Category Archives: Transport

QCA and Premier’s Department have shown where Government can find budget savings

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The need for difficult decisions to repair Queensland’s Budget is reinforced by news that, due to the drop in coal prices and a slower economy, revenue will be further written down by $1.5 billion over the next four years. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Terminating KSD contract probably provides a better return for ratepayers than proceeding

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Jim Binney returns to the topic of the controversial $650 million Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade in a new guest post. From an economic point of view, avoiding costs is akin to a benefit. In fact this is the logic that … Continue reading →

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Guest post on KSD upgrade features in Council debate

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Last week’s excellent guest post from Jim Binney of Mainstream Economics on the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade attracted a lot of attention, and now it has featured in the council debate on the merits of the upgrade. A Brisbane Times … Continue reading →

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More transparency, but KSD upgrade still looks like a dud

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Jim Binney, Principal of Mainstream Economics and Policy, has undertaken further analysis of the proposed Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade, following up his guest post from yesterday, and I am very happy to publish his critique of the business case below. … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Harper Competition Policy Review – guest post by Rod Bogaards

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Parliament’s passage of the retrograde sugar bill that was put forward by Katter’s Australian Party is a strong sign that we should not hold much hope for sensible economic policy coming out of this hung parliament (see Brisbane … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Retail trade, Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Guest post on KSD upgrade by Jim Binney

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I am very grateful to Jim Binney, Principal of Mainstream Economics and Policy, for preparing the guest post below on the economics of the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade.  I share Jim’s suspicion that the project is an “economic dud.” Brisbane … Continue reading →

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What does the sensitivity analysis for KSD upgrade show?

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Governments and local councils would be much better off making business cases for public projects such as the $650 million Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade public before they commit to them, so they are tested by the critics and the politicians … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cracking down on Uber would come at a high cost to the Qld community

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday’s Sunday-Mail reported that Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) will introduce a bill into the Queensland Parliament to increase penalties for Uber drivers. Regarding the taxi industry that he is intending to defend, Robbie Katter notes: “They move a million wheelchairs … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Productivity Commission re-litigates road pricing reform

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In situations where demand exceeds supply, a good or service can either be rationed by queuing or rationed by price. Economic theory is clear that it is most efficient to ration by price, as the good or service goes to … Continue reading →

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RACQ should push for demand management options such as congestion pricing

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I was surprised by this view attributed to RACQ Executive Manager Michael Roth in the Brisbane Times article Brisbane drivers spend three days a year stuck in traffic: Mr Roth said there were two ways to prevent worsening congestion rates … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments