Media
The market sees the safeguard mechanism deal as a loser for mining companies
The market’s early view of the safeguard mechanism deal is bad for gas and coal mining companies
Australia Needs Stronger Whistleblower Protections
The prosecution of Richard Boyle demonstrates Australia’s whistleblowing laws are too weak, and governments are too secretive, according to the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program. Richard Boyle, a former Australian Taxation Office worker, became a whistleblower after contacting the ABC with his concerns about unethical workplace practices within the ATO. Boyle had initially reported
Safeguard Deal Caps & Cuts Pollution Despite No Ban: Hard Choices for Govt. on Gas & Coal
The Safeguard Mechanism deal between Labor and the Greens is an improvement on the original legislation but still falls short of what the world’s climate scientists, the United Nations and the International Energy Agency say is required. The package will allow new fossil fuel projects to commence. Importantly, however, it places a cap on emissions
State of Environment Report Needs $1.5m for Government to Fulfil Legal Obligations: Lawyers
Today the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) and the Australia Institute Tasmania have written to Tasmanian Treasurer Michael Ferguson requesting the release of at least $1.5 million to enable the Government to fulfil its legal obligation to produce a State of the Environment Report in the 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget. The last SoE Report was released in
New South Wales needs to end its addiction to the pokies
NSW has one poker machine for every 88 people – more than 10 times the amount in Western Australia
NSW Missing Out on $6.2b in Coal Royalties Compared to Queensland
Research released today by The Australia Institute estimates that NSW could have raised an additional $6.2 billion in coal royalties this financial year if it had adopted Queensland’s royalty system. While NSW households and business have been charged more for energy due to the war in Ukraine, the public has missed out on collecting additional
Final Warning
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, just released a report with a a very clear message; there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all. One of the key messages in the report is that new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with a net zero
Cement Smokescreen for Unlimited Safeguard Offsets Doesn’t Stack Up: Research
Minister Chris Bowen was today asked in Question Time by the Member for Kooyong why the Safeguard Mechanism allows unlimited access to carbon offsets, undermining any incentive for emissions cuts. The Minister’s response was “I do not accept the premise of the member’s questions. It is the case that the Government is allowing access to
Lengthy Delays Undermine Confidence in Australian FOI Process
New research reveals few Australians have confidence in Australia’s freedom of information (FOI) system, and delays in FOI processing are not in line with community expectations. Agencies and ministers are normally required to make a decision within 30 days, but three in 10 decisions are made late. There are also 957 reviews with the Office
Emissions from the 116 proposed coal and gas projects would swamp the reductions from the safeguard mechanism
New fossil fuel projects would create 24 times more pollution than what the safeguard mechanism would (theoretically) remove
Majority Support Ban on New Gas & Coal, Very Little Support for Unlimited Offsets: Polling
Polling across 5 federal electorates reveals a majority of voters support a ban on new gas and coal projects, and very few support unlimited carbon offsets to expand fossil fuels. uComms were commissioned on behalf of the Australia Institute to poll in the seats of Mackellar, Goldstein, Sydney, Bennelong and Moreton between 9-14 of March
116 New Fossil Fuel Projects = 4.8b Tonnes of Pollution, 24x Safeguard Cuts
New research shows the pollution from the 116 new fossil fuel projects in the Federal Government’s Major Project list would add 4.8 billion tonnes of emissions to the atmosphere by 2030. This increase in greenhouse gas would be 24 times greater than the 205 million tonne reduction in emissions the Government’s proposed Safeguard Mechanism aims
Let Them Eat Submarines
Despite electing a Labor government at the last federal election, Australia is about to spend half a trillion dollars implementing the Coalition’s economic, defence and climate policy agenda. It’s odd if you think about it.
Open Letter: Pressure Grows to Put Science Before Politics & Fossil Fuels
Over 50 Australian environmental and climate organisations have joined together to call on the Federal Government to listen to scientific evidence on climate change and to prevent new fossil fuel projects and expansions. The open letter, published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times today, comes as the Federal Government continues
Let them eat subs | Between the Lines
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“The Worst Deal in All History”
The Federal Government’s recent announcement that the AUKUS deal will cost an eye-watering $368 billion sent the media into a spin, with former PM Paul Keating calling it ‘the worst deal in all history.” The deal to acquire nuclear submarines from the United States has been a bumpy process, to say the least. But what
Australia is a rich country making sub-par decisions
When former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg learned of Scott Morrison’s secret plan to spend a quarter of trillion dollars on nuclear submarines that, just two years earlier, the navy said they didn’t need, he said:
Ignore the fears from the gas industry, Australia has more than enough gas
Once again the gas industry is crying wolf and telling us we need more gas to prevent shortages. But if you read beyond the scare quotes today’s report from Australia’s Energy Market Operator report shows we already have more than enough gas.
AUKUS: Submarines on the Never Never, or Castles in the Sky?
AUKUS has landed – well, sort of.
The housing market has cooled, but housing unaffordability remains a long way off
House prices are falling but housing unaffordability remains high
Australians Still Being Gaslit Over Gas Supply Issues
The importance of gas in Australia’s energy market continues to be overinflated in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s annual Gas Statement of Opportunities. The report, which is based on information from gas industry participants, repeats the pattern of previous years by warning of supply uncertainty and claiming ongoing investment in gas infrastructure is required to meet demand. It
Wage rises show some improvement but continue to rise well below inflation
The latest data from the Fair Work Commissions suggest wages continue to be deflationary as profits drive inflation
It’s not just mining: profits have increased by more than wages in almost all industries
Yes the mining sector has booming profits, but they are not the only businesses whose profits are growing faster than the wages of their workers
Super Expensive, Super Unfair
Superannuation is supposed to help us save for our retirement, and tax concessions on super are meant to reduce the burden on the government to fund our retirement through the age pension. But what are these concessions, and are they really working in the way they are intended to? To help explain, we’re talking to
Most ACT Voters Back Ban on New Gas & Coal, Only 8.6% Support Unlimited Offsets
New polling research reveals voters in the Australian Capital Territory overwhelmingly support (63%) a ban on new gas & coal projects in Commonwealth climate law. The overwhelming majority (82%) oppose the unlimited use of carbon offsets to account for polluting projects. A majority (61%) believe it’s more important the Senate works to improve climate legislation,
Women Earn $1m less than men & $136,000 Less in Super over Working Life
New research released on International Women’s Day reveals Australian women earn $1.01m less over their working lives than men, based on median income data. Women earn $136,000 less in superannuation over their working lives than men, based on median income data. Women earning the median wage will accumulate approximately $393,676 in super, $151,000 below what
Australian Inflation Reflects a Historic Redistribution from Workers to Bosses
The upsurge of inflation since the COVID-19 lockdowns has not had equal impacts on all Australians. Workers and low-income people have experienced the worst losses: both because their incomes, in most cases, have not kept up with prices, and because they are more dependent on essential goods and services (like shelter, food, and energy) than
Polling Research: Support for Independent Government Appointments
New polling reveals overwhelming public support for greater independence in appointments to government boards and organisations like Australia Post, the ABC and the Australian War Memorial. The research comes as Parliament considers reforms to improve merit-based appointments and reduce real or perceived political cronyism. Key Findings: Two in three Australians (68%) think that the Government
Science before politics crucial in climate change fight
Just as the recent economic policy debate about tax breaks for multimillionaire superannuants has been overshadowed by sensationalist tabloid journalism (instead of what constitutes a dignified retirement), now the debate about climate policy risks being dominated by history wars and partisan politics – instead of what the science has been telling us for decades. So
925,000 are now working more than one job
The rising cost of living and falling real wages has seen the number of people working more than one job surge in the past 2 years.
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