Media
Opening statement to the ACTU Price Gouging Inquiry
This week Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has begun an inquiry into price gouging across a range of industries, including banks, insurance companies, supermarkets, and energy providers. The inquiry commissioned by the ACTU comes off the back of the highest inflation in 30 years and the biggest falls in real wages on record.
Deteriorating Disability Worker Pay, Conditions Undermining NDIS
An urgent overhaul of poorly paid and casualised disability support work is needed to ensure the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s viability and protect participants from substandard care, a new report by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work says.
Corporate Profits Must Take Hit to Save Workers
Historically high corporate profits must take a hit if workers are to claw back real wage losses from the inflationary crisis, according to new research from the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work.
Tuvalu Pledge Can’t Greenwash Australia’s UN Climate Ambition Failure
The Australian Government has again taken a bandaid approach to climate action, announcing a climate adaptation partnership with Tuvalu at the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York while remaining steadfastly committed to fossil fuels.
WA emissions weigh down the rest of the nation
Western Australia’s rising emissions means the efforts by other states to reduce emissions are being cancelled out.
Weak WA Climate Bill a Blow to National Emissions Target
Details about the WA Government’s proposed climate change bill demonstrate that it is an inadequate and inappropriate response to the state’s rising energy emissions, and deal a major blow to the Federal Government’s 43% emissions target. Key points: Despite the urgency of climate action, the proposed bill fails to require the WA Government to set
The Voice offers new way forward to end Australia’s appallingly high incarceration rates
Australia has higher incarceration rates for Indigenous men than is the case in the USA for either Black Americans or Native Americans.
There are still climate refugees in Lismore [Politics in the Pub]
As the Northern Hemisphere experiences extreme heatwaves and Australia prepares for a “horror summer”, and the new RBA Governor Michelle Bullock warns climate change poses a “particularly acute” challenge for the Australia economy, listen back to the launch of the 2023 Climate of the Nation Report at Politics in the Pub. This was recorded on
Australia’s Fossil Fuel Hypocrisy Called Out on the World Stage
As Australia’s Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek defends her right to ignore climate science when approving coal mines in the Australian Federal Court and Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong prepares to attend the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York, a coalition of more than 220 world-renowned scientists and experts are publicly calling on the
Research Reveals $1.2 Billion Profit from Food Waste
Australian food retailers make $1.2 billion in profit each year from selling food that households waste, according to new research from The Australia Institute.
Derailing Democracy: How Big Business Distorts Australia’s Tax Debate
The best way to stop a debate about tax reform in Australia is to start a debate about increasing the GST.
The Climate Crisis Isn’t Just an Environmental One
This weekend, Canberrans can look forward to balmy back-to-back days in the mid-20s.
Don’t mention the coal: Australian Government tries to walk both sides of climate policy. Again
While Australia’s Foreign Minister attends the UN Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit in New York, the nation’s Environment Minister will be in court fighting for new coal mines.
Climate of the Nation | Between the Lines
The Wrap with Richard Denniss There has never been a more profitable time to cause climate change. This year, while millions of Australians are struggling with a cost of living crisis, fossil fuel companies operating in Australia made $140 billion in profits. The fossil fuel industry will never tire of making that much money, which is
Who should pay the cost of Climate Change? [Climate of the Nation 2023]
As many Australians are facing rising cost-of-living, which is being made worse by climate change, fossil fuel companies are making record profits. So how can our Government make them pay the bill? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th September 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Liz Morison,
Millionaire Tim Gurner’s Refreshing Honesty Reveals the Soul of Business
Every now and then a window opens into the soul of the business community, and we catch a glimpse of the values and goals that shape the actions of the captains of industry.
Majority of Australians support fossil fuel industry paying for the costs of climate change
A significant majority of Australians (at least 75%) are concerned about the impact of the climate crisis on food supply, agriculture and insurance premiums, and support policies that would force fossil fuel companies to pay for the damage they are causing, according to the Australia Institute’s 2023 Climate of the Nation report.
Eating the three-eyed fish: where is Australia on nuclear wastewater in the Pacific?
The Australian government’s muted response to Japan’s release of Fukushima wastewater into the Pacific raises serious questions about its commitment to the region and Australia’s history of standing against nuclear testing.
Support For Tasmanian Salmon Motion Would Ignore Voters, Economics and Science
With Tasmania’s Legislative Council set to vote on a motion praising the state’s salmon industry, research released today by the Australia Institute Tasmania shows a strong majority of residents in the Tasmanian electorate of Franklin are concerned about the health of the state’s coastal marine environment, including the impacts of salmon farming on marine life.
Starting to see some signs of stronger wage growth from enterprise agreements
Some recent strong wage growth in enterprise agreements bodes well for workers
New laws for ‘employee-like’ gig workers are good but far from perfect
The Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has described proposed new laws to regulate digital platform work as building a ramp with employees at the top, independent contractors at the bottom, and gig platform workers halfway up. The new laws will allow the Fair Work Commission to set minimum standards for ‘employee-like workers’ on digital platforms.
Labor Voters Overwhelmingly Support Royal Commission into Offshore Detention
Australia Institute research shows a strong majority of Australians, including an overwhelming majority of Labor voters, support the establishment of a Royal Commission into offshore detention. The Australia Institute surveyed voters about recent allegations of potential corruption and bribery in relation to the management of Australia’s offshore detention network and asked their opinion about potential
A record number of Australians are now working more than one job to make ends meet
In the past year the number of people working more than one job has risen 7%.
‘Wages, employment and power’: Call for conference papers
The Centre for Future Work is hosting a stream at the upcoming AIRAANZ Conference. Join us as we continue the AIRAANZ and the Centre for Future Work traditions of bringing researchers and activists together to debate important issues in the world of work and industrial relations. The AIRAANZ (Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia
Consulting firms a corrosive and conflicted influence on NSW Government
New research from The Australia Institute reveals the corrosive and conflicted influence of consulting firms on NSW Government processes.
Federal government advice annihilates salmon industry claims of sustainability in Macquarie Harbour
The Australian Government has released new Conservation Advice aimed at preventing the extinction of the Maugean skate in time for Threatened Species Day 2023.
The government’s measure of “well-being” just plummeted
The three months to June saw one the biggest ever falls in the government’s measure of well-being.
The weak economy shows the Reserve Bank is not threading the needle
We have now had two consecutive quarters of GDP per capita falling – hardly the soft landing the RBA wants.
Dead in the Water
A new deal to save the Murray-Darling basin has been brokered by Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, following another mass fish kill, and a survey finding not a single adult Murray Cod in the Lower Darling-Bakka. This was recorded on Tuesday 5th September 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute //
67% of Australians Don’t Want Philip Lowe to Move Immediately into Private Sector
The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,501 Australians about how long the outgoing Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Philip Lowe, should have to wait before being able to begin work at a private bank.
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