Category Archives: Brisbane

Missing Middle Housing podcast chat with Natalie Rayment of Wolter Consulting

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Brisbane City Council’s worst piece of policy making in recent years was the townhouse ban affecting much of Brisbane (see Townhouse Ban in Effect and my 27 August 2019 post). Around the world, progressive cities such as Portland, Oregon are … Continue reading →

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The Olympics: economic boon or burden? My latest podcast episode

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Gene Tunny

InQld reported on Tuesday: A rare closed doors meeting of Brisbane City Council last night voted to support the city’s bid for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games after spending eight hours poring over details of how to satisfy the … Continue reading →

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Most host cities lose money on the Olympics – SEQ Olympics needs to be delivered cost-effectively

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Gene Tunny

While it’s exciting news that SEQ is the lead candidate for the 2032 Olympics (check out the Brisbane Times report), the reality is that the Olympics probably won’t be an economic boon and it will end up costing Queensland taxpayers … Continue reading →

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Pick up in net internal migration to regional Qld

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday’s post covered the surge in net interstate migration to Queensland during the pandemic. The surge reflects: a) departures from Queensland to other states falling a lot (by 16% in September quarter 2020 compared with September quarter 2019), which could … Continue reading →

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Why Greg Chappell came to Qld in 1973

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Gene Tunny

It was about time that cricketing legend Greg Chappell, arguably Australia’s most elegant batsman after Bradman, received an Australia Day Award. Chappell’s 2011 autobiography, Fierce Focus, is well worth reading, and Queensland readers would be particularly interested in chapter 14, … Continue reading →

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Line of 200 people for Gaythorne open house evidence of relative lack of suitable properties in Brisbane – partly due to restrictive zoning policies

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Historic low interest rates and easy access to housing finance, combined with a relative lack of suitable properties in Brisbane’s middle-ring suburbs due to zoning policies, have combined to create an odd sight at suburban Gaythorne on Brisbane’s North-side today, … Continue reading →

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

Qld CHO emergency powers extension bill submission

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday 5pm was the deadline for submissions to the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into the bill to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency and the Chief Health Officer’s emergency powers until 30 September. Queensland’s Parliament has only one chamber and the … Continue reading →

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Qld Premier right to call for review of national hotel quarantine arrangements

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Gene Tunny

The Grand Chancellor Hotel in Spring Hill is around the corner and up the hill, around a 300m walk, from my office at the Johnson Hotel on Boundary St. I never imagined it would end up being the place from … Continue reading →

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Ten years since the 2011 floods

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Ten years ago today, a swelling Brisbane River flooded the city, and made us question whether we really needed that $9 billion of climate-resilient water infrastructure the state government had commissioned in the middle of the drought, when there were … Continue reading →

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Thoughts after first full day of Brisbane lockdown

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Twenty-seven hours into it, I’m still doubtful about the wisdom of the Greater Brisbane lockdown, especially on a day when no new COVID community transmission cases were announced, and on a day when, bizarrely, our Premier appeared to celebrate her … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments