Category Archives: Budget

ABC radio interview on the debt tax and paid parental leave

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Company Director and advisor Monica Bradley and I joined Steve Austin on 612 ABC Brisbane radio this morning to talk about paid parental leave, the debt tax and the upcoming Federal Budget more broadly. Is a paid parental leave scheme … Continue reading →

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Brisbane Times article on asset sales

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I’m quoted in a Brisbane Times article today regarding asset sales: Asset sales divide economists – but they are united in saying ‘Strong Choices’ is flawed I re-iterated the same points I’ve made over the last couple of weeks: that asset … Continue reading →

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

Strong Choices poorly received by public – Treasury needs to do a lot more work

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government needs some new advisers who can prepare logical, coherent arguments as to why particular assets such as ports and electricity businesses should be privatised, because the current Strong Choices campaign has flopped (see the Brisbane Times article Strong … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Top ten contractors supplying to Qld Government

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Business people and professionals across Queensland will be interested in data recently uploaded to the Queensland Government’s http://www.data.qld.gov.au website, particularly because it will allow them to check how much Government work their competitors have obtained (Queensland contract disclosure—$10,000 and above). For … Continue reading →

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

Qld Treasury right that paying down State debt is a huge challenge

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Queensland Treasury’s new Economic and Fiscal Challenges report reiterates the huge challenge ahead in paying down debt and restoring Queensland’s AAA credit rating, which isn’t a likely prospect this decade. The projection that debt levels will stabilise at around $80 … Continue reading →

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Multiple exemptions to evidence-based policy

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

In recent years we’ve seen a number of colossal Government policy failures, including the National Broadband Network and the home insulation scheme, which is now being investigated by a Royal Commission. These failures have resulted from poor policy development processes … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

CPD recommends endowment fund – forgets Qld has projected debt of $80 billion

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Centre for Policy Development’s new report All Boom, No Benefit? Why Queensland needs a new economic strategy ignores some important facts about the Queensland economy and contains some half-baked policy recommendations. The report is getting media attention because it … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Billions of benefits from selling Gladstone and Townsville ports

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Gene Tunny

My colleague and friend Brad Rogers, who is also Secretary of the Queensland branch of the Economic Society of Australia, has written a nice post arguing for privatisation of Queensland’s Government-owned ports at his new blog: Queensland Ports For Sale Brad … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Housing, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Qld Govt leaves room to boost spending in election budget next year

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government’s Mid Year Fiscal and Economic Review released yesterday didn’t contain many surprises, but left me with the thought the Government will have plenty of room to boost spending in next year’s Budget, in preparation for an election … Continue reading →

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Budget repair challenge means Govt should reject calls to assist Holden and Qantas

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Gene Tunny

I spoke with Pat Hession on ABC North Queensland radio yesterday afternoon on the removal of the Commonwealth Government’s debt ceiling, effectively its “credit card limit” as Pat described it. I made the following points: I’m disappointed the debt ceiling … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Industry policy, Tax | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments