Monthly Archives: August 2019

Qld private sector CAPEX is disappointing – CCIQ’s Dan Petrie is spot on in today’s Courier-Mail

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Gene Tunny

Today’s Courier-Mail reports some punchy comments from CCIQ spokesman Dan Petrie regarding the news that Queensland has the highest number of bankruptcies in Australia: CCIQ spokesman Dan Petrie said the level of private sector investment in the state had fallen … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Qld construction activity 16% lower than in June quarter last year

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Gene Tunny

Back in February, I depressed several hundred people in the construction and property sectors who heard me speak about the economic outlook at various events around Brisbane (e.g. Qld: hot or not?). It was reasonably clear from building approvals and … Continue reading →

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BCC should consider economic consequences of townhouse ban

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday, Brisbane City Council closed its consultation process for its proposed ban of townhouses and multi-unit developments in areas zoned low-density residential, such as Chapel Hill and Mount Gravatt (e.g. see map below). The YIMBY QLD group, led by Natalie … Continue reading →

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Why is Australia’s workforce participation rate at a record high of 66.1%?

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Gene Tunny

The first episode of the new season of Utopia on the ABC featured the Intergenerational Report, which projects an eventual reduction in the workforce participation rate due to an ageing population. At the moment, however, Australia’s participation rate is actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Strata ‘Management Rights’ must be reviewed by the Qld Gov’t – guest post by Stephen Thornton

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Gene Tunny

This guest post from my good friend and fellow economist Dr Stephen Thornton is on the costly rort that is strata management rights in Queensland. Views are Stephen’s and should not necessarily be attributed to me. GT The front page … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Priorities for boosting tourism in Qld

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Gene Tunny

Veteran ad man Don Morris AO spoke to the Property Leaders Brisbane group at the swanky Emporium South Bank hotel on Thursday night about how Queensland can boost tourism. Morris, now at Pure Projects, was part of the Mojo Advertising … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Qld has gained $7 billion from GST revenue redistribution since 2000-01

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Gene Tunny

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the forthcoming Australian Institute for Progress (AiP) discussion paper on the “golden handcuffs of federation” by well-known Queensland economist Dr John Fallon. Based on the blurb for the August 15 discussion paper launch, … Continue reading →

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The deteriorating global outlook & Qld’s mining regions – initial thoughts

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Gene Tunny

Each passing week I’m becoming more concerned about the global economic outlook and what it means for us here in Queensland, given that the strength of our resources sector is closely related to the strength of the global economy. My … Continue reading →

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Upcoming AiP event on “The golden handcuffs of federation”

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Gene Tunny

The Australian Institute for Progress, a Brisbane-based conservative think tank, has a very interesting upcoming event on what some may consider the rather dry topic of horizontal fiscal equalisation, the complex methodology by which the Commonwealth Grants Commission determines each … Continue reading →

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States across Australia borrow to build – my recent state debt commentary

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Gene Tunny

I’ve been talking a lot about Queensland state debt lately, including with the Infrastructure Association of Queensland’s Funders Taskforce on the morning of Friday 19 July. The main points I made were as follows. Queensland’s gross state government debt, on … Continue reading →

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