Monthly Archives: April 2011

Terrible name, but senior Australians advisory panel could be useful

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Gene Tunny

While checking out the Treasury website the other day, I noticed the Gillard Government has established an Advisory Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians. The panel’s awkward name briefly made me wonder if the budgetary situation was so … Continue reading →

Posted in Population | Leave a comment

Sunshine Coast Coles given massive renewable energy target

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Gene Tunny

For the sake of our grocery bills – as no doubt the higher cost of renewable energy will be passed on to consumers – let’s hope this strange condition put on Coles by Sunshine Coast Council doesn’t set an example … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Energy | Leave a comment

Queensland is top spender on roads

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Here’s a handy chart from the new Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) report Australia’s Public Transport: Investment for a Clean Transport Future. Of course, the ACF doesn’t want you driving, but taking the train, bus or ferry, or riding or walking … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Leave a comment

Flood and cyclone relief money wasted on pokies

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Gene Tunny

With increasing evidence that a lot of flood and cyclone relief money ended up going through pokie machines, welfare and problem gambling support groups are trying to rationalise the spike in gambling as stress relief, ignoring the possibility that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cyclones, Floods | Leave a comment

Positive signs for Queensland economy

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The extended Easter break has seen a boost in tourism and retail spending, reinforcing expectations that Queensland’s economy will rebound after recent sluggishness: Tourists returning to Queensland after floods Easter Saturday trading boom Tourism rebound in Fraser Coast

Posted in Macroeconomy, Retail trade, Tourism | Leave a comment

That sure is a mining boom

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Gene Tunny

While reading a recent informative article on the Economic Contribution of the Resources Sector in Queensland, I was struck by a chart that shows employment in Queensland’s mining sector has more than doubled since 2003 to around 50,000 employed persons. … Continue reading →

Posted in Mining | 3 Comments

Let in those cheap second-hand Japanese cars

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Australia’s $12,000 tariff on used cars came into my mind the other day when I read a Monocle story on Vladivostok, which highlighted that in 2008 Russia had brought in huge tariffs on cars to protect its domestic automotive industry. … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy | Leave a comment

Townsville’s Flinders St to re-open for traffic by June

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

In great news for businesses in Townsville’s city centre, the sorry tale of the Flinders St Mall will be over by June, when Flinders St re-opens for traffic for the first time in 30 years. City traders are hoping that … Continue reading →

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Queensland’s retail trading hours are perplexing

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Ex-Productivity Commissioner Judith Sloan has a great post over at Catallaxy Files in which she criticises Queensland’s antiquated regulations around retail trading hours (Beautiful one day, closed the next). She also notices a perverse outcome of the simplification of awards … Continue reading →

Posted in IR, Retail trade | 1 Comment

Is Queensland’s uranium mining ban under threat?

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Gene Tunny

According to a report in today’s Cairns Post, it appears at least one mining company is expecting an end to Queensland’s ban on uranium mining: IT might be half a world away but a uranium mine in western Russia is … Continue reading →

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