Category Archives: Agriculture

Nice introduction to business opportunities in China and elsewhere

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Australia-China free trade agreement is great news for the Queensland economy, with scheduled reductions in Chinese tariffs on coal and agricultural products from Australia. It will also provide opportunities for people in professional and financial services (see Max Mason’s … Continue reading →

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New ABS figures show two of the four pillars are crumbling – agriculture & mining

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

New quarterly employment by industry data confirm falling employment levels in two of the so-called four pillars of the Queensland economy: agriculture and mining (see chart below). Regarding the other two pillars, construction employment appears flat and the ABS does … Continue reading →

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What is the Four Pillars’ share of the Queensland economy?

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Last week I noted how Nick Behrens of CCIQ made the good point on Steve Austin’s ABC radio show that the Queensland economy is much more than the so-called four pillars of agriculture, construction, resources (i.e. mining) and tourism. In … Continue reading →

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Qld outback drought spreads – Mt Isa LGA now drought declared

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Gene Tunny

Fourteen Queensland Local Government Areas (LGAs) covering 36 per cent of the State are now drought declared (see map below), with Mt Isa the latest addition (see Queensland Country Life coverage: Qld drought spreads). These LGAs account for around 12% … Continue reading →

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ABARES forecasts large increases in seafood prices over coming decades

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Gene Tunny

The traditional seafood feast at Christmas will become much more expensive in future decades as limitations on our seafood stocks mean that rising demand significantly increases prices. This forecast is contained in ABARES’s new publication Global food production and prices … Continue reading →

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Mining has been only “pillar” generating jobs

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Queensland Investment Corporation CEO Damien Frawley made some astute observations on the outlook for Queensland’s economy, which were reported in the Courier-Mail this morning: THE resources boom will leave a lasting legacy for Queensland’s economy regardless of when it runs … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Labour market, Macroeconomy, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Farmers struggling to understand reams of vegetation management regulation

Posted on December 2, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Given that Queensland has seen some egregious examples of land clearing in the past – recall George Quaid in the 1980s – there is clearly a role for Government in regulating activities affecting native vegetation. However, it is possible Government … Continue reading →

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Brisbane hearing of inquiry into two pillars (ag and resources) today

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Gene Tunny

The public hearing for the Inquiry into Queensland’s Agriculture and Resource Industries in Brisbane today looks very interesting, and I will try to get along to one or two of the sessions, particularly the sessions with the Resources Council and … Continue reading →

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White gold and white meat

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Cotton can be a very profitable crop for farmers and is often referred to as white gold. Hence it was good to see the report in the Toowoomba Chronicle today that Darling Downs gins smash cotton record: Queensland Cotton regional … Continue reading →

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Treasury forecasts agricultural boom

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Gene Tunny

While Dr Parkinson’s speech on Friday attracted attention for his controversial comments on payroll tax, I found the boom in the agricultural sector forecast by Treasury the most interesting thing in the speech. This is a chart of industry shares … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Tax | 1 Comment