The Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program made a submission to the COVID-19 Response Inquiry. The Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program carried out significant research into topics that might be of interest to the panel. This submission outlines how these research papers come under each of the Inquiry’s terms of reference.

The Australia Institute is grateful for the opportunity to make a submission to the review of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023. The ACT Government and Minister for Human Rights Tara Cheyne should be commended for introducing this bill.

The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,535 Australians about their concerns regarding the impacts on human health from fossil fuel projects.

The disability support workforce is central to the effectiveness and sustainability of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Life expectancy in Far West NSW is almost six years lower than in Sydney, with the divide getting worse. Those in the Far West are twice as likely to die prematurely compared to those in Sydney, and ‘potentially avoidable’ deaths are two and a half times more likely. Suicide is twice as likely for residents

Homeshare programs have the potential to make a significant contribution to improving Australia’s work and care systems, but are being held back by inter-agency issues, the transfer of disability and aged care to the Commonwealth and lack of resources.

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Australians about whether advertising of certain controversial products should be permitted on television. The results show that Australians agree that junk food, gambling, alcohol and tobacco advertising on TV should be banned, and more agree than disagree that ads promoting fossil fuels should be banned.

Proposals to halve the beer excise would cost around a billion dollars over the next five years and undermine policies to reduce the abuse of alcohol.

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 602 South Australians about the State Government’s handling of COVID-19 and the opening of the state borders on November 23, 2021. The results show that: One in two South Australians (51%) disagree with the State Government’s decision to open the borders in November. Two in five (42%)

In July 2021 The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 599 South Australians. Respondents were asked which issue they considered to be the most important in state politics right now and a series of questions on a range of political issues. Results show that the three issues most likely to be deemed important by

Rarely, if ever, has an Australian Prime Minister relied on statistical modelling as heavily as Scott Morrison. Modelling by the Doherty Institute is the sole piece of evidence on which the Prime Minister has formed the view that it is ‘safe’ to significantly reduce the social distancing measures that have helped Australia keep its death

The effectiveness of TTIQ is likely to be dependent upon case numbers, but current modelling does not take this into account. As cases rise to unplanned levels, current TTIQ assumptions undermine Doherty modelling of Phase 2.

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians in May 2021 about their social and emotional states since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these questions were first asked in 2011 and again in April 2020. By providing these polling results, The Australia Institute hopes to assist the committee in

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 1,008 people in New South Wales about their views on voluntary assisted dying (VAD), also known as voluntary euthanasia. The results show high support for legalising voluntary assisted dying in NSW, and for treating the vote on VAD legislation as a matter of personal conscience rather than

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 511 South Australians about voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in February of 2021.

The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,038 New South Wales residents about their position on whether voluntary assisted dying (VAD) should be available to people with terminal illnesses who are experiencing unrelievable suffering and who ask to die.

The Australia Institute surveyed nationally representative samples of over 1,000 Australians each month from August about what they think the most important national political issue is right now. In every month, more Australians identified the economy as the most important national political issue than any other issue (between 37% and 48%). Health was second-most likely

The Australia Institute and FearLess support the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA from Schedule 9 to Schedule 8 of the Poisons Standard. The potential risks from this change are small while the benefits are potentially large. Academic studies recognise the low level of harm caused by these substances. Despite researchers finding “easy to very easy”

The Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program surveyed nationally representative samples of people in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and South Korea about the COVID-19 pandemic. The government and friends and family are the most trusted sources of advice about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the more trusted a government the higher

New research from The Australia Institute has found that a majority of Australians (52%) want to see Newstart boosted to the rate of the Age Pension for the course of the Coronavirus crisis, while one in three Australians (34%) oppose the idea.

New national survey research from The Australia Institute reveals most Australians have been personally impacted by the bushfires and smoke, including millions missing work or suffering health impacts.

Increases in extreme heat events in the Kimberley region will have severe impacts on the wellbeing of people in the region, particularly indigenous communities. It will also impact key industries, including tourism and agriculture, and damage natural ecosystems.

The Australia Institute made a submission to the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) regarding national ambient air quality standards for ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. The economic assessment of the proposed standards is not fit for purpose. The benefit-cost analysis underestimates the benefits of improved air quality while overstating the costs of improvements. In

The Australia Institute and Homeshare Australia made a joint submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The submission outlines the wide range of economic and social benefits homeshare programs provide, such as alleviating loneliness and avoiding entry into residential care. The Royal Commission has an opportunity to recommend government investment in

Most Australians want 100% renewable energy, a stamp duty to land tax swap and pill testing at music festivals in their own state, new national polling from The Australia Institute shows.