Tag Archives: brisbane

Upcoming Economic Society event on rural & remote service delivery

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Gene Tunny

With a relatively high proportion of the population living outside of major cities and towns, in outer regional or remote areas (see chart above based on ABS data), Queensland faces an additional challenge in delivering government services such as health … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Health, Population, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Time for Qld Govt to reconsider $5bn BaT Tunnel – my submission to the EIS process

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Gene Tunny

It’s now time for the Queensland Government to consider public submissions on the underground Bus and Train (BaT) tunnel project, after the consultation period on the Environmental Impact Statement closed today. I took the opportunity to make a submission, extending … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Infrastructure, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

HIA appears worried RBA will move to rein in housing market

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) released an informative (though possibly naively optimistic) note yesterday titled A Portrait of Australian Home Prices, available at the HIA website, which is basically a message to the RBA that “There’s nothing to see here.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Housing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vehicle sales affected by weak consumer confidence & Gen Y habits

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Gene Tunny

New motor vehicle sales in Queensland in August were almost 9% lower than in August 2013, according to ABS data released yesterday. There are at least three contributing factors: persistently weak consumer confidence (see Consumer sentiment slumps as budget worries … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Housing, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

$5 billion Bus and Train Tunnel has unimpressive benefit-cost ratio

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Bus and Train (BaT) Tunnel from Dutton Park to Spring Hill is out for comment, and I’m rather unimpressed by the benefit-cost ratio, estimated by Deloitte at 1.16. That is, benefits are estimated … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Brunswick St Mall should have been re-opened to traffic

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Brunswick St Mall facelift is now complete (see Brisbane Times coverage), but I remain of the view that the Mall should have been re-opened to traffic instead. From an economic perspective, I suspect the costs of having a mall … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Crime, Transport | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Brisbane to have a denser inner city, but urban sprawl as well

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I’ve written before about how residential building development is being concentrated in a few former commercial areas in the inner city and outer suburban areas such as North Lakes and Springfield (Where is residential development occurring in the Brisbane metro … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Public benefits of BIFF and BAPFF questionable

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Gene Tunny

With pressing needs in health and education, it seems obvious to me that there is little public benefit from supporting film festivals, whether in the form of the former Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) or its replacement, the Brisbane Asia … Continue reading →

Posted in Industry policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Trams unlikely to be cost-effective – buses generally much cheaper

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Gene Tunny

This morning on 612 ABC Brisbane, Steve Austin interviewed Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind, who would like to see trams return to the streets of Brisbane (Should trams return to Brisbane?). Mr Gschwind was honest enough to admit … Continue reading →

Posted in Transport | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nine News interview on Paddington seven-storey development

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Tessa Scott from Nine News Brisbane interviewed me yesterday morning regarding the proposed re-development of the Brisbane Workers’ Community Centre and associated shops on the corner of Given and Latrobe Terraces, Paddington. I was supportive of the proposed mixed-used (i.e. commercial … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Housing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments