Category Archives: Labour market

Newman’s jobs pledge – checking the arithmetic

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Gene Tunny

Queensland Opposition Leader Campbell Newman has made a bold jobs pledge today which has drawn strong criticism from Treasurer Andrew Fraser. The Brisbane Times reports: Queensland’s Liberal National Party is vowing to create 420,000 jobs over the next six years … Continue reading →

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New driver’s licence rules reduce youth workforce participation

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Gene Tunny

This story in the Courier-Mail yesterday (Mum’s taxi staying in service longer) made me wonder about the impact of driver’s licence changes on youth workforce participation, given that having to rely on public transport or mum or dad will make … Continue reading →

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Surge in professional jobs as resources boom continues

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The number of professional jobs increased strongly by 6.2% in Queensland over 2011 according to the latest ABS labour force data, as reported in an information brief from OESR yesterday. The growth in professional jobs accounted for all of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Mining | Leave a comment

Guest worker trial for sugar industry

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Gene Tunny

I was pleased to read the Federal Government has announced a trial guest worker scheme for the sugar industry drawing on temporary migrants from East Timor, Tonga, and PNG, among other countries in the region. The Bundaberg News-Mail reports: LABOUR … Continue reading →

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Bligh’s 100,000 jobs target complicates election timing

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday’s ABS labour force data show that the flow-on effects of the resources boom are yet to translate into large numbers of jobs in the rest of the economy. Judith Sloan in the Australian today has a great description of … Continue reading →

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Queensland wages growth trailing other States

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Peter Martin has a solid column in the Fairfax papers this morning on the ABS’s new average weekly earnings data, highlighting the strong growth in mining sector earnings and the very strong growth in earnings in Western Australia (Boom times … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Labour market, Macroeconomy, Mining | Leave a comment

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 →

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Government still expected to hit jobs target

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The Bligh Government remains likely to reach its 100,000 new jobs target, according to the latest ABS Labour Force data released yesterday, even though trend employment growth remains unspectacular (see the OESR brief): Employment in Queensland has risen by 90,000 … Continue reading →

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Cairns pins hopes on FIFO, Bundaberg on DIDO

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The resources boom is creating many employment opportunities in Queensland, but they’re not evenly distributed across the State. Hence, business and community leaders in Cairns and Bundaberg, which have endured high unemployment rates since the financial crisis, are looking to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Labour market, Mining | 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