Tag Archives: qld

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

Posted in Gold Coast, Industry policy, Queensland Government, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Woefully inadequate Qld budget update

We already knew the Queensland budget has deteriorated massively due to the COVID-crisis, so today’s state budget update was not surprising in terms of the huge fiscal deficits it announced, $9.3 billion in 2019-20 and $13.1 billion in 2020-21. Nor … Continue reading

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Qld Gov’t going for broke in COVID response

As well as confirming Australia is in a deep recession, with a 7% fall in GDP in June quarter, the National Accounts published by the ABS earlier today revealed Queensland state and local governments (mostly the state government) are spending … Continue reading

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Deep recession to be quantified in June qtr National Accounts released tomorrow

Age/SMH Senior Economics Correspondent Shane Wright has written a great summary of the business indicators data released yesterday by the ABS: An economy like 2016 as sales and wages collapse. The business indicators data are pieces of the jigsaw puzzle … Continue reading

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

The Triumvirate’s Stratagem cannot stand – guest post by Joe Branigan

Thanks to my old friend and former Treasury colleague Joe Branigan for this guest post on the Queensland Government’s response to COVID-19. Views expressed are Joe’s and should not necessarily be attributed to me. GT The Triumvirate’s Stratagem cannot stand … Continue reading

Posted in Health, Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mining & Ag have partly shielded several Qld regions from COVID shock

As shown in my post on the latest payroll jobs data from the ABS, the regions which have fared the best in Queensland since the COVID-related economic crisis began in March are Toowoomba and Central Queensland, likely due to the … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Labour market, Mining, Toowoomba | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Macroeconomy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Chief Medical Officers should make their value judgements clear and Premiers shouldn’t just defer to them

The Australian Institute for Progress ran an excellent webinar last night, on the economic response to the pandemic, featuring prominent Australian businesswoman and former ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell and Griffith University Economics Professor Tony Makin. It’s certainly a good … Continue reading

Posted in Macroeconomy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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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