Category Archives: Industry policy

Historically Queensland has lacked transparency on analysis of regulatory impacts

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Gene Tunny

I was pleased to learn from a new Productivity Commission report on Regulatory Impact Analysis that the new Queensland Office of Best Practice Regulation is intending to require the publication of all final regulation impact statements (RISs), which for some … Continue reading →

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Lots of scope to reduce regulatory burden in Qld

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Competition Authority has released an informative issues paper on Measuring and Reducing the Burden of Regulation for the purposes of an inquiry it is undertaking for the new Government. The issues paper contains a lot of useful ammunition … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Queensland Government | Leave a comment

Productivity Commission should go back to giving frank and fearless advice

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Productivity Commission Chairman Gary Banks gave a great speech in Brisbane last week on competition policy (Competition Policy’s regulatory innovations: quo vadis?), which, as usual with the Chairman’s speeches, documents the failure of recent Governments to prosecute much needed reforms. … Continue reading →

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Dump Ford before it dumps us

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Gene Tunny

While having lunch at the Jam Corner cafe on Palmer St, South Townsville on Sunday, I found my gaze constantly drawn over to Dean St when I heard the distinctive sounds of large V8 engines in big Aussie cars coming … Continue reading →

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Why does the Qld Government even have a nursery business?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Gene Tunny

As a great believer in government transparency and FOI, I find it hard to be too concerned about the Party official going in to review the Government businesses GoPrint and GoPlant, as reported in the Courier-Mail. Of course, it appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Queensland Government | Leave a comment

Corporate welfare stabilises as Commonwealth responds to budgetary pressures

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Gene Tunny

I was pleased to see in the Productivity Commission’s latest Trade and Assistance Review, released today, that industry assistance from the Commonwealth slightly fell in 2010-11, and no doubt this is a reflection of policy decisions taken in response to … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Industry policy | Leave a comment

ACCC inquiry should investigate why Brisbane has fewer petrol stations per capita than Toowoomba

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Gene Tunny

With the closure of the Caltex on Benson St and the BP on Jephson St in Toowong in recent years, there are now only three petrol stations in a short drive from my flat compared with five around a decade … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Industry policy, Toowoomba | Leave a comment

Farmers miss out when Govt gives $275M handout to Holden

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Gene Tunny

There is a great opinion piece in the rural press today (available at Queensland Country Life) on “Why Holden’s crutch matters to ag.” The author Gregor Heard opines: Some tough questions have to be asked about our car manufacturers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Industry policy, Infrastructure | Leave a comment

Costello is a good choice for the Commission of Audit

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Gene Tunny

I was pleased to see that Premier Newman has appointed Peter Costello to head the Commission of Audit (Newman hires Costello for financial check-up). Costello is first class and did a good job in restraining excessive spending under the Howard … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Industry policy | Leave a comment

Recommended reading on the car industry

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Gene Tunny

The new online newspaper the Global Mail, which is funded by Wotif founder Graeme Wood, published a great article today (Car makers: Beached as) by Bernard Lagan on government assistance to Australia’s car industry, which quotes extensively from my paper … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy | 3 Comments