Category Archives: Climate change

Carbon tax petrol exemption requires rethink

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Gene Tunny

As the owner of a V8 Jag with pretty ordinary fuel economy, I’m personally happy that petrol is exempt from the carbon tax, but, as an economist, I can see that it’s bad policy and potentially inequitable. The carbon tax … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Transport | 1 Comment

Procrastinating on international climate change action

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Someone in the Federal Government ought to read Brian Tracey’s Eat that Frog! The latest development in our international efforts on climate change strikes me as a massive case of procrastination. As reported this morning (Joint emissions plan to UN): AUSTRALIA … Continue reading →

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Top economists against carbon tax

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Gene Tunny

University of Melbourne Economics Professor Stephen King questions whether the carbon tax is in the national interest and essentially concludes it is based on wishful thinking that our actions alone will influence the world to act: The objectives of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Energy | Leave a comment

Carbon tax creates uncertainty for regional Qld businesses

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Premier Anna Bligh today will launch the Queensland Regionalisation Strategy (see Bligh plugs Downs future), but the ultimate success of the Strategy may depend on the impacts of the carbon tax on our regional economies. Many regional businesses remain concerned … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Climate change, Mining, Queensland Government, Tourism | Leave a comment

Carbon tax impacts on tourism and construction sectors

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Queensland Tourism boss Daniel Gschwind is worried about the impact of the carbon tax on the State’s tourism industry, as reported in the Gold Coast Bulletin this morning: THE carbon tax is another challenge for the Gold Coast tourism industry … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Climate change, Gold Coast, Mining, North Queensland, Tourism | 1 Comment

Queensland has to make the biggest adjustment to carbon price

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Queensland will have to endure a much larger economic adjustment in response to the carbon price than other States, in large part because of the need to reduce fugitive emissions from coal mining and emissions relating to aluminium smelting, which uses huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Macroeconomy, Mining | 2 Comments

Country Australia not happy with carbon tax

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Country Australia is not happy with the carbon tax. Recent frustrations include the exemption of petrol but not diesel from the carbon tax and the impact of the carbon tax on the cost of irrigated agriculture, particularly cotton. These concerns, … Continue reading →

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Yes, closing coal industry would cost lots of jobs, but is that likely to happen?

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government is expecting to earn $2.8 billion in coal royalties in 2011-12 (Budget Strategy and Outlook, p. 94). Shutting down the coal industry would obviously have a large impact on Queensland’s Budget and economy, as well as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Mining, Queensland Government | Leave a comment

Families, tradies and small businesses can keep on polluting

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Excluding petrol from the carbon tax is good news for people who drive a lot, but means we will all have to pay even higher electricity prices. The Australian reports: “Families, tradies, small business people do not have to worry about a … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Tax, Transport | Leave a comment

Queensland most at risk from sea level rise

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Gene Tunny

While the Gold Coast Bulletin is doing its best to generate alarm (Coast to go under in climate crisis), it’s surprising there hasn’t been more coverage of the latest Department of Climate Change report: Climate Change Risks to Coastal Buildings … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Gold Coast | Leave a comment