Category Archives: Budget

Success of privatisation plan requires $12 billion spent wisely

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Gene Tunny

As I’ve commented on previously, I’d prefer the Queensland Government to allocate all of the privatisation proceeds to debt reduction to maximise our chances of regaining our AAA credit rating. By allocating a sizable fraction – now $12 billion according … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Energy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

PC natural disaster funding recommendations could cost Qld over a billion

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Productivity Commission has injected a huge dose of economic rationalism into its recent draft report on natural disaster funding, which contains a recommendation to cut future Commonwealth support from 75% to 50% of the repair bill – a recommendation … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Cyclones, Floods | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Victoria beating Qld in budget management and other policy areas

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Many years ago, as a result of the economic failures of the Cain Government in the 1980s, Victoria had a poor reputation for economic management, while Queensland had an excellent reputation. A comparison of State Budget estimates for 2014-15 (see … Continue reading →

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

Private sector involvement should restrain growth in electricity prices

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Gene Tunny

There was an excellent article in Saturday’s Courier-Mail, quoting me towards the end of it, by State Political Reporter, Steven Wardill, on the likely impacts of the proposed leasing out of Queensland’s electricity network assets: Energy prices have risen rapidly … Continue reading →

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

ABC radio interview on asset leases

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Gene Tunny

At a BDO economic outlook breakfast I attended at the Brisbane Convention Centre this morning, Treasurer Tim Nicholls announced that the Government would consider asset leases as an alternative to the previously announced sale of the power generators and the … Continue reading →

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

ABC radio interview on unemployment, the 4% target and the four pillars plan

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I was interviewed this morning by Steve Austin on 612 ABC Brisbane regarding yesterday’s unemployment figures, particularly what they mean for the Government’s four pillars plan and its 4% unemployment rate target: Jump in employment questioned I reiterated the point … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Labour market | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Privatisation proceeds should be spent wisely

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I have an opinion piece in today’s Courier-Mail on asset sales/privatisation: Corporatisation has brought efficiency gains but there is still room for more gains through privatisation It’s based largely on my speech from a few weeks ago: Productivity and privatisation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

US tax guru Dan Mitchell criticises federal debt levy

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Cato Institute economist and former George H.W. Bush adviser Dan Mitchell gave a fantastic presentation tonight to the Queensland branch of the Economic Society on tax avoidance and tax competition. Dan is highly critical of OECD efforts to discourage member … Continue reading →

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

Wise words from the PC on capital/asset recycling

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I’ve been a strong supporter of the Queensland Government’s privatisation agenda, but have been unimpressed by the Strong Choices campaign promoting the agenda, which is uninformative and based on questionable logic. In its just-released Public Infrastructure Inquiry Report, the Productivity … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Privatisation debate continues

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Gene Tunny

It’s unsurprising that former Queensland Treasury supremo Sir Leo Hielscher supports asset sales (as reported in the Brisbane Times today), given that as one-time head of the Treasury Corporation he was very concerned with actually finding the cash to pay the bills … Continue reading →

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