Tag Archives: queensland

Huge regional disparities in Qld Government capital spending per capita

The Queensland Government’s $10.2 billion capital program in 2017-18 is heavily skewed to regional areas outside SEQ and towards inner city Brisbane, but away from other areas in SEQ (see the chart below which I’ve created based on data in … Continue reading

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

Qld economy needs pick up in private sector investment

According to the latest National Accounts released by the ABS last week, private sector investment spending fell in Queensland over the March quarter (in seasonally adjusted terms) and State Final Demand would have fallen as well, if it were not … Continue reading

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

Qld economy surviving, but not thriving

In his latest column, Stormy times for an economy in the doldrums, Ross Gittins refers to Queensland’s “below-par” growth in State Final Demand, one of the statistics released by the ABS last Wednesday as part of the March quarter National … Continue reading

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

Upcoming Qld Treasury post-Budget briefing on Qld’s economic outlook

Today is National Accounts day, one of those four glorious days each year on which we receive the latest quarterly GDP figures for the national economy, this time for the March quarter. Alas, based on the partial indicators such as … Continue reading

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

Qld Solar Bonus Scheme shows how bad government policy can cost taxpayers for a long time

The Queensland Government yesterday directed its electricity network business Energy Queensland to remove the cost of the Solar Bonus Scheme from its charges until 2020, which will reduce Energy Queensland’s earnings and hence adversely impact the State Budget (see the … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Better policies would help Qld win the Economic State of Origin

At times during the last mining boom, Queensland was winning the economic State of Origin against NSW, with higher employment growth, a lower unemployment rate and a higher gross state product (GSP) per capita. But those glorious days are behind … Continue reading

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

Impressive list of speakers at IAQ Qld Infrastructure Summit on 29 August

I am honoured to be a presenter at IAQ’s upcoming Queensland Infrastructure Summit on 29 August in Brisbane, alongside our Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, Treasurer Curtis Pitt, Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington, and other luminaries including my old UQ economics … Continue reading

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

Nervous times for construction industry with downswing underway

Last week I forecast a continuing downswing in construction activity (Trouble in Qld construction industry & worse may be to come) and the March quarter construction data released by the ABS on Wednesday have confirmed this (see chart below), as … Continue reading

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

On mega mine, Qld Government should avoid taking equity risk for just a return on debt

Financial journalist Trevor Sykes would frequently point out that the problem with lending to highly-leveraged companies is that you can effectively take on equity risk while only receiving a return on debt. The Queensland Government needs to avoid this risk … Continue reading

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

Adani no go would be bitter blow to Townsville

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill is one of the strongest advocates for the Adani mega mine, and she must now be very worried that the mine will not proceed, and that Townsville will miss out on the mine HQ, FIFO jobs, … Continue reading

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