Category Archives: Cairns

Building industry recovery looking more likely – more evidence last RBA rate cut unnecessary

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Today’s new ABS building approvals data have generated much excitement at the prospect of a building industry recovery, although Queensland’s increase in September was much lower than NSW’s. The Housing Industry Association notes in a media release today that: “Today’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Govt Actuary finds insurers struggling to understand catastrophe risk

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Gene Tunny

North Queensland apartment owners will have to put up with the massive insurance premium increases (e.g. more than 300%) they have experienced in recent years after an Australian Government Actuary report concluded the premium increases most likely reflected the market … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Climate change, Cyclones, North Queensland | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Positive outlook for Far North tourism with direct flights from China about to commence

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Pete Faulkner at Conus Economics Blog has a nice summary of today’s new ABS overseas arrivals and departures data and their implications for Far North Queensland (FNQ), noting: …Importantly for the FNQ tourism industry, the influx of Chinese visitors showed … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Tourism | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Whole world struggling to manage disaster risk

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Gene Tunny

I was pleased to learn that the World Bank and Government of Japan are hosting the Sendai Dialogue tomorrow and Wednesday this week to discuss how the world better manages disaster risk. This is a critical issue because, assuming no … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Cyclones, Floods, Housing, North Queensland | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Chinese tourism expected to boost Far North economy

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Gene Tunny

The forecast doubling of numbers may sound overly optimistic, but let’s hope there is some truth to expectations of a boom in Chinese tourism in the Far North, as reported this morning in the Cairns Post: THE number of Chinese … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Tourism | Leave a comment

QTC inadvertently stumbles into Cairns vs Townsville debate

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Gene Tunny

KS at Loose Change has a good eye for the amusing and ironic, and has spotted that Queensland Treasury Corporation’s investment guide includes a map identifying Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns, but not Townsville: Townsville wiped off map! I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Townsville | 2 Comments

Better outlook for building industry in struggling regions

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Gene Tunny

New ABS small area data released yesterday appear to confirm last week’s reported rebound in building approvals is widespread across the Queensland regions, and has even shown up in the struggling regions of the Gold Coast and Far North. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Gold Coast, Housing | Leave a comment

Mining riches should help pay off debt, not fund dubious regional development projects

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Just as it is odd to call for a sovereign wealth fund to save the benefits of the resources boom, so it is also odd to call for those benefits to be diverted to funding regional development projects. The Cairns … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Cairns | 2 Comments

Unemployment remains high in Far North & Wide Bay-Burnett

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Gene Tunny

OESR’s information brief on the latest ABS regional unemployment data shows that unemployment remains stubbornly high in the tourism-dependent regions of Far North Queensland and Wide Bay-Burnett: These high unemployment rates are no doubt due in part to declines in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Labour market, Tourism, Wide Bay-Burnett | Leave a comment

Possible recovery in Far North tourism – record high for domestic flights to Cairns

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Gene Tunny

The Far Northern economy has struggled in recent years due to the impact of the high Australian dollar on tourism and an over-supply of housing. But there appears to be good news coming out of Cairns airport, which suggests tourism … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Tourism | 2 Comments