Monthly Archives: October 2011

Smaller rebound in business borrowing in Qld than in other States

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The rebound in commercial and personal financing commitments reported by the ABS yesterday (Lending Finance, Aug 2011) is good news for the economy, as it suggests businesses and households are confident about the future. Based on the ABS data, Queensland … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy | Leave a comment

Carbon tax petrol exemption requires rethink

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Gene Tunny

As the owner of a V8 Jag with pretty ordinary fuel economy, I’m personally happy that petrol is exempt from the carbon tax, but, as an economist, I can see that it’s bad policy and potentially inequitable. The carbon tax … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Transport | 1 Comment

Government on track to hit 100,000 new jobs target

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday’s positive labour force numbers confirm that the Bligh Government should be able to meet its 100,000 new jobs election commitment, which I’ve discussed in a previous post.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Australian life satisfaction 7th highest in OECD

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Australians are much more satisfied with their lives than Americans, New Zealanders and the British, but we fall short of the levels of satisfaction experienced in Denmark, Canada and Norway. From the new OECD publication How’s Life?:

Posted in Population | Leave a comment

Resources boom forces rethink on immigration policy

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The resources boom may force Australia to take in even greater numbers of skilled temporary migrants, and possibly at lower skill levels (and for shorter durations) than those migrants who currently come in on 457 visas for up to four … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Migration, Mining | Leave a comment

Contracting out could reduce Govt costs 20% says ex-NSW top bureaucrat

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Gary Sturgess, former NSW top bureaucrat and a driving force behind national competition policy, has published a muscular critique of last week’s tax forum in this morning’s Australian: WE have just had a tax forum largely debating how to raise … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax | Leave a comment

Restoring the ideal of a vocation

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Gene Tunny

A new discussion paper from the NCVER reminded me of George Eliot’s great novel Middlemarch, which has as its theme the ideal of having a vocation in life – something more than a job, something more akin to a calling. … Continue reading →

Posted in VET | Leave a comment

Xstrata rejects CopperString renewable energy pipe dream

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The CopperString renewable energy corridor, from Townsville to Mt Isa, always appeared to be a pipe dream, with fantastic expectations about the reliability of renewable energy generators (wind farms and solar & geothermal power stations). The big problem with renewable … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, North Queensland, Townsville | 1 Comment

The Gold Coast as an adolescent city

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Gene Tunny

I highly recommend this fascinating discussion on Alan Saunders’s By Design program: Professor Paul Burton is working on an intriguing project – looking at the urbanisation of the Gold Coast in the way one would look at the characteristics of … Continue reading →

Posted in Gold Coast | Leave a comment

QR will need to upgrade Central Station

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Anyone commuting into Brisbane CBD by train can attest to the crowded platforms and the long queues to get on to the escalators during peak times at Central Station, which is simply not large enough to cope with commuter numbers … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Leave a comment