The Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program welcomes Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ announcement of the abolition and replacement of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), which fulfills a recommendation made in the Institute’s research earlier this year. The Australia Institute research revealed political appointments to the AAT skyrocketed from 6 in 100 under John Howard, to 2

The Australia Institute today welcomes the passage of the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, which will restore to the Territories the right to legislate for voluntary assisted dying laws. “The restoration of Territory Rights is a testament to the strength of representative democracy. The Australian Parliament should be commended for recognising that the citizens of

Today’s passing of legislation to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been welcomed by the Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee. The National Integrity Committee congratulates the Parliament and, in particular, the Attorney-General on what is a significant achievement.  The establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Commission will change the way politics is conducted in Australia,

As the Tasmanian Parliament debates reforming the Electoral Act, integrity experts are urging politicians to use the opportunity to enact truth in political advertising protections, following deceptive and dangerous advertisements from the Australian Christian Lobby. Key Findings: Polling consistently finds most Australians want truth in political advertising laws, with 2021 Australia Institute polling research finding 87% of

Major red flags in Australian grants administration must be addressed to prevent pork barrelling, according to a submission by the Australia Institute to the parliamentary inquiry into Commonwealth grants administration. Key Findings: 11 different pork-barrelling red flags were highlighted, the most significant include: funds not allocated in line with grant objectives, lack of personal consequences for Ministers

New research from public policy think tank The Australia Institute shows that two thirds of South Australian voters support the removal of Christian prayers from the opening of Parliamentary sittings. The Australia Institute surveyed of a representative sample of 616 South Australians in September, asking about the opening prayers and the recent addition of an

The respected National Integrity Committee of former judges has welcomed the Government’s NACC legislation but warned that the exceptional circumstances prerequisite for public hearings would undermine the public interest without further amendments to the Bill, in their submission to the parliamentary inquiry into the Bill. Integrity Committee member and former Supreme Court Judge the Hon.

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Australians about the circumstances under which the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) should be allowed to hold public hearings. The results show that most Australians support the NACC being permitted to hold public hearings under more circumstances than in the currently tabled legislation. Key Results: More

New research from public policy think tank The Australia Institute shows that health, the economy and climate change remain the top three political issues for South Australians, following the March State Election. The Australia Institute surveyed of a representative sample of 616 South Australians in September, asking about their voting intention, top political issue, and

The Federal Government’s tabling of legislation to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been welcomed by the Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee of Former Judges. However, they warn that the exceptionally restrictive prerequisite for public hearings would undermine the public interest without further amendments to the Bill. “The overwhelming majority of Australians have shown

The Australia Institute conducted polling research of a representative sample of 1,005 people across Australia about their views on Territory rights and voluntary assisted dying (VAD). The results show nationwide high support for VAD and for the Commonwealth allowing the Territory governments the right to legalise VAD in their jurisdictions, including majority support across all

New polling research reveals a majority of Australians agree that junk food advertising during children’s viewing should be banned, and an overwhelming majority support a ban on TV gambling advertisements. A majority of Australians also supported bans on alcohol and tobacco advertising on TV, and more agree than disagree that ads promoting fossil fuels should

As Minister Richard Marles lifts Peter Dutton’s ban on some charity and diversity events in Defence, polling research has revealed most Australians are either unfamiliar with the term ‘woke’, or would describe themselves as ‘woke’. Key Findings: Of those who described themselves as woke, three in five were major party voters (59%) and more intended

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

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

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

New research reveals political parties spent at least $12.5m on Facebook and Instagram advertising in the final 2 months of the 2022 election, with Labor and the Greens successfully engaging women voters to a far higher degree than the Coalition. Exit-polling released in conjunction with the report also reveals 73% of voters reported seeing misleading

The Australia Institute conducted a special exit poll, surveying a nationally representative sample of 1,424 Australians from 6pm Saturday May 21, which asked whether the Prime Minister should live in The Lodge. Key findings: • Over half of Australians (57%) agree that the Prime Minister should live in The Lodge in Canberra, compared to 20%

The long-awaited Legislative Council Fin Fish Farming in Tasmania Inquiry report tabled in Parliament today, highlights the many problems faced by the industry. The Australia Institute Tasmania commends the Committee’s call for an overarching Marine Plan for Tasmania through a comprehensive stakeholder consultation, informed by assessment of environmental, social and recreational values, with a transparent

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,002 Australians about their Senate voting intentions and their understanding of how Senate voting works. The results show: A significant proportion of Australians remain uncertain about important aspects of Senate preferential voting: More than four in ten (43%) respondents thought that putting a 6 beside a

A new report from the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program represents the largest and most comprehensive domestic study of the practice of cronyism in relation to appointments to a government agency ever conducted in Australia. This detailed deep dive report has investigated every single appointment made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) since 1996

New polling in the federal seat of Higgins shows a tight race between the Government and Opposition, with respondents indicating a substantial drop in the Liberal Party primary vote. “This poll demonstrates landslide support for truth in political advertising laws (92%) in a campaign which has been marred by allegations of dishonesty and misinformation,” said

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,002 Australians about integrity’s role in the 2022 election. The results show that integrity is important to most Australians in this election. Overall, three in four Australians (76%) either say that integrity issues are more important (30%) this election than last or that integrity issues are

“Today’s revelations in the Wall Street Journal confirm what we suspected at the time: that Facebook’s takedown was a deliberate attack on Australian democratic institutions, deployed as a negotiating tactic to avoid paying for news content,” said Peter Lewis, Director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. “The fact that this global corporation was

“Attacks on integrity commissions as ‘kangaroo courts’ show a misunderstanding of the role they play in our democracy,” said Bill Browne, Head of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program. “Every state and territory in Australia has an integrity commission, and none has turned into a ‘public autocracy’ because of it. Premier Dominic Perrottet was

New research reveals that the Coalition MP for Goldstein, Tim Wilson, is under serious pressure to retain his seat according to a uComms opinion poll conducted on the 27th of April. The poll was conducted with a sample size of 855 people via telephone, with a margin of error of 3.34%. The poll is Australian

In just the second week of the federal election campaign, voters are already seeing heated accusations of lying from all sides, underscoring the need for federal truth in political advertising laws. Key Points: South Australia has had truth in political advertising laws since the 1980s. The ACT Legislative Assembly passed similar laws prior to the

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, in a submission by independent think-tank the Australia Institute, Tasmania. Key points in submission: Bill undermines freedom of expression, association and assembly for the Tasmanian public Bill contains unclear, broad and discretionary

New polling finds that most Australians support the formation of a national integrity commission with the powers it needs to investigate and deter corruption. Key Findings: Seven in 10 Australians (69%) agree that not legislating an integrity commission represents a broken election promise by the Coalition When asked which from a list of eight powers