Category Archives: Macroeconomy

Podcast chat with Nicholas Gruen on freeing fiscal policy from political tinkering

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Gene Tunny

The latest episode of my Economics Explored podcast features a conversation I had earlier this week with Nicholas Gruen of Lateral Economics regarding his recent Financial Times opinion piece on the need for an independent fiscal policy advisory body. In … Continue reading →

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Six houses, alike in dignity… not much else – guest post by Brendan Markey-Towler

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Gene Tunny

This guest post by my good friend and fellow Queensland economist Dr Brendan Markey-Towler makes some excellent points regarding Queensland’s economic recovery from the COVID-recession – e.g. consumption spending has been goosed up by government benefits and, apart from in … Continue reading →

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Another costly unnecessary lockdown for Brisbane

Posted on March 29, 2021 by Gene Tunny

It’s obvious now we were lulled into a false sense of security several weeks ago by Queensland CHO Jeannette Young when she said future lockdowns were unlikely. Our CHO has panicked once again, caused the Premier a sleepless night, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Big test ahead for economy & will we regret all the lockdowns?

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Gene Tunny

The latest retail trade figures from the ABS illustrate the challenge the Australian economy faces over the next few months with JobKeeper and the JobSeeker Coronavirus Supplement ending soon. Household disposable incomes have been boosted by all the generous assistance … Continue reading →

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Cairns economy post-JobKeeper – conversation with Pete Faulkner of Conus

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Queenslanders are waiting anxiously for the state government’s COVID media conference this morning, to learn what’s happening with the infection of the doctor at the PA Hospital. Let’s hope our authorities take into account the fact the vaccine is being … Continue reading →

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Role of Treasury in economic policy conversation with Paul Tilley – latest Economics Explored episode

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Gene Tunny

When I spoke with Scott Emerson on his 4BC Drive program last Thursday, I mentioned the federal Treasury would be currently working on options to extend JobKeeper in some form to tourism-dependent businesses. The Treasury has been prominent in developing … Continue reading →

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Qld Premier highlights my JobKeeper comments in Instagram post

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Thanks to John McCarthy for yesterday’s InQld story picking up my comments in yesterday’s QEW post regarding the need for the federal government to extend JobKeeper in some form for tourism-dependent businesses. John’s story has been noticed and shared by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Recovery has been better than expected (especially in Qld), but let’s see what happens when JobKeeper ends

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Whoever looks after the Queensland Premier’s Instagram account is a social media grandmaster (e.g. see the post below). The regular reminders of the imminent end of JobKeeper on 28 March are contributing to pressure on the federal government to implement … Continue reading →

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Interest rates and inflation with Michael Knox, Chief Economist of Morgans

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Gene Tunny

Jonathan Shapiro has an interesting article in the Financial Review, Why the market has suddenly woken up to inflation, in which he writes: …the lower-for-longer [interest rates] doubters are re-emerging. They believe deliberately slow-to-act central banks in the US and … Continue reading →

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Post-JobKeeper viability a concern of many Qld businesses

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Gene Tunny

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) has released its CCIQ Pulse Survey of Business Conditions for December quarter 2020, and it shows a continuation of the recovery in the second half of 2020 in business conditions and confidence … Continue reading →

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