Switzerland has emerged as one of the top 10 countries investing in Australia, providing a welcome boost to employment in this country, writes Robert Milliken.
 

The focus of the Budget was to deliver a $1.5 billion surplus in 2012-13. To meet this surplus target, revenue from the resources tax has been used to fund increased welfare payments, promised company tax rate cuts foregone, reduced superannuation concessions and cuts in spending on defence and foreign aid.

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When world markets are changing rapidly, smart investors should remain vigilant. Right now they may need to be attuned to overseas foreign exchange stirrings, which might require some adjustments to their strategies.
In this environment, the long-established JBWere, 80 per cent owned by National Australia Bank, has just acquired a powerful overseas partner. It has announced a partnership with Swiss bank Lombard Odier, the world's oldest private wealth group, which will help it access global markets.
 

JBWere has today announced a new partnership with Lombard Odier, a seventh-generation, family-owned Swiss private bank, to bring international capabilities to JBWere clients in Australia and New Zealand.

JBWere, a leading provider of private wealth management and investment services in Australia and New Zealand, announced that Brent Becroft has been appointed a Director in Perth.

Decades of growth and stability have ill-prepared us for the volatility that appears here to stay. We outline 10 strategies to help investors make the right decisions.
For investors, it's not just a new year. It's a whole new world in which they will have to learn new tactics to cope with a vastly changed investing environment.
Gone is the heavy weighting in shares, as well as "set and forget" and "buy and hold" maxims. Now the focus is on protecting assets, minimising risk and running more active portfolios with less in equities and more in other asset classes such as property and fixed interest.
 

Next year may be a watershed year for not-for-profits (NFPs). The sector is facing an unprecedented level of change at a governance level. But what must also change for the NFP sector to evolve and strengthen is the perception ordinary Australians hold of it. 2012 may be the year this begins to happen.

The coming year may be a watershed one for not for profits. The sector is facing an unprecedented level of change at the governance level. What must also change in order for the NFP sector to evolve and strengthen is the perception that ordinary Australians take hold of it.