Monthly Archives: April 2012

Increased train frequency unviable

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Gene Tunny

With an already heavily subsidised public transport system, as reported on by the Courier-Mail this morning (Taxpayers in front line of fight to cut fares hike), it is clear Queensland cannot afford to either defer fare increases or to increase … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | 2 Comments

Temporary setback for Qld resources sector

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Reports today (Mine shutdown a ‘kick in the guts’) about the closure of BMA’s Norwich Park coal mine in Dysart, Central Queensland clearly refute recent claims the mining sector is undergoing an out-of-control expansion. As reported on ABC News (Coal … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Mining, North Queensland | 1 Comment

Laptops for school students may not be cost effective

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Gene Tunny

A report today confirms the Federal Government’s laptops in schools program is a large burden on schools across Australia, which are struggling to find technical staff to maintain the laptops (Shortfall of information and communications technology technicians hits schools). As … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Labour market | Leave a comment

Qld Literary Awards going ahead anyway, meaning Govt’s decision is justified

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Gene Tunny

With predictions that Queensland would become a cultural wasteland following the Government’s decision to cut funding for the Queensland Literary Awards, I’m relieved that organisers are confident they will go ahead regardless, as reported by the ABC yesterday (Qld Literary … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts | Tagged | 3 Comments

How exposed is Qld to a downturn in southern States?

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Gene Tunny

After reading Alan Kohler’s brilliant column at the Drum yesterday (Business panic at Government calm) I started thinking about how exposed the Queensland economy is to a downturn in the southern States. Typically Australian States go into recession together, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining | 2 Comments

Clever election commitment wording – Govt actually didn’t promise Tier 1 hospital for Cairns

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Gene Tunny

When I read the news that new Health Minister Lawrence Springborg is backing away from upgrading Cairns Base Hospital to a Tier 1 hospital, I thought it was very soon for the Government to back away from clear election commitments … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Health | 4 Comments

Wintergarden stage 2 opening at a good time

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Retailers in the newly opened Stage 2 of the redeveloped Wintergarden shopping centre on Brisbane’s Queen St Mall will be pleased with today’s ABS retail trade figures which show solid retail trade growth in Queensland, despite sluggish conditions in other … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade | Leave a comment

Annual cap on mining approvals undesirable and impractical

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Gene Tunny

In the Cairns Post today, in an article with the over-the-top title of People desert Cairns in droves, there is reference to the South of the Embley mining project which is being held up by the need to secure environmental … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining, North Queensland, VET | 1 Comment

Qld only State with recovery in building approvals

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Obviously today’s shocking building approvals data from the ABS increase the chances of an interest rate cut tomorrow (see Pressure grows for rate cut). Based on the ABS’s trend estimates for the major States, Queensland is the only State in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A case for slowing down the mining boom – aren’t we doing that already?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Gene Tunny

In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Ross Gittins discusses a new paper from the Australia Institute on the case to slow down the mining boom. I may be biased, but I thought we already were slowing it down? For example, see … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining | 2 Comments