S. "increased its production of goods and services in the first few months of 2009…Alone among the developed nations that belong to G-20, it was not being sucked into a world recession" (Stutchbury 2010). Its currency even reached parity with the U.S.
One unique facet of Australia's economy not present in the other developed nation that were hard-hit by the credit crisis is the expansion of its mining sector. In the years before the credit crisis "Australian iron ore was stoking the very Chinese industrialization that in turn was recycling a massive export surplus into excess U.S. consumption, driving up Washington's budget deficits, and inflating an American housing bubble that would almost bring down the global financial system" (Stutchbury 2010:4). This sustained demand for its commodities and mining products. Technology and globalization which has spread to the developing world was strong enough to keep the Australian economic 'miracle' afloat (PNC, 2011, Australia Banking and Finance).
Deregulation
Although technology and globalization fueled Australia's export boom, ultimately it was deregulation that laid the groundwork for its current state of financial health. During the 1980s, Australia's traditionally high import barriers were done away with, which had heretofore protected its manufacturing sector from global competition. Businesses were privatized and trade unions were substantially regulated, to reduce the unions' collective leveraging for higher wages and benefits. Regulations upon the financial industry were substantially curtailed, but not on as dramatic a level as occurred in the U.S. Or even in the UK. And "the Australian line is that on both sides of the North Atlantic, banking rules were not necessarily too lax -- supervisors simply had not enforced them" (Stutchbury 2010:5-6).
For example, within the agricultural sector it has been alleged that "deregulation inevitably invokes structural adjustment, forces farmers out of agriculture,...
Australia's aboriginal population and members of various immigrant communities and the working class have also not enjoyed the benefits of the commodity boom.
Conclusion
Deregulation and globalization in Australia has not been embraced by all. Regardless, the success of Australia's economy and its durability in the wake of the recent credit crisis indicates that while the effects of globalization may be universal, globalization does not affect all nations, even developing nations, in the same manner.
References
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Kellerman, Bernard. 2011. Missing the boat. Australia Banking and Finance. Accessed:
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Stutchbury, Michael. 2010. The luckiest country. World Policy Journal. Accessed:
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