Category Archives: Housing

Exciting week for economy watchers: State of the States, a possible rate cut, and the Budget

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Gene Tunny

CommSec’s latest State of the States Report is out today, and, while I think its placement of Queensland in around the middle of Australia’s States and Territories (5th out of 8) is reasonable, I have some sympathy for Queensland Treasurer … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Housing, Infrastructure, Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Economists and their models

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Gene Tunny

Across Brisbane at the moment there is a huge amount of residential construction activity, particularly of apartment towers. Our understanding of supply and demand suggests this will suppress the growth of unit prices in the near future, or in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Negative gearing fine in principle, but capital gains tax discount creates major distortion

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Gene Tunny

The Australian Government is right to be looking at reforming the rules around negative gearing, as the current rules appear to be distorting the market and encouraging excessive borrowing for investment properties (as well as denying the Government significant amounts … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Unit approvals plummet in rest of Aus. with Qld likely to follow

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Gene Tunny

The Brisbane Times reported the other day that Brisbane renters were being offered inducements such as iPads, suggesting that supply growth has got ahead of demand growth in Brisbane recently. This should reduce the enthusiasm of investors for the Brisbane … Continue reading →

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Building construction rebounded in September quarter, but still below previous highs

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Gene Tunny

All the cranes on the Brisbane skyline, from the Valley and Newstead, to West End, Milton and Toowong, might suggest there is a building boom underway. Certainly activity is increasing in the building industry. Building construction work done in Queensland … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Australian Perspective: 2016 and beyond – keynote presentation to CPA Congress, Brisbane

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I was delighted to give the opening keynote presentation at the Brisbane CPA Congress at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre this morning. My presentation slides (which I’ve slightly modified with additional headings and source information) are available to download: … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Housing, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Residential property a “bright spot” in Qld economy

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt correctly noted yesterday that “The property sector is a real bright spot in the Queensland economy and it’s making a positive contribution to jobs and growth.” This is confirmed by data and casual observation. Regarding … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

As many units as houses approved in Queensland in last 12 months – is a unit price crash coming?

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In March, QUT Media reported that, based on analysis by Professor Chris Eves, “Brisbane’s inner city apartment market will crash in 2016, due to oversupply driven by belief in inexhaustible international demand.” (See Collapse of Brisbane’s inner city apartment market … Continue reading →

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Is the Queensland economy at a standstill?

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I’m unsure if the Queensland economy is at a standstill, as suggested by the federal Treasurer Joe Hockey (see today’s Courier-Mail report), but, at best, it is moving slowly and sluggishly. This has meant the Queensland unemployment rate has remained … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Macroeconomy, Tourism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Qld economy propped up by residential building as business investment slumps

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Brisbane Times has a report this morning on the well-known slump in business investment in Queensland, due partly to the completion or near completion of the LNG projects at Gladstone and partly to relatively low business confidence (see Qld … Continue reading →

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