Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Precautionary Principle and COVID-19 – podcast conversation with Joe Branigan

The Precautionary Principle, which recommends an extreme “safety first” approach, is being used to justify the closure of state borders in Australia to deal with COVID-19. For instance, Justice Rangiah explicitly referred to a “precautionary approach” in his decision against … Continue reading

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Big questions about Qld Chief Health Officer’s judgment – Premier needs to show leadership

Queensland’s border restrictions with ACT (and arguably with NSW, too) were always a huge over-reaction and the events of yesterday revealed their tragic consequences, with a young woman prevented from attending her father’s funeral, even though the risk of her … Continue reading

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Hollywood subsidies by Qld Gov’t kept hidden – Qld Right-To-Info process a huge joke

I’ve long argued that the current approach to assisting the film industry, focused on luring international film productions, is wasteful, doesn’t achieve any important public policy goals, and is politically motivated, so drab politicians can benefit from some Hollywood glamour. … Continue reading

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National leadership needed on interstate borders

Unless we get a COVID-19 vaccine soon, we’re most likely facing years of profound economic and social pain. Every day brings more news of businesses that will never re-open and jobs lost (e.g. earlier this year Arc Dining closed permanently … Continue reading

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Qld may see a surge of interstate migrants from Victoria post-COVID

I expect many Victorians suffering through stage four restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak will be contemplating a move to Queensland. And some savvy Victorians have found a way to do just that already. For instance, see this Nine News … Continue reading

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JobKeeper test revision necessary given bleak outlook

Given the Victorian COVID-19 response debacle, the economic outlook is no doubt even bleaker than the bleak outlook reported by CCIQ today in its June Pulse Survey report (see chart below), so it’s welcome news that the federal government is … Continue reading

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Economic Update – US GDP, Gold, and Aussie jobs & CPI

In my latest video, I review the economic news of the past week, including US GDP, the record high gold price, and Australian jobs and CPI data in this time of the COVID-19 second wave. Incidentally, I highly recommended you … Continue reading

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Valuing the Environment podcast chat with Boyd Blackwell

In 2017, Deloitte Access Economics estimated the value of the Great Barrier Reef at $56 billion. You may ask, how could you even attempt to place a dollar value on the Reef? What techniques are used? Aren’t some of our … 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

Australia’s upcoming mini-Budget

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will hand down a mini-Budget this Thursday, and it’s coming just in time, given the growing concern over the spread of COVID-19 in Victoria and NSW. I recorded a video earlier today with some thoughts on … Continue reading

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