Monthly Archives: February 2018

Should Australia cut the company tax rate?

Pauline Hanson’s opinion piece in yesterday’s Australian arguing against the Turnbull Government’s planned company tax cut (and in favour of state government payroll tax cuts instead) may well mean the end for the Turnbull Government’s planned cut. Hanson’s article highlights … Continue reading

Posted in Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Business counts data show rise of Uber and start ups

Yesterday afternoon, on his 612 ABC Brisbane drive time show (from 1:42:50), Steve Austin interviewed my colleague QEAS Director Nick Behrens on the still relatively weak wages growth figures released yesterday. Nick also covered more positive news regarding the state … Continue reading

Posted in Mining, Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Comments on BrewDog being lured to Brisbane in the Broadsheet

I was interviewed by Matt Kirkegaard, beer educator and commentator, for his latest article in the Broadsheet: Is Scottish Superstar BrewDog’s Arrival Good for Brisbane’s Brewing Scene? The debate over whether the Queensland Government should have offered financial incentives to … Continue reading

Posted in Industry policy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Disproportionate numbers of Newstart/Youth Allowance recipients in Far North Qld, Wide Bay-Burnett & Logan

Pete Faulkner’s post Job Seeker data shows little change for Cairns alerted me to the latest data on recipients of Newstart and Youth Allowance (for young job seekers) from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services. These data highlight the ongoing … Continue reading

Posted in Labour market, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Value Capture: Making Sense of Policy Options – guest post by Brad Rogers

I am delighted to publish this guest post from Brad Rogers, Director of DeltaPearl Partners, on value capture, the topic of a conference his firm will run in Canberra in July. Views expressed are Brad’s and should not necessarily be … Continue reading

Posted in Infrastructure, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Grant Thornton argues Qld’s gold royalty rate is uncompetitive

Yesterday, at the Resources Discussion Lunch held at the Catchment Brewing Co., West End, attendees reflected on the large financial markets correction that had just occurred, but remained optimistic about the global economy. Resources sector veteran Rob Murdoch was an … Continue reading

Posted in Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

ABC radio interview on PC inquiry into GST revenue redistribution

I had an enjoyable chat with Steve Austin on his ABC Brisbane radio Drive program this afternoon regarding the Productivity Commission’s Brisbane hearing for its inquiry into Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation (HFE), the methodology which is used to distribute the GST … Continue reading

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bold BDO’s vision: half of mining jobs automated by 2020

BDO has published an extraordinary report presenting its vision of a massive uptake of robotics in the mining sector in the next few years. In its Near Future of Mining Report BDO speculates: By 2020, robots will replace more than … Continue reading

Posted in Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment