Category Archives: Uncategorized

Low wages growth & the drop in household saving – 612 ABC Brisbane panel discussion

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Low wages growth and the drop in household saving recorded in the June quarter National Accounts were considered in a panel discussion I participated in on Emma Griffiths’s 612 ABC Brisbane Focus program yesterday morning, which you can listen to … Continue reading →

Posted in IR, Labour market, Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Has there been a “huge slump” in the Qld economy?

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Gene Tunny

The Courier-Mail today is reporting a “huge slump” in the Queensland economy after yesterday’s ABS National Accounts figures revealed state final demand grew only 0.1 percent in the June quarter, the second lowest rate among states and territories. The paper … Continue reading →

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Economists and the media

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Gene Tunny

This Thursday lunchtime, I’ll be chairing an ESA (Qld) seminar on economists and the media, featuring former ABC finance reporter Rebecca Archer, Director of Connect Media Training, and Griffith Economics Professor Fabrizio Carmignani, a frequent media commentator and contributor to … Continue reading →

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RBA Deputy Governor Guy Debelle’s Low Inflation address to ESA Qld at the Brisbane Hilton

Posted on August 25, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Last Wednesday, RBA Deputy Governor Guy Debelle addressed the ESA (Qld) business lunch at the Brisbane Hilton on the topic of low inflation.* The Deputy Governor took the audience through the different components of the consumer price index (CPI) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Lack of clarity on due diligence for GBR Foundation grant is a major concern

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Today’s Courier-Mail includes opposing opinion pieces on the Turnbull government’s controversial $444 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which according to the author of the first opinion piece, Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden, is the “lead charity” for … Continue reading →

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Is the Dutton Park high-rise high school really necessary?

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Gene Tunny

David Gillespie, Brisbane State High School Council Chairman (and author of Free Schools and Sweet Poison) gave a terrific interview on the 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast program (at 2:18:50) yesterday morning. He argued State High’s over-enrollment problem is due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

CIS Ideas post on government size & economic growth paper by Makin et al.

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Gene Tunny

I spent an enjoyable week visiting the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, and while there I was roped into drafting a short post for their regular Friday Ideas email. My post was on a recent conference paper by Griffith … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Andrew Leigh-Sinclair Davidson company tax debate

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Gene Tunny

In March, there was extensive media coverage (e.g. in the Guardian Australia) of shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh’s company tax research which found companies paying lower effective company tax rates (i.e. actual tax paid/profits) did not create more jobs than … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Economics of second best in energy policy

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Australia’s energy policy is such a confusing mess that the Australian’s economics editor Judith Sloan actually supports the ACCC’s dubious call (in its Electricity Pricing Inquiry Final Report) for the Australian Government to act as a buyer of last resort … Continue reading →

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

A question you could ask RBA Deputy Governor Guy Debelle at ESA Qld business lunch on 22 August

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Gene Tunny

Ten years after the 2008 financial crisis, economists are still debating whether the policy response at the time was excessive or insufficient (e.g. the excellent recent Macro Musings podcast with Larry Ball on the Lehman collapse) and whether banking needs … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments