Tag Archives: mining

New ABS figures show two of the four pillars are crumbling – agriculture & mining

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

New quarterly employment by industry data confirm falling employment levels in two of the so-called four pillars of the Queensland economy: agriculture and mining (see chart below). Regarding the other two pillars, construction employment appears flat and the ABS does … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unemployment keeps rising as sub-trend growth continues

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Gene Tunny

According to ABS labour force data just released, Queensland’s unemployment rate is now 6.8% seasonally adjusted and 6.5% in trend terms (see chart below). In part, this must be related to the mining slowdown and the sub-trend economic growth we’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour market | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What is the Four Pillars’ share of the Queensland economy?

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Last week I noted how Nick Behrens of CCIQ made the good point on Steve Austin’s ABC radio show that the Queensland economy is much more than the so-called four pillars of agriculture, construction, resources (i.e. mining) and tourism. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Mining, Tourism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Qld Govt recognises importance of coal to economy and budget

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Gene Tunny

Reading the Courier-Mail story today about how the Government looks set to favour coal miners over farmers in Central Queensland,  I recalled a chart my friend and colleague Brad Rogers once showed me of the contributions made by different commodities … Continue reading →

Posted in Mining | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Qld Budget needs to reflect challenging conditions – asset sales good option to cut debt

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The March quarter private capital spending figures released today by the ABS confirm that Treasury was right to make conservative, sub-par growth forecasts in developing the Federal Budget. Queensland Treasury will have to do the same in the Queensland Budget, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Macroeconomy, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CPD recommends endowment fund – forgets Qld has projected debt of $80 billion

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Centre for Policy Development’s new report All Boom, No Benefit? Why Queensland needs a new economic strategy ignores some important facts about the Queensland economy and contains some half-baked policy recommendations. The report is getting media attention because it … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Mining, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Additional maps on average incomes in Qld

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Gene Tunny

Average wage and salary incomes of residents of mining regions in Queensland rival those of residents in the Western suburbs of Brisbane, according to the ABS’s new small area income data (see maps below for the whole of Queensland and … Continue reading →

Posted in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Labour market | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mining capital spending saved Qld economy from really poor growth in 2012-13

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Gene Tunny

The 2012-13 State Accounts, released by the ABS on Thursday, confirm that heavy engineering construction, largely by the resources sector, shored up the Queensland economy in 2012-13 and protected it from the adverse impacts of Government spending cuts. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reasons to be optimistic Qld will cope with shock from mining investment decline

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Gene Tunny

BIS Shrapnel’s new report on the mining industry appears to pick up the points made at the Energy Skills Queensland conference I attended last week regarding how gas will boom, but the outlook for minerals is much less optimistic (More … Continue reading →

Posted in Macroeconomy, Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Qld Treasurer rightly rejects pessimism about mining industry

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Gene Tunny

I’m pleased to see Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls has rejected the doom and gloom around the state of the mining industry in Queensland, as reported in the Brisbane Times this morning (Qld mining industry still strong), pointing to strong growth … Continue reading →

Posted in Mining | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments