Media
Jobs in air transport remain down even as Australians get back travelling
The lack of workers is the major reason for the flight delays and airport wait-times. People are back travelling, but the air travel workers are not.
Minister on Notice to Provide Overdue State of Environment Report
The Honourable Minister for Planning Michael Ferguson MP has been urged to direct the Tasmanian Planning Commission to fulfil its statutory requirements by publishing a long-overdue Tasmanian State of the Environment Report, in a letter from the Environmental Defenders Office on behalf of the Australia Institute, Tasmania. The letter requests that, before August 22 2022,
It’s time to tax mining and energy giants properly
It’s never too late to fix a problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s you who has been putting off a trip to the doctor or your country that has been putting off properly taxing its natural resources, it really is better late than never.
New Analysis: $5.9b Fuel Cost Saving to Commuters if Fuel Efficiency Standards Introduced
New research by the Australia Institute shows that $5.9 billion in fuel costs would have been saved and emissions equivalent to a year’s worth of domestic flights would have been avoided, if robust fuel efficiency standards were adopted in 2015. As the fuel excise cut nears an end, Australia has an opportunity to save commuters
Coalition on path to national irrelevance as they are in the ACT
The Australian parliament is more representative of the Australian population than it has ever been. It has more women, indigenous people and first generation Australians than any before it. And just as importantly it has less climate sceptics, less religious zealots and less bigots. To be sure there are plenty of homophobes, science deniers and
The First Fortnight of the 47th Parliament
We are nearly at the end of the first sitting fortnight of the 47th Parliament, and it has been a packed agenda. This week we’re unpacking quick recap of how much things have changed in this new Parliament, and what changes are likely on the horizon. This was recorded live on Wednesday 3rd August 2022
RTI Documents Released: Complete Disregard for Law & Environment by Tas Government & Planning Commission
A complete disregard for the law by the Tasmanian Planning Commission and a lack of oversight by the Tasmanian Government, has been revealed by the release of documents via a Right to Information request by the Australia Institute Tasmania. The latest Federal State of the Environment Report paints a grim picture of why these reports
Australia Should Lead at Nuclear Weapons Conference as Tensions in Pacific, Europe Escalate: Report
As tensions in the Pacific and war in Europe continue to escalate, Australia could play an important global role in reducing the spread and threat of nuclear weapons at an important upcoming conference in New York, according to a new research report. The Australian Government has been urged to adopt 4 key policy goals to
Childcare Review & Strike Require Systemic Solutions: Research Report
As early childhood educators prepare to strike and with Government poised to release terms of reference for a Productivity review into the struggling system, new research has recommended Australia look at successful overseas policy options to deliver affordable, quality Early Childhood Education & Care. New research has recommended the terms of reference for the federal
July 2022
Origin Doubles Revenue While Public Back a Windfall Profits Tax: Poll
Key Points: New research shows 2/3 Australians support a windfall profits tax, with only 12% opposed (attached) Western Australians (71%) are the most likely to support the introduction of a windfall profits tax followed by Queensland residents (69%). Origin revenue has more than doubled on the strength of commodity prices, cash distribution from Australia Pacific
What’s really driving inflation?
Why is everything so expensive? And will a wage increase just make it worse? New research shows that only a trivial portion of Australia’s inflation has come from wages this year, while rising prices continue to drive not just inflation, but profits to record highs. This was recorded on Tuesday 26th July 2022 and things
New plans for The Australia Institute
Australia Institute Chair John McKinnon has announced that Ben Oquist is stepping down as Executive Director. Ben is to take up an opportunity in the private sector to work on business, union and NGO engagement in politics and government relations. The board is delighted to announce the Australia Institute’s Chief Economist Richard Denniss will begin
Joseph Stiglitz on how to make Australia richer
Richard Denniss Professor Joseph Stiglitz, welcome to Australia. John Maynard Keynes once said “practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”. It’s decades since you and other Nobel prize winners debunked the intellectual underpinnings of neoliberalism. Are Australians slow to change their minds
Canberra’s MPs are leading national debate and it’s time to take the city to the next level
Canberra is back and it feels good. Next up: using the city’s new power to take the national capital to its rightful next level. Key national political figures in the new parliament are from Canberra. Our local politicians are leading national debates. The territories ban on assisted dying laws is set to be lifted. The
Ignoring warnings of Europe’s extreme heatwave locks Australia into a worst-case scenario
The unprecedented heatwave and fires engulfing Europe might seem a long way away, but they are a frightening portent of what’s in store for Australia. Britain has just experienced its highest temperature ever, extreme conditions and fires are sweeping Spain, Portugal, France and Greece. This is just the latest in a string of extreme events
A specific Tasmanian-focused state of the environment report is overdue
Following the national state of the environment assessment release, Tasmanians deserve to know when a report on our state will occur, writes Eloise Carr.
Follow the Money LIVE!
For this special live episode of Follow the Money, the panel will be discussing: A New Agenda for a New Parliament: Climate Action, International Affairs & Integrity – Yes Please! bringing together diverse knowledge on all fronts of climate & energy, international & security affairs, and integrity issues. This was recorded on Wednesday 13th July
Profits Causing Inflation in Australia, Not Wages: European Central Bank & ABS Data Reveal
New research shows that only a trivial portion of Australia’s inflation has come from wages this year, while rising prices continue to drive not just inflation, but profits to record highs. Key findings: Wages made no contribution to Australian inflation in 2019-2020, or 2020-2021, measured using the ABS’s broadest indicator of inflation, the GDP Deflator
Stealthing: Most people don’t know it’s rape
When it happens to you, it can be devastating. Violating. Traumatising. But did you know it’s also rape? I’m talking about stealthing – the non-consensual removal of a condom during sex. Elena, who was 24 when she experienced stealthing says: “If stealthing was criminalised at the time of my incident, it would have provided me
Australia’s farcical climate policy: market forces to cut emissions and subsidies to destroy carbon sinks
Climate change often gets blamed on market failure, but government failure plays a pretty big role as well. Not only do Australian governments spend more than $11.6 billion per year subsidising fossil fuels, at the same time the Federal Government spends billions paying some landholders to grow more trees, state governments perversely continue to subsidise
Joseph E. Stiglitz: The Role of Government in the Modern Economy [Webinar]
Join Nobel Laureate, former World Bank Chief Economist, and best-selling author Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, in conversation with Australia Institute chief economist Dr Richard Denniss, about the need to expand the role of governments, unions, and civil society. Professor Stiglitz is visiting Australia as a guest of the Australia Institute. This was recorded on 11th
Women 7-10 Percentage Points Less Likely to Vote Coalition: Analysis
Women were 7-10 percentage points less likely to vote for the Coalition compared to men, according to Australia Institute research conducted from the evening of the May 21 federal election, and a subsequent poll taken in June 2022. Analysis of exit-polls also shows that Australians viewed the ‘treatment of women in politics’ as the second
Truth in Political Advertising Breakthrough Win for Democracy
Special Minister of State Don Farrell’s move to legislate truth in political advertising laws is a breakthrough win for democracy. The Australia Institute’s polling research has consistently shown that Truth in Political advertising laws are a popular, possible, and practical way of ensuring voters are not mislead on the way to the ballot box and
Roundtable to Tackle National ‘Stealthing’ Laws with Sexual Consent Advocates
Attorneys-General and Shadow AGs from around Australia are invited to participate in a roundtable on Thursday with legal experts and academics to tackle the damaging practice of ‘stealthing’, convened by sexual consent advocate Chanel Contos, the inaugural director of the Australia Institute’s newly established Centre for Sex & Gender Equality. The roundtable is aimed at
26 Years Later
The Parliaments of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have been banned from legislating voluntary assisted dying laws, but the new government and members of the new Parliament are seeking to restore Territory Rights as a matter of priority. This was recorded on Tuesday 5th July 2022 and things may have changed since
Comprehensive Review of Carbon Credit Scheme Welcome Step for Climate Integrity: Experts
The Federal Government’s appointment of respected former Chief Scientist Ian Chubb as chair of the independent review into Australia’s $4.5b carbon credits scheme, and the broad scope of the review, has been welcomed by policy experts at the Australia Institute. “Integrity must sit at the heart of Australia’s climate policies. The review is welcome and
June 2022
Draconian Anti-protest Laws
The Tasmanian Government’s proposed law for a police crackdown on peaceful protest has been criticised as anti-democratic and a threat to civil society. The Bill creates disproportionate penalties for people who peacefully protest against business activities, equivalent to aggravated assault, possessing an implement with intent to commit a crime, or loitering near children. This was
Attorney-General’s Review of AAT Political Appointments a Win for Democratic Integrity
The Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program welcomes Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ commitment to a more independent appointment process for the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and his review of the AAT’s operations. In a substantial research report released before the election, Cronyism in appointments to the AAT, the Australia Institute found a sharp rise in the
Time for a statewide marine plan
Tasmania’s coastal waters are globally significant, and our island way of life is deeply embedded in our psyche. But our coastal waters are under threat from a range of pressures, including fishing, aquaculture, climate change and pollution. Our east coast waters are warming four times faster than the global average. We have depleted fish stocks,
The Impact of Tech on the Future of Work: Opening Remarks to Select Committee
Opening Statement to the NSW Parliament Select Committee on the impact of technological and other change on the future of work and workers in New South Wales Thank you for the invitation to appear today. I do apologise for not appearing in person, but I currently have Covid. I also apologise in advance if I
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