Category Archives: Macroeconomy

Surge in Qld youth employment over 2017

You have probably seen the media coverage of the strong jobs growth over 2017 for Australia. Queensland played a large part in this, with the highest employment growth rate among states and territories (4.6 percent through-the-year) and an increase in … Continue reading

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Qld’s economic outlook for 2018

CCIQ’s Joseph Kelly has published a nice note titled Business 2018 examining the outlook for Queensland business in 2018, in which he suggests “2018 has all the elements to be the year for business.” Factors that will boost Queensland’s economy … Continue reading

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Michael Knox on why the RBA won’t hike interest rates any time soon

In today’s Financial Review, economics correspondent Jacob Greber observed: The RBA has gone more than seven years now without raising interest rates, the longest span since the official cash rate was introduced in the early 1990s. Indeed, on Melbourne Cup … Continue reading

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Qld’s real gross state income surged in 2016-17 as coal prices recovered strongly

According to ABS State Accounts data released today, Queensland’s real gross state income surged 7.5% in 2016-17, the highest growth rate among States and Territories, owing to the strong recovery in coal prices during that financial year (see chart below).* … Continue reading

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Courier-Mail & 612 ABC Brisbane media this week regarding jobs growth & small business

Today’s Courier-Mail features a short piece (on p. 29) “Employment growth best since the GFC” from Daryl Passmore quoting FNQ-based economist Pete Faulkner and me on Queensland’s recent strong employment growth. The Queensland economy has been recovering strongly over the … Continue reading

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Qld economy traveling nicely based on June quarter National Accounts data

Just a quick update on the June quarter National Accounts released by the ABS today. GDP growth was a healthy 0.8 percent in the June quarter, or around 3.3 percent in annualised terms, which I suspect is around the sustainable … Continue reading

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Improved economic conditions may give Qld Gov’t confidence to call early election

Queensland political observers were stunned today when State Government Ministers started giving what appeared to be end-of-term wrap up speeches in Parliament, raising the possibility of an early election in September or October. With some of the Government’s recent announcements, … Continue reading

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Queensland’s economic transition since the end of the mining investment boom

According to the Brisbane Times, at the LNP state conference on Sunday, Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls was highly critical of the Government’s economic management: “…you certainly can’t create jobs or effectively manage our finances when the Queensland domestic economy … Continue reading

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Qld economy needs pick up in private sector investment

According to the latest National Accounts released by the ABS last week, private sector investment spending fell in Queensland over the March quarter (in seasonally adjusted terms) and State Final Demand would have fallen as well, if it were not … Continue reading

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Qld economy surviving, but not thriving

In his latest column, Stormy times for an economy in the doldrums, Ross Gittins refers to Queensland’s “below-par” growth in State Final Demand, one of the statistics released by the ABS last Wednesday as part of the March quarter National … Continue reading

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