Category Archives: North Queensland

Qld Premier deserves some criticism, but she’s right to highlight needs of struggling tourism-dependent businesses

The NSW Premier, Sky Australia hosts, and other commentators have been quick to criticise Queensland Premier Palaszczuk over her call for the federal government to extend JobKeeper beyond the end of March for struggling tourism-dependent businesses, particularly those in Cairns … Continue reading

Posted in Cairns, North Queensland, Queensland Government, Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NQ State feasibility should be explored in lead up to Katter-proposed referendum

I’m pleased that Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) leader Robbie Katter will push for a referendum on North Queensland statehood in the first half of 2021, as reported on news.com.au. It appears there is widespread disappointment in the North with the … Continue reading

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Yes to a North Qld State podcast

Bill Bates and David Young from the Boot Brisbane group have started a new live-streamed podcast on creating a new state of North Queensland. Guests so far have included former Queensland Speaker John Mickel and federal MP Ewen Jones, and … Continue reading

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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

State and regional unemployment rates in this time of COVID-19 with Pete Faulkner

Mission Beach-based economist Pete Faulkner from Conus Consulting has been in the news recently with his estimates of the massive adverse impacts that measures to combat coronavirus are having on Queensland’s regional economies (e.g. see the InQueensland report Jobless numbers … Continue reading

Posted in Cairns, Gold Coast, Labour market, Macroeconomy, North Queensland, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Economic impacts of the North & North West Qld floods – Initial views

All week we have been hearing the awful news about all the dead cattle in North and North West Queensland as a result of the recent floods. An estimate of around half a million dead cattle has been suggested, although … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Floods, Mining, North Queensland, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The North West Minerals Province – A Better Public Sector Investment than the Capital City

The North West Minerals Province – A Better Public Sector Investment than the Capital City Guest post by Craig Wilson* Townsville received the lion’s share of the media coverage in Australia and around the world from the recent flood events. … Continue reading

Posted in Infrastructure, Mining, North Queensland, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

YIMBY, self-fulfilling prophecies, Cairns tourism & Qld GSP growth: Comments & questions on my outlook presentations

I’ve had several interesting comments and questions regarding my economic outlook presentations last week. YIMBY – Yes in my backyard In my Brisbane Club presentation last Wednesday Qld: Hot or not? I commented on Brisbane City Council’s temporary planning instrument … Continue reading

Posted in Cairns, North Queensland, Tourism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Upcoming Townsville seminar on regional economies in a digitised & globalised world

The Economic Society of Australia (Qld), of which I’m a Vice President, is hosting an upcoming seminar in Townsville on how regional economies can adapt and thrive in a digitised, globalised world (see flyer below). Local ESA member Matthew Cook … Continue reading

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My comments on NQ exit in ABC online story

Thanks to ABC state political reporter Josh Bavas for asking my opinion on the new state of North Queensland that has been proposed from time-to-time, most recently by Katter’s Australian Party and Queensland Senator Matt Canavan, Minister for Resources and … Continue reading

Posted in Cairns, North Queensland, Townsville, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments