by Ebony Bennett[Originally published by the Canberra Times, 12 Dec 2020] 2020 has seen a shift in the balance of power. Not in the Senate, but between the Federal Government and the States.   All last summer during the bushfires—while the Prime Minister was infamously not holding a hose—it was the Premiers and Chief Ministers who

Let’s face it, 2020 has been a bit of a nightmare. This week, in our final episode of the year, Ebony Bennett and Richard Denniss revisit some of the Australia Institute’s predictions back in March 2020 and reflect on the way Australia’s economy and politics have changed this year in response to the pandemic. Mild

The SA and VIC governments have announced a new electric vehicle tax – in other words, a great big new tax on clean air. In today’s episode we explain why this EV tax is terrible idea and unpack some of the arguments for and against it. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

The ‘gas-fired recovery’ is supposed to help Australia’s manufacturing industry by freeing up new supply. But the Australia Institute’s research shows the days of cheap gas are over. www.tai.org.au Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor // @MarkOgge Producer: Jennifer Macey Theme music is by Jonathan McFeat

In this episode we unpack what a Biden Administration means for climate and foreign policy in Australia, with Richie Merzian and Allan Behm. The Australia Institute // @theAusinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Richie Merzian, director Climate & Energy Program // @richiemerzian Allan Behm, director International & Security Affairs program

Australia’s news media is one of the most highly concentrated in the world. Since 2019, more than 157 newsrooms have closed in Australia and many local, community and rural newspapers have ceased printing or gone digital only. It was in this climate that in 2018 the federal government tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

by Ebony Bennett[Originally Published in the Canberra Times, 14 November 2020] Australia is experiencing climate change now and warming is set to continue, according to the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO’s 2020 State of the Climate report released yesterday. This news won’t come as a galloping shock to most Australians – we can see the evidence of global warming

The ACT is the home of progressive politics in Australia, leading the nation on climate policy, tax reform and truth in political advertising (among other things). In this episode we explore the broader implications of the ACT election results – which saw a swing to the Greens, a swing against the Liberals and the Labor

by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in the Canberrra Times, 17 October 2020] I only met former NSW ICAC commissioner David Ipp twice, but he was a memorable gentleman who made a big impression. The first time we met was at the Australia Institute’s Accountability and the Law conference at Parliament House in 2017, where he opened

In this episode we explain what ‘not for publication’ (or ‘nfp’) means and why it appears so often in the Budget papers, with Australia Institute research director Rod Campbell.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Rod Campbell // @R_o_d_CProducer: Jennifer MaceyTheme music is by Jonathan McFeat from Pulse and Thrum

The federal budget forked out billions in spending — mostly on business tax write-offs and income tax cuts for high income earners — but it was poorly targeted if the intention is to create jobs and lower the unemployment rate. In his episode economists Matt Grudnoff and Alison Pennington unpack what you need to know

by Ebony Bennett [Originally published in the Canberra Times, 03 October 2020] Pioneering feminist Susan Ryan sadly passed away this week, not long after United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While Ruth Bader Ginsburg pursued American women’s equality and freedom through the courts, Susan Ryan pursued it through the parliament, running on a

President Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal income tax the year he was elected and in many years paid absolutely no income tax at all – and he’s not the only millionaire to avoid paying tax altogether. So this week we’re talking tax avoidance and why it’s damaging to the community with our chief

Gas is promoted as a transitional fuel, but in this episode we explore just how polluting gas really is with Richie Merzian and Tom Swann from the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the

by Ebony Bennett[Originally Published in The Canberra Times, 19 September 2020] Gas didn’t even make AEMO’s top five list of potential sources of dispatchable power – but the Coalition is looking to divert taxpayer funds earmarked for clean energy into LNG projects. Picture: Shutterstock  Just months after Australia endured its worst climate-fuelled bushfire season on

The government has indicated it might bring forward income tax cuts in next month’s budget, but as our senior economist Matt Grudnoff explains in this episode, income tax cuts for high income earners won’t be effective at stimuluating the economic.The Australia Institute // @theausinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Matt

For over eighty years, Australia and East Timor have been joined together, mostly in conflict and struggle. The latest conflict is playing out in a secret court case and involves Australian lawyer Bernard Collaery and a former ASIS officer turned whistleblower Witness K. Both have been accused of communicating protected intelligence information after disclosing an

The Coalition government is handing police and intelligence agencies more and more powers and subjecting them to less and less scrutiny. We should all be alert and alarmed. It’s more than two years since journalist Annika Smethurst broke the story the government was considering draconian new powers to allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy

Australia’s relationship with China has been turbulent of late, so this week we speak to Allan Behm, head of the Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Program about what we really want out of our relationship with China and how we can get it back on track.Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

There are so many reasons for Australia to transition to electric vehicles, but despite warnings that Australia could be left behind without stronger policy direction regarding EVs, little progress has been made. In contrast, Norway is a world leader in EV policy.  Recorded live on 20 August as part of the Australia Institute’s Economics of

In this episode we talk to Dr Richard Denniss about the role of neoliberalism in spreading Covid-19 and how decades of privatisations, outsourcing and cuts to government spending have left Australia vulnerable during this pandemic.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richard Dennis, chief economist at the Australia

by Ebony Bennett[Originally published by the Canberra Times, 22 August 2020] The same geniuses who hiked up domestic gas prices, raked in the profits and left Australia with bupkis to show for it are trying to convince us (once again) that Australia has a gas supply shortage requiring huge taxpayer subsidies. So, let me explain

In this, our 100th episode of Follow the Money, we celebrate with a special look back at some of our special guests, some of our favourite highlights, worst jokes and some of the interesting topics we’ve covered in the past 99 episodes. Our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners – we’re looking forward to the

One of the main goals of public health around the world has been to prevent the number of severe cases from overwhelming the hospitals and the health system. We know that severe cases of Covid require intensive care and respirators, but as a novel virus with no vaccine or treatments, clinicians are learning on the

In this second of our two-part episode on gas, we explore the flaws in the cost benefit analysis of the Santos’ Narrabri gas project in NSW and why it doesn’t stack up economically, environmentally or to create jobs, with Rod Campbell, research director at the Australia Institute.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

The Morrison government has said it will increase investment in skills and training if the states and territories sign up to an overhaul of the Vocational Education and Training sector. ACTU President Michele O’Neil, Correna Haythorpe, federal president of the AEU and Alison Pennington, senior economist at the Centre for Future Work at the Australia

In this episode UN chief economist Elliott Harris talks about why it’s risky to withdraw fiscal stimulus too soon and why a clean green recovery makes sense for the long term, in conversation with Richie Merzian, director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program. Part of the Australia Institute’s Economics of a Pandemic webinar

In this first of a two-part episode on gas, we explore why subsidising the gas industry is a poor option for economic recovery and explore the issues related to Santos’ Narrabri gas project in NSW with Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor at the Australia Institute.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Mark Ogge