Category Archives: Budget

Remarkable cost-cutting performance from Queensland Government

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Average input costs for Queensland Government activities appear to have declined by up to 5 per cent since mid-2012, based on State Accounts data from Queensland Treasury, assuming State Government activity mostly drives the State and local general government consumption … Continue reading →

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2014 wrap up – Qld Govt excelled on budget management, but Adani & Tatts deals questionable

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government’s major economic policy achievements in 2014 included: strong budget management, particularly through expenditure restraint, with the Mid Year Fiscal and Economic Review reporting that expenses in 2014-15 are expected to now be $720 million lower than budget … Continue reading →

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Queensland mid-year Budget update – Nine News interview

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Katherine Feeney of Nine News Brisbane interviewed me yesterday regarding Queensland’s mid-year Budget update, which significantly downgraded Queensland’s fiscal outlook, largely due to lower coal and LNG prices in the forecast period. Katherine and the Nine team did a good … Continue reading →

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Budget blowout highlights risk of permanent deficits without major spending cuts

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Gene Tunny

With today’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook expected to reveal a blowout in this year’s budget deficit from around $30 billion to $35-40 billion, the Commonwealth Government is right to be reviewing childcare benefits and the proposed paid parental leave … Continue reading →

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Privatisation scoping studies should be released to inform public debate

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Gene Tunny

If it hasn’t already been sent, I expect an email will be sent around Ergon Energy today decreeing that all whiteboards must be erased after meetings, after the embarrassing disclosure of privatisation planning to union officials via a whiteboard (see … Continue reading →

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

Goss Government was strong on economic management, possibly to its political detriment

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Gene Tunny

It was sad news indeed today that Wayne Goss has died at what is now a relatively young age of 63. He certainly made a fine contribution to Queensland during his years as Premier. In addition to the electoral and … Continue reading →

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Lease complications mean asset sales a better option

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Government may be having second thoughts about its decision to lease out rather than sell assets, as it’s facing a lot of tricky (and legitimate) questions on what the lease conditions would be from opponents such as the ETU … Continue reading →

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

How important is the return of leased out assets in 99 years time in a cost-benefit analysis?

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Premier’s interesting comparison of the proposed leasing out of Queensland Government assets to the long-term lease of Hong Kong, which was eventually returned to China, made me think about how important the eventual return of assets should be in … Continue reading →

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Reforming solar cross-subsidy is good policy, but unclear why $3.4 billion should be locked up in Cost of Living Fund

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Government’s apparent plan to end the cross-subsidy from households without solar cells to those with solar cells, and to fund the feed-in tariff through an explicit subsidy, is a sound one (see Brisbane Times coverage Power bills to come … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Strong Choices plan mostly good policy, but light on detail of budget impacts

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The final Strong Choices plan has arrived, and, as I commented yesterday, I’m mostly supportive of it. However, I would rather more of the lease proceeds be used for debt reduction rather than being allocated to infrastructure funds that could … Continue reading →

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