects and animate didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like female animals, birds, insects and animate. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if female animals, birds, insects and animate didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like male animals, birds, insects and animate. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if male inanimate/non-living didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like inanimate/non-living female. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I would not be on earth if female inanimate/non-living didn’t behave, act, think, live, act, walk, talk, read, write, listen, and eat like male inanimate/non-living. I will not tolerate lust on my beloved earth. Lust is the greatest enemy of soul.
· I have swallowed lust, obsession with sex, body, mind, senses and filth since the beginning of time on earth in Yagna in January 2023.
· I have turned men behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like women into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I have turned women behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like men into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I have turned girls behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like boys into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I have turned boys behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like boys into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I have turned male animals, birds, insects and animate behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like female animals, birds, insects and animate into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I have turned female animals, birds, insects and animate behaving, acting, thinking, living, working, singing, talking, listening, writing, reading, fucking, touching, sucking, eating, kissing and living like male animals, birds, insects and animate into sperms with no body, no mind, no face, no body, no ass, no vagina, no penis, no lips, no senses, no hair, no legs, no arms, no skin colour, no children, no wife, no family, and no form for infinite lives in Yagna in January 2023. You will beg for infinite lives to become human again.
· I read, listen, watch - Events like Maha Kumbh send positive message to entire society, says PM Modi. X and Qarden Token are going to be merged. Easiest money in my life. This is the 'real Cold War' and US is in it, China expert warns. Trump border czar says a blue city mayor is 'all in' on deportations. Charity cancels annual Christmas event due to cost of living pressures. A review of all the political news of the week. Russia launches nearly 300 missiles and drones in attack on Ukraine energy infrastructure. Sean Hannity: Joe Biden’s last act is ‘sabotaging’ incoming Trump admin. Trump dismisses concerns about Elon Musk: 'Country before company'. ‘Deeply, deeply broken’: Kara Swisher on US healthcare system. The Issues with Health Insurance Companies, Explained by Doctors – WSJ. Why Americans are angry with the U.S. health care system. Trump reportedly considering military action against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported that President-elect Donald Trump and his allies are reportedly considering military action against Iran after he takes office. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 13 said that events like Maha Kumbh send a positive message to every corner of the country and society. He also criticized the previous Congress government for its lack of attachment to Indian culture and negligence towards Kumbh and other religious pilgrimages. “I believe that Maha Kumbh is a Maha Yagya of unity...When there were no modern means of communication, then events like Kumbh had prepared the basis for big social changes. Such events send a positive message to every corner of the country, to the society... The previous governments did not give attention to Kumbh and religious pilgrimages. Devotees kept suffering in such events, but the governments of that time did not care about it. The reason for this was that they did not have any attachment to Indian culture. But today, the government in the center and the state respects Indian culture. Therefore, the double engine government considers its responsibility to provide facilities to the devotees coming to Kumbh,” said PM Modi.
· I read, listen, watch - 82 crore people surviving on govt ration' Akhilesh Yadav slams Modi govt in Lok Sabha. In Lok Sabha, SP MP Akhilesh Yadav slammed BJP on December 13. Attacking BJP he alleged that after 2014, the speed with which disparities have increased is unimaginable, 82 crore people are surviving on government ration. He said, "After 2014, the speed with which disparities have increased is unimaginable. Of the 140 crore people in the country, 82 crore are surviving on government ration. Those who tell the country that we are becoming the world's fastest-growing economy...I would like to tell that government that when 82 crore people are surviving on government ration and on the other hand, 2/3 of the country's assets are under the control of just a few families - if the government has courage...when the government releases its data from time to time, it should release this data too that what is the per capita income of those living below poverty line...". ‘Secularism should be strengthened...’: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav ahead of debate on Constitution. Political Fight Erupts Over Allu Arjun's Arrest . Renewables aren’t going to cut it’: Dutton’s nuclear proposal lauded. Energy policy ‘feeds into’ what will determine the federal election outcome. Interest rate cut won’t come in time to help the Albanese government
· I read, listen, watch - Nuclear power provides ‘24/7 electricity’ for ‘reliable’ energy production. AI requires consistent energy afforded by nuclear power. In the United States alone, AI is currently projected to need 10 per cent of the electricity to be produced in the United States. Do not let these people into America’s healthcare system. CEO shooting case puts Americans’ anger towards the healthcare system in spotlight. Nancy Prostitute Pelosi hospitalized during congressional visit to Luxembourg. Is our manufacturing renaissance a reality or all hype? Rio pulls trigger on next big lithium mine. Aussie billionaires getting richer at faster rate. Epic inflation fight ‘far from over’
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Shatrubuddhi Vinaashaay
Deepajyoti Namostute
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Deepajyoti Parabrama
Deepajyoti Janaardanaha
Deepo Hartu Me Paapam
Sandhyaadeep Namostute
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Bho Deep Bramharupastvam
Jyotishaam Prabhuravyayah
Aarogyam Dehi Putraanshcha
Mati Swachha Hi Me Sadaa
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Swerestam Samaarabhya
Yaavatsuryodayo Bhavet
Yasya Tishthedgruhe
deepastasya Naasti Daridrataa
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Shatrubuddhi Vinaashaay
Deepajyoti Namostute
Shubham Kurutvam Kalyaanam
Aarogyam Dhan Sampadah
Accenture ANZ’s Peter Burns
We anticipate that 2025 will be the year that AI moves from experimentation to enterprise scale, and we’re already seeing some emerging leaders in this space, particularly in the financial services, resources and telecommunications sectors. At Accenture, we talk about AI as the next “digital”, and it will be truly transformative: our research shows AI will enable productivity enhancements across more than 900 different types of jobs, reducing many mundane tasks and freeing people to take on higher value work.
AGL Energy’s Damien Nicks
This transition is a huge undertaking and opportunity and will require significant investment from companies like AGL to maintain fleet, for new build and to increase the flexibility of our portfolio to help manage some of the changing peaks and troughs in the energy market. Importantly, we are reinvesting into Australia’s energy transition.
AMP’s Alexis George
The economy has slowed to a crawl with GDP up just 0.8 per cent over the year to the September quarter and we’ve seen the biggest slump in per capita GDP since the early 1990s recession, outside of the pandemic.
The Australian economy is softening as we head into 2025, with the headwinds of inflation and a higher interest rate environment impacting confidence from Australian households. GDP per capita is going backwards, and although inflation is coming down, it remains too high. We need real focus and discipline on the demand and supply sides of the economy to enable the forecasted interest rate cuts that will assist in stimulating the economy.
Globally this year the world passed through the most sustained cycle of higher interest rates in decades. Deep recessions haven’t been apparent, but cost of living challenges have persisted and many businesses have faced higher input costs.
Looking ahead into 2025, I would rate our economic momentum as mildly stronger than the year just gone. The main improvement we are starting to see is a pick-up in consumption after a period of weakness, which is promising.
But while the inflationary pressures have moderated and central banks have largely paused interest rate tightening, considerable uncertainty remains and we know many of our customers are feeling the impacts.
“We are focused on cost discipline and doing everything we can to ensure our part of the energy supply chain remains affordable and cost competitive. Market factors like reduced pressure in supply chains and an easing of inflation would have a big impact, but we also need to be disciplined in our own business.”
Arup Australia’s Kate West & Kerryn Coker
With infrastructure accounting for 9-10 per cent of Australia’s GDP, smoothing our pipeline plays a crucial role in boosting productivity. Streamlining the approvals process to bring projects to reality more quickly and to provide investor certainty needs to be a priority for Australia, particularly in the energy sector as public and private sectors strengthen their commitments to net zero.
Overall, we’re seeing an improved macro outlook, with confidence increasing around both inflation and interest rates, and combined with current equity market valuations, that is bringing a more positive outlook for IPOs in 2025. It is early days but we’ve certainly seen some renewed activity in new listings in recent months.
Targeted, strategic investment in government owned rail track to improve the efficiency and resilience of rail freight transport infrastructure needs to be prioritised, especially as we face climate change and more frequent extreme weather events.
Covid taught us the harsh lesson that our national supply chains, particularly intercity rail
freight routes have been neglected and chronically underfunded for decades. It’s disappointing that on the east coast, which houses our largest ports and 80 per cent of the Australian population, rail’s share of land freight on the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne corridor is only around 11 per cent.
AustralianSuper’s Paul Schroder
Harnessing the productivity potential of AI in the real economy creates enormous potential upside. The ability to perform tasks that have previously required human involvement, automate process, personalise products and services, and streamline compliance will lead to new productivity gains and enable human workers to focus on more strategic, creative and collaborative work.
Australia Post has been focused on modernising our business, especially as the needs of our customers and the community have evolved. Despite the advancements in AI and robotics, we need to continue to build human capital and increase productivity, so investing in education and training is critical. Improving Australia’s skills base in areas like creative thinking, problem solving and teamwork, along with digital literacy will all help to enhance Australia’s productivity.
I’m particularly excited about the opportunities we’re seeing in the energy transition. This will likely be the single largest investment opportunity we see in our lifetime, as the global economy is reshaped for a low carbon future. It’s also an opportunity that spans our entire portfolio. We see direct investment opportunities in the infrastructure space, as well as other parts of our portfolio-like property, which will ensure the fund is more resilient, more efficient and better positioned to deliver strong returns. One recent example is our investment in Octopus Energy in the UK.
Bendigo Bank’s Richard Fennell
Bendigo Bank’s base case is for three rate cuts in 2025 beginning in May. By this time next year, we expect the cash rate to be around 3.5 per cent. In terms of our customers, we have seen some deterioration of savings buffers and that is not unexpected in an environment of elevated inflation and higher interest rates from the RBA.
Political leaders need to be examining the entire set of policy and regulatory settings and ask whether they are moving Australia towards being a more competitive place to invest and do business.
Australia needs to put in place an industrial relations system which enables flexibility, rewards hard work and builds productivity, a tax system which is stable and internationally competitive, and regulatory oversight that is effective and efficient so as to encourage investments that stimulate the economy.
Bank of Queensland’s Patrick Allaway
The geopolitical environment is increasingly uncertain, with many risks for Australia. Potential impacts of the change in the US presidency include a stronger US dollar (and a weaker Australian dollar), changes in trade flows affecting industries, and government regulations. Geopolitical uncertainty could create increased volatility across economic, inflation, and financial market outcomes. This necessitates a strong risk management capability, scenario-based solutions, and agility in our decision-making.
Winston Churchill was quoted has having said ‘Americans Will Always Do the Right Thing — After Exhausting All the Alternatives’ – or something to that effect.
In my personal opinion, Americans are in an ‘America first state’ mode now, and under Trump’s Presidency they will do what’s necessary to shore up the home front which will have consequences.
Australia faces a significant housing shortage, and the core issue is the lack of available land. Currently, land is being released gradually, which is not enough to meet demand.
The slow pace of land release, combined with high interest rates, means that many Australians are unable to afford mortgage repayments, let alone save for a deposit. Skilled labour shortages are also becoming a barrier to future growth and represent a challenge for the industry as it prepares for record spending on new housing.
I think there is an opportunity for Australia to invest in long-term infrastructure that sets the nation up for sustainable future growth. A good example is investment in multimodal transport infrastructure that not only delivers greater economic efficiencies but would also substantially reduce emissions for many businesses and industries that rely on transport and logistics.
Commonwealth Bank’s Matt Comyn
We have seen a lower growth, higher cost environment over the past couple of years which we know is impacting households and businesses. It is critical for the long-term health of the economy and the country that we bring inflation under control. We have seen some moderation of inflationary pressures, however underlying inflation remains above the Reserve Bank’s target band. Our economics team believe that rates may fall faster than the market expects.
The biggest headwind is the ever-increasing tax and duty rates being applied by most state governments. State government revenue actually falls in absolute terms as tax rates rise as it virtually stops dead capital investment and transaction markets – this will become most evident for States who are overtaxing property and distorting capital markets by deterring foreign investment. We need densification in all sectors, not just residential, if we are to arrest the affordability crisis facing many Australians.
Coles is well advanced in our use of artificial intelligence. We are investing and experimenting with the technology for the benefit of our customers, team members and business. We currently use it across our supply chain, merchandise and HR teams.
AI can identify patterns and trends in data to help us make the right decisions based on the experiences we are looking to create, whether it is for our customers or our team members.
The future of artificial intelligence is very exciting
Productivity stems from the competitiveness of economy, which is an integrated system. Systemic problem solving requires integrated solutions not point solutions. That is why improving productivity is difficult. This is a challenge we must take on to ensure Australia’s prosperity. Systemic improvement requires that we look at the tax system, regulation, skills and the efficiency of government spending. A single idea is not sufficient.
Deloitte Australia’s Adam Powick
The Australian economy is limping into the new year and may weaken further still. High inflation and interest rates have really seen households and business pull back on spending and investment, with migration the only thing keeping the economy’s head above water, but that’s forecast to fall in the coming months. Meanwhile, economic weakness in China is impacting the strength of our resources sector, which underpins much of our growth. In this environment we are overdue an interest rate reduction to stimulate business and consumer confidence but need government policy and spending settings to support this outcome.
Labour market reform that looks at mobility and the skills that business and the nation needs five to 10 years from now would be a good start. On the tax side, the various state based taxes and duties that single out foreign capital (which the nation needs) is counter-productive to creating the stable investment environment these long term investors need.
Australia is currently enduring one of the longest per capita GDP recessions in its history. This is placing pressure on households which are caught between higher interest rates and rising cost of living pressures. Consequently, momentum in the Australian economy is patchy with discretionary sectors such as Retail and Hospitality under significant pressure. A growing sentiment of uncertainty has emerged in agriculture with lack of clarity on key areas of agriculture and regional/rural Australia.
In our business, we see a shortage of good quality industrial infrastructure, because infrastructure generally is difficult and slow to develop which is constraining supply. Demand is holding up because it’s been driven by the need for greater productivity. What we want to see in the Australian economy is more emphasis on productivity and more encouragement and incentives for businesses to grow.
Global food supply and demand are finely balanced, and the fundamental drivers of GrainCorp’s business remain robust, as people always need to eat. While evolving US policies may shape the trading landscape, GrainCorp, along with the rest of Australia, benefits from the rules-based trading system. We remain committed to supporting the Australian government in advocating for free and fair trade practices that underpin global stability. Shifts toward protectionist policies or changes in tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and trade flows, affecting the export and import dynamics that are crucial to our operations at GrainCorp. On the other hand, efforts to streamline regulations in the US might create opportunities for more efficient trade, especially in commodities or goods where the US is a key market or partner.
Many of our members have felt the weight of higher mortgage repayments, rent and higher energy and food bills over the past year. The economy has been operating at a below-trend pace all year, where household consumption and weak homebuilding are offsetting government spending. For 2025, we expect official interest rates to be potentially 1 per cent lower than they are now, providing some relief to many of our members. However, if inflation remains high and wages rise accordingly, there’s a risk that interest rates may not be cut at all.
2025 is going to be a year of global change, and with this comes opportunity.
Supporting Australian businesses to trade and invest in international markets is our core purpose and we are excited to help clients further expand their footprint in a number of key international corridors. In the last two years the government’s focus on building relationships with growing economies has laid solid foundations for Australian businesses to continue to diversify trade relationships.
Insurance Australia Group’s Nick Hawkins
Australia urgently needs tax reform to stay competitive. Our current corporate tax rate of 30 per cent is increasingly out of step with global standards. If left unaddressed, there is a real risk this will deter business investment and stifle economic growth.
Incitec Pivot’s Mauro Neves de Moraes
Our biggest concern is securing long-term economic gas supply, an essential feedstock in the creation of ammonia, which we use to produce fertiliser for farmers and explosives for the mining sector. We support decarbonisation and the transition to cleaner forms of energy, but not at the expense of the local economy and the loss of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
Our ability to secure economic gas supply is make or break for our operations.
As we move into an AI- and technology-enabled future it is important that we have fit for purpose regulation that sets us up as a country to safely capitalise on the generative AI capability.
The burden of regulation for SMEs in Australia is a significant challenge, impacting the ability for SMEs to grow, innovate, and compete effectively.
When I speak with our customers, it’s the disproportionate challenges of compliance costs and the time and resources they need to navigate things like health and safety laws, employment laws, tax requirements, or even things like food and safety regulations, that are called out.
The SME sector is the backbone of our economy. We should be looking to reduce the red tape and make it easier for SMEs to thrive.
KPMG is “all-in” with the use of AI. The realisation of AI to be transformative to not only our business, but also our clients’ businesses excite us about the future. Responsible use of AI has the potential to lift productivity growth rates together with the quality of services provided. We will continue to invest heavily in developing AI-related services and advice for clients, as well as skills for our people, while taking great care to ensure the integrity and quality of these services.
Latitude Financial’s Bob Belan
We spend a lot of time talking about innovation but how much true innovation is happening is subject to genuine debate. How can we take more calculated risk as a country? Are our taxation settings as efficient as they could be? Are our policy settings promoting competition within sectors of the economy and choice for consumers? Which countries beyond the usual benchmarks have cracked the productivity code and what can we learn from them?
In our own business, we’ve seen cost pressures ease in certain areas. In Construction, material price increases have slowed to near pre-pandemic levels, though labour costs remain high. While price increases are stabilising, the new baseline is likely here to stay across the economy.
The Lottery Corp’s Sue van der Merwe
We’re at the stage where we are using and implementing AI across the business. It is giving us great results in tailoring our marketing to individual customers making it more customer-friendly and efficient. We have used machine learning in developing our models for early intervention to identify customers who may be at risk of potential gambling harm. This technology and approach is useful in monitoring operations and identifying patterns to help us in other parts of our business too.
Macquarie Group’s Shemara Wikramanayake
We are optimistic the Australian economy is turning the corner. Cost-of-living pressures for households are starting to ease as a result of tax cuts and lower inflation, which has begun to encourage a lift in consumer spending. We expect the RBA to ease monetary policy toward the middle of next year, which should help further ease the pressure on household budgets and provide some support to housing market activity.
Many of our customers experienced cost of living pressures this year, and we expect that to continue into 2025, even if there is a rate cut. While we weren’t immune to these pressures, our aim is to continue providing our customers with more value and support in their health, keep premium increases as low as we can and managing our own costs effectively. Across the health system we need to think differently and work together to address health costs that continue to outstrip general inflation.
Within our own business, we’ve seen construction cost inflation start to stabilise, but costs remain elevated – particularly for apartments and commercial assets. This is largely due to a shortage of skilled labour, which has been the biggest contributor of cost escalation and loss in productivity, coupled with a record number of subcontractor insolvencies throughout the year.
National Australia Bank’s Andrew Irvine
Nowhere is weak productivity being felt more than in the housing sector, where Australia cannot build enough houses, while building companies and property developers tell us they are struggling to make projects financially viable. There’s no easy fix to this national crisis. We need more skilled migrants and to be more innovative in the types of housing and methods of construction. An enhanced focus on skills and training is vital to lifting productivity by ensuring Australia has the skilled workforce needed for the future.
The number one economic issue Australians care most about is not the state of the national economy, but the very weak state of their own personal economy.
A lot of personal and business uncertainty exists due to previously unseen combinations of economic indicators. It is not only interest rates that are on hold but it feels like the entire country is on hold.