Category Archives: Mining

Pick up in thermal coal prices over last month

Unlike in WA where iron ore is the major commodity, in Queensland it’s coal that’s the big deal, and we should be thankful the Chinese ban on Aussie thermal coal doesn’t appear to have been that effective, as evidenced by … Continue reading

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Where Queensland’s coal exports go

In my post last Tuesday, PM puts China’s Aussie thermal coal ban in perspective, I noted how China’s Aussie coal ban would be much more concerning if it also applied to coking coal, which is more valuable per tonne and … Continue reading

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PM puts China’s Aussie thermal coal ban in perspective, but $100M+ annual loss to Qld state budget possible

Prime Minister Scott Morrison did a good job yesterday at putting China’s reported ban on Australian thermal coal into perspective, pointing out Japan is our largest customer for thermal coal, and it takes twice the amount of thermal coal as … Continue reading

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Campaigning pollies recognise importance of resources sector to Qld economy

The Guardian Australia’s Queensland correspondent Ben Smee has a nice summary of our Premier’s first week of election campaigning in his article on the Queensland paradox, whereby politicians have to appeal to voters in both Townsville and Toowong: The premier, … Continue reading

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Mining & Ag have partly shielded several Qld regions from COVID shock

As shown in my post on the latest payroll jobs data from the ABS, the regions which have fared the best in Queensland since the COVID-related economic crisis began in March are Toowoomba and Central Queensland, likely due to the … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Labour market, Mining, Toowoomba | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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

Deloitte highlights trade tensions with China and lower commodity prices as risks to Qld recovery

According to today’s Courier-Mail, Deloitte’s new Business Outlook report highlights the risks to Queensland’s economic recovery from lower commodity prices and trade tensions with China affecting our commodity, tourism, and education exports. Deloitte also rightly mentions the risk to the … Continue reading

Posted in Budget, China, Floods, Macroeconomy, Mining, Retail trade | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s (and Qld’s) climate change policy predicament

Yesterday, the Financial Times published a blistering op-ed by its Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator Gideon Rachman: Australia is no longer the lucky country (NB pay-walled). It is one of the best summaries of Australia’s current predicament over climate change I’ve … Continue reading

Posted in Climate change, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Huge opportunities for Australian businesses in India says Jim Varghese

My research assistant at Adept Economics Ben Scott and I have prepared a short article on a recent talk Jim Varghese AM gave to the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) on Getting down to the business of increasing trade … Continue reading

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Rates applied to commercial properties by councils frequently lacking in rationality & justification

The Property Council of Australia (QLD) and the Queensland Resources Council have recently released a study Nick Behrens from QEAS and I did for them earlier this year on local government rates paid by non-residential property owners. The study revealed … Continue reading

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