Category Archives: Retail trade

Dogs in cafes debate highlights over-regulation by local governments

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Australians generally have much more conservative attitudes to pets in public places than people in other countries. I remember vividly one bus trip in Prague in the late nineties when I was the subject of a lot of attention from … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Will laneway cafes revive Townsville CBD?

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Some Townsville business people appear excited by the prospect of laneway developments in Townsville CBD, which has struggled for years to compete as a retail centre against the big suburban shopping centres at Aitkenvale and Willows (see CBD set to … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade, Townsville | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Clever way of getting around Brisbane City Council food business licensing

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Bean Coffee, which is accessible from an alleyway off George St in Brisbane CBD, has come up with a clever way of circumventing Brisbane City Council’s food business licensing regulation. Bean will sell you the ingredients to make a toasted … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

BCC still needs to fix up paid parking in the Brisbane CBD

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Last August I posted on how changes to paid parking  arrangements in Brisbane CBD have adversely affected CBD businesses, particularly in the southern part of the CBD – the part of the CBD which finds it tough enough already owing … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Retail trade | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Qld businesses more optimistic than current conditions suggest they probably should be

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The December quarter edition of the timely and very useful CCIQ-Westpac Pulse Report released yesterday confirms reasonably high levels of confidence among Queensland businesses and a continuing improvement in business conditions. While CCIQ considers confidence is no longer running ahead of … Continue reading →

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Is Santa good for the economy?

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Gene Tunny

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is holding a function in Sydney on Tuesday December 10 on The Capitalist Claus – Why Commercialism is Good for Christmas, featuring Miranda Devine and CIS researchers. I’ve always had mixed feelings about the economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Very little real growth in retail trade since financial crisis

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday’s retail trade data for July from the ABS were disappointing and continue to show consumers are reluctant to spend. Indeed, in real terms (i.e. adjusting for inflation), there has been practically no growth in retail turnover since the financial … Continue reading →

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Queenslanders spending, but not building

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Gene Tunny

It was a week of mixed economic news for Queensland, with the latest ABS data showing retail spending is growing reasonably well in Queensland, while building approvals continue at low levels. Queensland is out-performing the rest of Australia on retail … Continue reading →

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Traditional small business lobby much smaller than it once was – should make trading hours deregulation easier

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Gene Tunny

While thinking about retail trading hours the other day, it occurred to me again that the relative decline in traditional corner stores means that arguments in favour of maintaining trading hours restrictions are much less compelling. Across Australia there has … Continue reading →

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24-hour retail trading inevitable and desirable

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Gene Tunny

I was very pleased to read in today’s Sunday Mail that Woolworths will open a 24/7 store on Federal Government land at Brisbane airport, avoiding Queensland’s archaic trading hours restrictions. While the Attorney-General has suggested there needs to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Retail trade | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments