DS Economics Townsville Crane Count

Founder of “Our Fair Share’ Colin Dwyer completed a free Townsville regional Crane Count on Saturday 21 September 2019. Mr Dwyer said "we are part of the Townsville regional community

and like to contribute where we can. In the past, we have organised scores of TAFE students to help neighbourhoods clean up after cyclone Yasi, organised a group of 20 tertiary students to clean up Castle Hill in 2016 and recently shared information about the comparative quality of the Bruce Highway.

Counting cranes on significant projects is a simple way of gauging prosperity, significant project construction activity and changing construction

conditions. A previous premier of Queensland used to say he didn’t need an economist because all he had to do to gauge the State’s economic performance was to look out his window and count the cranes.

Economist and founder of Our Fair Share Colin Dwyer turned this humorous anti-economic fable into a useful tool. In 2005-06 when he first

developed the simple concept, counting cranes on projects in Townsville, he provided a quick and simple guide to current prosperity and changes in economic activity.

Mr Dwyer said “Our field survey on 21 September identified 8 cranes on two projects across Townsville region. Compared to the depression

years of 2014-17, when there were no cranes, Townsville has more cranes on more projects, with more future cranes expected on more projects.

“We also identified four projects where cranes had completed their task and had been taken down, he said.

Mr Dwyer said “Over the coming 6 months we know the new stadium will be completed, and multiple cranes will come down. We also have identified several projects that will require cranes. The net impact over the coming 6 to 12 months is an expected net crane count of five to six cranes on four projects.

5-6 cranes on the stadium 3-4 concrete pumps.

3 cranes on the Haughton Bridge project moving power poles. I also counted 50-60 people working on a Saturday.

September 2019 Townsville crane count is 8-9.

Cranes completed count 4

·Officeworks,

·ATO,

·Mater phase 1

·TAFE.

Future cranes

Reduction of 5 to 6 on Stadium,

Additional cranes

1 on JCU stem building,

1 on Ferry Terminal,

1 on mater private.

Net Townsville crane count over 6 to 12 months- 5

Possible Future cranes on significant projects

Haughton Bridge,

70 The Strand and

Lithium Battery factory within 12 months.

Contact Colin Dwyer 0420558786