Monthly Archives: July 2010

ABC News 24 is launching Thursday week (22 July), but it’s still unclear why we need a publicly funded 24 hour news channel, when the ABC already offers extensive coverage of breaking news stories – as do the commercial channels, … Continue reading →

Following news that the number of trips on Brisbane buses increased 6.5% over the last twelve months, the Lord Mayor called on other SEQ councils to help pay for Brisbane’s bus system: Campbell Newman demands SEQ councils help pay for … Continue reading →

Anyone who has queued for a cab after a night on the town in Brisbane knows there are not enough taxis (and forget about catching a cab on New Year’s Eve).  While you have to expect delays during peak periods, … Continue reading →

The Brisbane Times reports today that Brisbane rentals are a tenants’ market: Tenants may be spared rental hikes this year, despite predictions demand for rental properties would soar in 2010. New figures published by RP Data show average weekly house … Continue reading →

The cancellation of Queensland Rail’s (QR’s) Riverfire party in 2008, following an intervention by the Transport Minister, supports the case for its privatisation, Dr Doug McTaggart, CEO of QIC, argued today (for a refresher on the incident, see QR boss … Continue reading →

Not only did the miners get a win against the federal government last week, with the weakening of the Resource Super Profits Tax, but they also scored a victory against Queensland local governments.  In the Queensland Court of Appeal, Xstrata and … Continue reading →

It’s likely that federal Treasury’s push for a Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) was partly driven by its view that the China-driven resources boom (and miners’ super profits) would continue for a long time to come.  Indeed, the previous RSPT … Continue reading →

In an interview on Sky News’s Agenda program today, Sustainable Population Minister Tony Burke included the push to make Townsville a second capital of Queensland as an important part of dealing with Australia’s strong population growth (Burke interview transcript). It’s … Continue reading →

Today’s ABS Building Approvals figures show large declines in building approvals between April and May of 8.6% in Queensland and 6.6% across Australia.  Building approvals are generally seen as a leading indicator of construction work and economic activity more broadly, … Continue reading →

Queensland may have smashed NSW in the State of Origin for five years running, but NSW may beat us in at least one endeavour: reforming laws around scalping.  The Daily Telegraph has reported that in NSW ticket scalping could be legalised … Continue reading →