Tag Archives: australia

Surprisingly good jobs data shows economy’s resilience

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I am quoted in today’s Courier-Mail regarding yesterday’s surprisingly good jobs data published by the ABS (e.g. see chart above): In a sign the state is working through the mining downturn, there have been 50,800 jobs added since the Palaszczuk … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market, Macroeconomy, Tourism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Australia’s Christmas Gifts – Innovation and our Global Financial Standing

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Thanks to Michael Willis from Effective Governance for today’s guest post. The Prime Minister’s “Innovation Statement” may or may not prove to be gold, frankincense and myrrh, a Christmas gift for our nation. But like the shepherds arriving with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Productivity, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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

PC calls for partial inclusion of family home in pension means test

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Last week, Treasurer Scott Morrison warned young Australians not to expect they can rely on the age pension in the future. This was good advice, because the budgetary pressures facing the Commonwealth Government, emphasised again this week in grim forecasts … Continue reading →

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

Australia Awards program with Indonesian Finance Ministry officials on strengthening the public policy process

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In late October, I felt honoured to deliver workshops on economic forecasting and industry policy to officials from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance. The officials were recipients of Australia Awards from the Australian Government and were visiting Brisbane to attend … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Great presentation by HSBC’s Paul Bloxham on the economic outlook to ESA Qld

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Gene Tunny

In Brisbane today, HSBC’s Chief Economist (Australia & NZ) Paul Bloxham gave a terrific presentation on the economic outlook to the Queensland branch of the Economic Society of Australia, of which I am the Secretary. You can download his slides, … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Brisbane ABC radio interview on raising the GST

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I had a good chat this morning with Terri Begley on 612 ABC Brisbane regarding proposals to raise more revenue from the GST: What raising the GST actually means I noted that raising the GST and cutting more inefficient taxes … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

HSBC’s Paul Bloxham to discuss services sector in time of no ordinary disruption

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I am very much looking forward to the presentation in Brisbane next Wednesday by HSBC’s Paul Bloxham, on Australia’s next growth driver: The rise of the services sector, to the Queensland branch of the Economic Society of Australia, of which … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tax mix switch to GST desirable and inevitable

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I’m very pleased the Turnbull Government is pushing to raise more money from the GST, as this would allow cuts to more inefficient taxes such as income tax and stamp duty, and would be good for productivity and economic growth. … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 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 →

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