GDP remains weak but upward revisions provide some hope

The second quarter GDP data released this morning was slightly weaker than expectations, although upward revisions to past quarters saw the year-on-year number actually somewhat better than had been hoped for.  Seasonally adjusted GDP rose 0.4% q/q for a year-on-year increase of 1.7% (up from 1.6% in the previous quarter). …read more

Building Approvals slide again in Oct

Data today for Ocotber shows no sign of the slide in residential building approvals stopping; although, if we’re looking for positives, then the Trend rate of that decline sits at it’s slowest for a year. In Australia approvals fell 8.1% m/m or 23.6% for the year (seasonally adjusted). Given the …read more

Trend Jobseekers continue to decline in Cairns

The release of the original Jobseeker data from the Dept of Social Services for October allows us to update the Conus/CBC Staff Selection Jobseeker Trend data for Cairns and Townsville. It confirms the continued decline in the number of people receiving Youth and Newstart Allowances in the regions. Cairns has …read more

The drivers behind Participation changes across QLD

There’s been plenty written about the fact that the Participation Rate across Australia is at, or near, record highs and the effect this has had on suppressing unemployment rate declines, even as employment growth remains reasonable. Participation rates are so high largely due to significant shifts in the participation of the …read more

Diversity in regional economies in QLD and NSW

Last week at the launch of the Invest Cairns initiative from The Cairns Post and Advance Cairns the issue of economic diversity, and in particular the diversity of the Cairns economy, was a major topic of conversation. My presentation at the launch presented some clear evidence that the Cairns economy …read more

QLD economy slowed sharply in 2018/19

Earlier this week saw the release by Queensland Treasury of the State Accounts for the second quarter of 2019. As we noted last quarter, this data gets precious little coverage and yet is, in our opinion, a very useful indicator of how the State economy has been performing. While the ABS produce …read more

Weak labour force data in Oct is no joy for QLD

The October labour force survey data from the ABS showed employment fell 19,000 (seasonally adjusted) which left the unemployment rate at 5.3% afetr particiaption fell slightly. This is only the second monthly drop in employment since October 2016. Casting our eye to the rather less exciting (but in our opinion …read more

Chinese arrivals’ growth improves but QLD slips further as State of Intended Stay

The ABS Arrivals and Departures data for Sept shows total short-term arrivals to Australia were up 4.0% y/y (Trend) to another new record high of 809,700. Arrivals from China, which had been fairly stable earlier in the year, have shown a return to good growth (+4.5% y/y), also to a …read more

ABS data shows State Public Sector employees in QLD grew slower than national average in 2018/19

Data released today by the ABS for Public Sector employment shows that State government employed workers in QLD grew at a rate below that seen nationally in the year to 2018/19, although growth over the past 5 years is running well ahead of the national average. 2018/19 Commonwealth State Local …read more

Regional Building approvals; Cairns edges higher, Townsville very slightly lower

Last week saw the national and state building approvals data show a continued decline, although the pace of that decline has slowed. Queensland Trend approvasl fell by 19.1% y/y which was the slowest rate of decline in a year. Today’s original data from the ABS (when seen through the lens …read more

© Conus Business Consultancy Services 2026

Website created by RJ New Designs