Category Archives: Infrastructure

Rookwood Weir illustrates how richer countries can better protect the environment

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Gene Tunny

The nearly finished Rookwood Weir on the Fitzroy River in Central Queensland illustrates how wealthier countries can afford to look after the environment better than poorer countries. It is a good example of why calls for ‘degrowth’ should be rejected. … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Stopping poor infrastructure spending & pork barreling w/ Nicholas Gruen

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Gene Tunny

Around the corner from my Brunswick St office, at the RNA showgrounds, work is underway on the Exhibition station upgrade so it’s ready for Cross River Rail, Brisbane’s new subway system. This appears to have necessitated traffic control on Gregory … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Infrastructure | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

White Elephant Stampede – podcast chat w/ Scott Prasser

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Gene Tunny

Queensland has had more than its fair share of white elephant projects, including the Toowooomba Wellcamp quarantine facility and the Gold Coast desalination plant. The economics and politics of white elephants are considered in a new book from Connor Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gigi Foster event on the Great COVID Panic + latest podcast episode on price controls & infrastructure

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Gene Tunny

Thankfully, we’re getting much closer to a return to normality with the international border reopening. While we should focus on the brighter future, at the same time we should rigorously review what happened over the last two years, and ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Infrastructure | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Qld population growth and interstate migration gains in perspective

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Gene Tunny

There is much excitement about Queensland having the highest population growth in Australia at the moment (e.g. see the Courier-Mail report ‘Once in a generation boom’ SEQ investment hits $60 billion), although, of course, population growth rates in Queensland and … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure, Macroeconomy, Population | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How much momentum does business investment in Qld have?

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Last week, in responding to widespread business anxiety over the economic outlook, the Queensland Treasurer tried to talk up the economy by noting the June quarter National Accounts revealed a 5.7% increase in private investment in Queensland. Such strong growth … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Qld’s heavy CAPEX pipeline dominated by public sector projects

Posted on July 3, 2021 by Gene Tunny

First, thankfully the Queensland Government will lift the Brisbane-Moreton lockdown at 6pm tonight, although the threat of future lockdowns remains, making it challenging to plan anything over the next couple of months. I’m really hoping the COVID spread is contained … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brisbane inner city and Qld outback get highest Qld Gov’t capital spending per person

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Here’s the latest version of a chart I usually prepare following each state budget on Queensland Government capital spending per person by region (i.e. the ABS SA4 regions). The very high per person spending figure for the Queensland outback is … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

More work needed to show SEQ Olympics would stack up

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Gene Tunny

The increasingly likely 2032 SEQ Olympics stimulated a lot of debate across Australia last week, and I expect scepticism of the Olympics will grow in the lead up to the Games. At the moment, regional Queenslanders such as Robbie Katter … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Most host cities lose money on the Olympics – SEQ Olympics needs to be delivered cost-effectively

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Gene Tunny

While it’s exciting news that SEQ is the lead candidate for the 2032 Olympics (check out the Brisbane Times report), the reality is that the Olympics probably won’t be an economic boon and it will end up costing Queensland taxpayers … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments