Author Archives: Gene Tunny

Big divide between SEQ and rest of Qld in jobs growth

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Looking at the data in Queensland Treasury’s latest briefing on regional employment, it appears that the bulk of jobs growth that is occurring in Queensland is occurring in the South-East, particularly on the Gold Coast, and many parts of regional … Continue reading →

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Great RBA speech highlighting new labour market flexibility and links with NZ labour market

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Branch of the Economic Society of Australia, of which I’m the Secretary, was delighted yesterday to host a speech by the Assistant Governor (Economic) of the Reserve Bank of Australia Christopher Kent on Adjustments in the Labour Market. … Continue reading →

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Private sector earnings stagnate in Qld at end of the mining boom

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Gene Tunny

New ABS data released yesterday show that average weekly ordinary time earnings in the Queensland private sector fell slightly, by 0.4 per cent, through-the-year to May 2015, no doubt associated with the loss of high-paying jobs in the resources sector … Continue reading →

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ABC News interview on industry assistance

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I appeared on Brisbane ABC News tonight, commenting on the Queensland Competition Authority’s new report on Queensland Government industry assistance, and the story has been written up on the ABC News website: Queensland Government will maintain industry assistance measures for … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

QCA review suggests major budget savings available from slashing wasteful industry assistance

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Competition Authority published the final report of its Industry Assistance Review on Friday, and regrettably the Queensland Government was quick to reject its recommendations regarding a cut to drought assistance and the further review of subsidised regional electricity … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

PC concludes there are some adverse employment impacts from minimum wage increases

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The President of the Queensland Council of Unions is reported in the Brisbane Times this morning as noting “There is no empirical evidence that cutting wages creates more jobs” (Qld unions to make penalty rates election battlefield). In my view, … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Medicare levy hike would not address major problem of vertical fiscal imbalance

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Daily Telegraph today reports some new modelling on the proposed Medicare levy hike undertaken by my old friend and former Queensland resident Ben Phillips, now Principal Research Fellow at NATSEM: Medicare: Levy hike would cost families $2000 a year … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Could the Commonwealth Treasury please send me my $5,000, rather than sending it to George St?

Posted on August 1, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Queensland Treasury has produced an absolutely cracking set of post-Budget presentation slides, which it has kindly shared with the Economic Society of Australia (QLD), of which I’m the Secretary. The slide deck contains some excellent facts and charts on vertical … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Qld Business Leaders Hall of Fame induction dinner 2015 – good selection but for one controversial choice

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Last night, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, six past and present leaders of the Queensland business community were induced in to the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. The inductees for 2015 were: Lawrence Wackett, the so-called father … Continue reading →

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Productivity Commission re-litigates road pricing reform

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In situations where demand exceeds supply, a good or service can either be rationed by queuing or rationed by price. Economic theory is clear that it is most efficient to ration by price, as the good or service goes to … Continue reading →

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