Category Archives: Mackay

Qld’s regional economies & COVID-19 – video chat with Pete Faulkner

Posted on July 22, 2020 by

Earlier today I chatted with Pete Faulkner from Far-North-Queensland-based Conus Business Consultancy Services regarding how Queensland’s regional economies have been impacted by COVID-19. Check out the recording of our Zoom conversation below. You can download the slides we chatted about … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Cairns, Labour market, Mackay, Macroeconomy, Migration, Mining, North Queensland, Population, Tourism, Townsville, Uncategorized, Wide Bay-Burnett | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The deteriorating global outlook & Qld’s mining regions – initial thoughts

Posted on August 9, 2019 by

Each passing week I’m becoming more concerned about the global economic outlook and what it means for us here in Queensland, given that the strength of our resources sector is closely related to the strength of the global economy. My … Continue reading →

Posted in Mackay, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coal, climate change, solar & batteries – why Qld Treasury wanted to offload the state’s energy assets

Posted on December 14, 2018 by

The recent Financial Times report Development bank halts coal financing to combat climate change, reprinted in this morning’s AFR, should prompt some serious long-term thinking from the Queensland government and local governments with regional economies heavily dependent on coal mining, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Mackay, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Qld regional unemployment rates facet wrap via R

Posted on September 20, 2018 by

Queensland is such a large and diverse state, with regional economies having vastly different drivers of growth (e.g. tourism in Cairns, mining in Mackay), that it’s often hard to get a sense of how different parts of the state are … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Labour market, Mackay, Migration, Mining, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Regional rescue packages have a poor record

Posted on March 6, 2016 by

The Sunday Mail reported this morning that Queensland Federal Government MPs are “at odds over federal relief funding for Queensland” in response to the economic downturn in much of the State outside SEQ (e.g. note the large job losses in … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Mackay, Macroeconomy, Queensland Government, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Challenging conditions outside SEQ

Posted on January 21, 2016 by

In his recent commentary regarding strong growth in the retail sector, National Retail Association CEO Trevor Evans noted: “South East Queensland is performing strongly but performance in Queensland is being held back by issues in some areas…Some areas are living … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Infrastructure, Labour market, Mackay, Macroeconomy, Mining, North Queensland, Queensland Government, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Mackay asks why is Townsville getting special treatment?

Posted on January 20, 2016 by

Yesterday afternoon I spoke with Elly Bradfield on ABC Radio’s Statewide Drive program about Queensland Nickel entering administration and the likely economic fallout. I reiterated the points I made in this blog yesterday that this could be a big economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Mackay, Queensland Government, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Qld has three of top five regional areas with most expensive residential lots

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

The Housing Industry Association released a very interesting note today on median lot prices in capital cities and regional Australia (i.e. non-Capital City Australia): Land price pressures signal policy failure. The data should prompt a number of Queensland Councils to review their … Continue reading →

Posted in Gold Coast, Housing, Mackay | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Largest unemployment rate increases over 2012-13 in metro Brisbane and Central Qld

Posted on July 19, 2013 by

I’ve mapped the changes in regional unemployment rates over 2012-13 (based on Queensland Treasury’s briefing on yesterday’s ABS data) in the maps below. The largest increases in the unemployment rate are in metropolitan Brisbane, related in part to public service … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Labour market, Mackay, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tales of the two-speed economy

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

Cashed up miners are pushing up rents in Mackay, with some prepared to pay $700+ per week for a house: 450 join already long queue Meanwhile the Fraser Coast economy remains in a slump, due to a drop in international … Continue reading →

Posted in Mackay, Mining, Tourism, Wide Bay-Burnett | Leave a comment