| MAY 2009
From the Editor
It is hard to believe that we are already approaching 2009’s half way mark and with it the end of the financial year. As we approach 30 June, it is clear that the Of course, the reality is that the world economy now moves at a pace we have not seen before. While Australia has fared better than most economies and New Zealand has not fared as badly as many local commentators predicted, we are all inter-connected. While many of us have not yet felt the effects of the downturn, industries such as retail and hospitality clearly are. The, as yet, unanswered question is whether our local economies have some way to fall. Another 12 month period will, no doubt, answer this question. Looking at the present, there has consequently been much conjecture and commentary on the downturn over the last few months. It has been difficult to know where to turn for objective information, particularly into the whys and wherefores surrounding the Australian Federal Government’s much vaunted stimulus package. So, rather than sit on the sidelines, the local members of MSI Global Alliance undertook a survey of Australian SMEs to determine what sort of assistance they want from Government and how badly they are feeling the effects of the downturn. It was encouraging to see that 690 SMEs completed the survey, highlighting the fact that this is an issue on which businesses owners and managers really want to share their opinions. The survey results confirmed that SMEs are starting to feel the negative impact of the global economic downturn with 66% of respondents saying they are already feeling it and a further 20% saying they expect to in due course. For more than 50% of those surveyed, annual revenue is slowing and clients and customers are being careful with their own spending on projects. While the results are reported on the front cover of this edition, the important thing that perhaps does not come across was that there was not an absolute sense of doom and gloom. As we look forward to a new financial year we will also look forward to receiving positive economic indicators from all parts of the world. As part of MSI Global Alliance, we will endeavour to be in close contact with our fellow professionals in all parts of the world as we all look for positive signs of economic activity. Rod Commins
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past year has been extraordinary in the real sense of the word. Can it really be less than a year ago that we were living in a world where all the talk was of rising interest rates, oil at US$130 a barrel and Rio Tinto’s share price breaking the $150 mark? 
