Category Archives: Mining

Resources sector accounts for half of GDP growth

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The following chart in yesterday’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) nicely illustrates the two-speed economy: Given the resources and resources-related sectors are around 15% of the economy, this chart suggests around half of Australia’s economic growth in the next … Continue reading →

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Best charts from the State Growth Outlook Study

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Whoever wins the State election next year will have a lot of money to play with thanks to the projected big increase in royalties associated with the resources boom, as charted in the Queensland Resources Council’s State Growth Outlook Study: … Continue reading →

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FIFO Coordinator will be very busy

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Last week Australia’s first FIFO (i.e. fly-in, fly-out) Coordinator was appointed in Cairns, with the task of matching locals to FIFO job opportunities in the resources sector (FIFO Coordinator based in Cairns). Based on the ongoing sluggishness in the Far … Continue reading →

Posted in Cairns, Mining, North Queensland | Leave a comment

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

Treasury Secretary on FIFO

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Gene Tunny

In a speech today to the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, Treasury Secretary Dr Martin Parkinson noted the role of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements in spreading the benefits of the resources boom across Australia: The increasing accessibility and … Continue reading →

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Flow-on impacts of the resources boom

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Ross Gittins has an excellent column in the Age & SMH today on how the benefits of the resources boom flow through the economy: It’s boom time for everyone Gittins points out that NSW and Victoria benefit through the reallocation … 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 →

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FIFO no good for Fido

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Gene Tunny

While fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforces make economic sense (given the temporary nature of much of the resources sector drilling and construction activity and due to the impact of fringe benefits tax) there are possibly some adverse social impacts requiring management. … Continue reading →

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Mining companies poaching Bundy tradies

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Gene Tunny

Back in the 1980s, when there was a massive increase in university enrolments and attainment, the folk wisdom was that a trade was a good thing to fall back on, if your professional career or business failed, and hence it … Continue reading →

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Resources boom forces rethink on immigration policy

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Gene Tunny

The resources boom may force Australia to take in even greater numbers of skilled temporary migrants, and possibly at lower skill levels (and for shorter durations) than those migrants who currently come in on 457 visas for up to four … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Migration, Mining | Leave a comment