Author Archives: Gene Tunny

How did the Qld government accumulate so much debt?

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Gene Tunny

One of Queensland Deputy Premier-Treasurer Jackie Trad’s biggest challenges in her first state budget, to be delivered next month, is to demonstrate a credible debt reduction strategy. She needs to show how she can reduce state debt from its current … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

2018 Budget: Party like it’s 1999!

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Guest post by Dr Andreas Chai, Economic Policy and Analysis Program, Griffith University 1999 was a great year to be alive in Australia. Apart from Prince hitting the airwaves again, Powderfinger were still playing and topped the hottest 100, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

BCC residential parking permit zone in West End & Highgate Hill is bad policy

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Gene Tunny

I have previously posted on the high cost of free parking, the problem identified by UCLA economics professor Donald Shoup that arises when councils do not properly price access to on-street parking (see Another example of the high cost of … Continue reading →

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

Economics of online dating: upcoming WEN/ESA event at Alliance Hotel, 16 May

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Gene Tunny

The news that Facebook is expanding into online dating reminded me of an upcoming event on the Economics of Online Dating at the Alliance Hotel, Spring Hill on Wednesday 16 May featuring QUT economist Stephen Whyte, and hosted by the … Continue reading →

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Are public servants overpaid on average?

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Gene Tunny

In my previous post I commented on the excessive growth of senior Queensland public service positions over the last few years. Let us consider the hypothesis that this growth was related to public servants having significant influence over their own … Continue reading →

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

My comments on excessive growth in senior public service jobs in today’s Courier-Mail

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Steven Scott from the Courier-Mail has done a terrific job of revealing the huge growth in the senior echelons of the Queensland public service since the change of state government in early 2015 (see Palaszczuk Government’s massive senior public servant … Continue reading →

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Titans threat to abandon Cbus confirms governments have wasted money on super stadiums

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Based on the Courier-Mail report of a threat from the Gold Coast Titans to abandon the Cbus Super Stadium, over allegedly high charges imposed by Stadiums Queensland, the huge investments successive state governments have made in super stadiums (e.g. Suncorp, Cbus … Continue reading →

Posted in Gold Coast, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Stadiums Qld is a financial drain

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Gene Tunny

The Sunday Mail yesterday hinted the Queensland government may replace the current board of Stadiums Queensland, given that the allegedly high charges for the use of its stadiums, such as Suncorp, are causing financial issues for football clubs. I must say I … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Infrastructure, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

South Brisbane & South Townsville top Qld in building approvals so far in 2017-18

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Gene Tunny

In my last post, I considered the Queensland construction industry outlook. In today’s post, I take advantage of new data on building approvals at the small area level (ABS SA2 regions) for 2017-18 so far released by the ABS yesterday. … Continue reading →

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

Queensland construction industry outlook

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Gene Tunny

The construction industry is very important to the Queensland economy, and it employs nearly 10 percent of all workers (see Queensland Treasury’s Employment by Industry brief). One part of the broader industry, residential construction, has grown strongly in recent years, … Continue reading →

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