Category Archives: Uncategorized

Building construction rebounded in September quarter, but still below previous highs

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Gene Tunny

All the cranes on the Brisbane skyline, from the Valley and Newstead, to West End, Milton and Toowong, might suggest there is a building boom underway. Certainly activity is increasing in the building industry. Building construction work done in Queensland … Continue reading →

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Courier-Mail’s Paul Syvret on my “coldly commercial prism”

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Thanks to the Courier-Mail’s Paul Syvret for quoting my last post in his Saturday opinion piece on the proposed new 1,500 seat theatre for Brisbane (see Opinion: New inner-city theatre would be a boost for Brisbane, which may be behind … Continue reading →

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

New 1,500 seat theatre would likely be a waste of taxpayers’ money

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government is commissioning a relatively large business case, at a cost of $1.3 million, for a new 1,500 seat theatre for Brisbane, but it is likely there can be no plausible business case, because the theatre would be a … Continue reading →

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QIRC hearing important case on retail trading hours

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission is currently considering an application from the National Retail Association, which represents big retailers such as Coles and Woolworths, for standardised trading hours across South East Queensland, which would extend opening hours, e.g. up to … Continue reading →

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

Australia’s boldest experiment and the first age of the econocrat

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In the early 1990s, there was an article in the Weekend Australian on “The age of the econocrat,” which described the huge influence that economists in Canberra had on policy making at the time. It was an article which partly … Continue reading →

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Paul Syvret’s Courier-Mail article on weak population growth spelling trouble for Qld economy

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Thanks to Paul Syvret from the Courier-Mail for quoting me on migration and population trends in his opinion piece published in the paper today on Weak population growth could spell trouble for Queensland economy. For the record, here are some … Continue reading →

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The truth about cause and effect in Industry Super Fund governance – guest post from Michael Willis

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Corporate governance expert and former Finsia President Michael Willis has written an article (reproduced below) on the debate over the Commonwealth Government’s push to get independent directors on to industry super fund boards that are now dominated by union and … Continue reading →

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612 ABC Brisbane radio interview on Qld economy and infrastructure

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Yesterday I was interviewed by Steve Austin of 612 ABC Brisbane regarding the current state of the Queensland economy, and the interview aired this morning. You can find the audio recording of my interview here (just scroll down below Jackie … Continue reading →

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Qld Business Leaders Hall of Fame induction dinner 2015 – good selection but for one controversial choice

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Last night, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, six past and present leaders of the Queensland business community were induced in to the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. The inductees for 2015 were: Lawrence Wackett, the so-called father … Continue reading →

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Lessons from John Howard’s GST reform suggest current tax reform process will most likely fail

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Gene Tunny

At a panel discussion on tax reform in Brisbane last night, there were some important insights for the current taxation debate made by former PM John Howard’s economic adviser Peter Crone, Australian newspaper contributing editor Professor Judith Sloan, and Griffith’s … Continue reading →

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