Tag Archives: strongchoices

Can Do, the Campbell Newman biography by Gavin King

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Gene Tunny

Former Cairns MP Gavin King’s just published Campbell Newman biography Can Do (which includes two quotes from me on p. 220 and 267) makes an important contribution to the economic reform debate in Australia. After telling the story of Campbell … Continue reading →

Posted in Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Strong Choices was never persuasive – similarities with Fightback

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Gene Tunny

After yesterday’s extraordinary swing against the Queensland Government, which will likely deliver the Opposition to power, it’s now clear that the Government’s privatisation plan was too ambitious and, as Sir Humphrey would have said, courageous. Strong Choices will join John … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Economic Policy Issues in the 2015 Qld Election – Griffith-ESA Qld event on 28 January

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Gene Tunny

I’m looking forward to participating in an upcoming panel discussion on Economic Policy Issues in the 2015 Queensland Election, to be held on Wednesday, 28 January at 6.30pm at Griffith University’s Southbank campus. I’m certain Professors Fabrizio Carmignani and Tony … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Macroeconomy, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Better off allocating all lease proceeds to debt reduction

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Gene Tunny

John Quiggin’s interesting new paper on the budgetary impact of asset leases, reported in the Brisbane Times today (Strong Choices will have ‘adverse impact’), correctly points out the adverse budgetary impact of the Queensland Government allocating around one-third of asset … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Infrastructure, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Earlier election better for the Queensland economy

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Gene Tunny

It’s good news for the Queensland economy that the Premier is expected to announce a late January or early February election today. The CCIQ September quarter Pulse Survey report notes that uncertainty around the upcoming election has affected business expectations, … Continue reading →

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Privatisation scoping studies should be released to inform public debate

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Gene Tunny

If it hasn’t already been sent, I expect an email will be sent around Ergon Energy today decreeing that all whiteboards must be erased after meetings, after the embarrassing disclosure of privatisation planning to union officials via a whiteboard (see … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Energy | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Any Strong Choices jobs boost will come too late to do anything about current weakness

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Gene Tunny

While there is more than the usual uncertainty about the reliability of recent jobs data from the ABS, yesterday’s awful data for Queensland, with unemployment now at 7% seasonally adjusted, can be read as confirming the economy is pretty weak … Continue reading →

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

Reforming solar cross-subsidy is good policy, but unclear why $3.4 billion should be locked up in Cost of Living Fund

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The Government’s apparent plan to end the cross-subsidy from households without solar cells to those with solar cells, and to fund the feed-in tariff through an explicit subsidy, is a sound one (see Brisbane Times coverage Power bills to come … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Strong Choices plan mostly good policy, but light on detail of budget impacts

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Gene Tunny

The final Strong Choices plan has arrived, and, as I commented yesterday, I’m mostly supportive of it. However, I would rather more of the lease proceeds be used for debt reduction rather than being allocated to infrastructure funds that could … Continue reading →

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Productivity and Privatisation – panel discussion at Griffith University, Southbank

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Gene Tunny

I was delighted to speak alongside productivity expert Dean Parham at a Griffith University panel discussion earlier tonight on productivity and privatisation. Thanks to Alex Robson of Griffith for organising the excellent, well-attended event. My prepared remarks are below. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure, Queensland Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment