Category Archives: Gold Coast

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

Bad news for renters, but drop in vacancy rates is good news for building industry

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Gene Tunny

A friend of mine recently complained about how hard it is to find a suitable flat at the moment in inner city Brisbane, and data on residential vacancies released today by OESR back up this complaint. In inner Brisbane, the … Continue reading →

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

Valuer-General’s report shows big slump from pre-GFC Gold Coast land values

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Gene Tunny

While I’m generally positive about the Queensland economy, I remain concerned about the short-term prospects of Cairns and the Gold Coast. Loose Change has coverage of the bad news on land valuations in the Cairns region contained in today’s report … Continue reading →

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Development review panel would be a platform for NIMBYism

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Gene Tunny

If the Bligh Government is re-elected, I hope it reassesses its commitment to an independent panel to review major development applications in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as reported in the Gold Coast Bulletin today: AN INDEPENDENT panel will advise … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Gold Coast | Leave a comment

More Chinese than Japanese tourists on Gold Coast

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Fascinating new regional tourism data from Tourism Queensland confirm the rise in Chinese tourism to Queensland and the massive opportunity it represents. I was especially surprised to see Chinese visitors to the Gold Coast exceeding Japanese visitors: The Japanese still … Continue reading →

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

Alcohol restrictions may help, but Gold Coast really needs more police

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Ever since I was punched in the back of the head by a drunken idiot at Canberra’s Uni Pub the weekend prior to Easter in 2008, I’ve believed that alcohol-related violence is a major issue in Australia and demands a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Gold Coast | Leave a comment

Talking sense about the Commonwealth Games

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Sunland chairman Soheil Abedian is absolutely right that the Gold Coast’s major problem is its inability to control drunks and criminals, and hence the Commonwealth Games won’t itself save the Coast’s economy (as reported in today’s Gold Coast Bulletin): At … Continue reading →

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Economic benefits of Games usually over-stated

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Gene Tunny

There is no doubt the Commonwealth Games will provide an economic boost to the Gold Coast and support job creation in the region, but I’m skeptical about the estimated 30,000 jobs figure, given that the economic impacts and net benefits … Continue reading →

Posted in Gold Coast, Labour market | Leave a comment

Far North economy gradually improving, but Gold Coast still weak

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The latest ABS regional labour force data released yesterday show different trends for two of the Queensland regions hardest hit by the higher Australia dollar. While the Far North’s economy is gradually improving, the Gold Coast’s economy remains weak. Charts … Continue reading →

Posted in Gold Coast, Labour market, North Queensland | 1 Comment

The Gold Coast as an adolescent city

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Gene Tunny

I highly recommend this fascinating discussion on Alan Saunders’s By Design program: Professor Paul Burton is working on an intriguing project – looking at the urbanisation of the Gold Coast in the way one would look at the characteristics of … Continue reading →

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