Category Archives: Education

International education boom – new ABS estimates

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Gene Tunny

My office is in the Johnson Hotel, in the middle of the international education precinct around Boundary St, Spring Hill, so I’m very conscious of the international education boom we are experiencing. Even so, I was stunned by newly released … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

TAFE in trouble – reliant on $170M Qld gov’t annual subsidy for survival

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Today, the NCVER published its January to June 2018 data for government-funded vocational education and training (VET) students, and it reminded me that I should further investigate the troubled TAFE Queensland. The data show Queensland TAFE remains last in Australia … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized, VET | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Are we still turning Japanese? I don’t think so – guest post by Joe Branigan

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Gene Tunny

I am delighted to publish the full version of Joe Branigan’s recent article on second languages offered in Queensland schools. An edited version was published in the Courier-Mail last week, but that version omitted one of Joe’s major points and … Continue reading →

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Is the Dutton Park high-rise high school really necessary?

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Gene Tunny

David Gillespie, Brisbane State High School Council Chairman (and author of Free Schools and Sweet Poison) gave a terrific interview on the 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast program (at 2:18:50) yesterday morning. He argued State High’s over-enrollment problem is due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

LSE’s Stephen Machin to deliver public policy evaluation Winter school at O’Reilly’s, Gold Coast

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Gene Tunny

Economists will often caution that correlation does not necessarily imply causation, or that causation may not run the way you expect. So, for example, the negative correlation between educational attainment and crime, that more educated people are less likely to … Continue reading →

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St Lucia property owners capturing value from Ironside State School

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Gene Tunny

A story in the Courier-Mail this morning regarding Ironside State School in St Lucia, Brisbane reinforces Independent Schools Queensland head David Robertson’s argument for reforming school funding arrangements (see QEW post), as it appears parents are very willing to pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

HILDA reveals very wealthy Canberra households, while Queenslanders much less wealthy

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Gene Tunny

The relatively high salaries of Canberra public servants are allowing them to build up healthy asset portfolios, while average Queenslanders are much less wealthy, according to the University of Melbourne’s Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Australia Survey, the latest report … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Labour market, Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Huge opportunities from closer relationships with Indonesia

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Gene Tunny

An enthusiastic and bright group of Indonesian officials arrived in Brisbane just over a week ago to undertake two-week short courses on public policy processes and public-private partnerships at the University of Queensland (see photo below). The courses are funded … Continue reading →

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FACCI thriving in time of greater French-Australian economic cooperation

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Gene Tunny

The recent awarding of the $50 billion submarine contract to French firm DCNS was greeted enthusiastically by members of the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FACCI), which is doing terrific things around town and running some excellent events. For … Continue reading →

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Qld private independent schools saving taxpayers $1 billion per annum

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Gene Tunny

Independent Schools Queensland yesterday released a report it commissioned from AEC Group on the economic contribution of its 190 member schools (i.e. non-Catholic private schools) to Queensland, revealing a direct contribution of over 14,000 jobs and $1.8 billion in gross … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments