September 2019
Adani yet to contact regulators on rail-royalty deal
Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that preparations have not begun on parts of the Adani royalty deal, which is due for completion on Monday 30 September. Key findings The Adani royalty deal allows Adani to defer royalty payments and pay them back at discount interest rates. Estimates for the value royalty-related subsidies to Adani range from
End gas price virtue signalling and cap exports
The Australia Institute has found that the Federal Government’s gas policy actually keeps prices high for Australian consumers and recommends a cap on LNG exports in its submission to the review of the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM). The submission finds that the Government’s export gas trigger entrenches high gas prices by allowing LNG
Majority of Australians want Murray Darling policy to prioritise food security and family farms
New research released today by The Australia Institute shows that the vast majority of Australians prioritise production of food for Australian consumption, and support for family farms in the Murray Darling Basin. When respondents were asked to rank agriculture and water policy goals: Top water policy priorities for the Murray-Darling Basin include: Three quarters of
August 2019
Bight Drilling to Threaten 27k Jobs, Environment: New Report
New research from The Australia Institute has shown that more than 27,000 jobs in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania would be put at risk if drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight is allowed to go ahead and a catastrophic spill occurs. New polling has also revealed that a majority of Australians, while hopeful
New Analysis: Australia Ranks Third for Fossil Fuel Export
The climate impact of Australia’s fossil fuel (coal, oil, gas) exports ranks behind only Russia and Saudi Arabia exports in terms of global emissions, according to a major new report from the Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. The new research also finds that in absolute terms Australia is the world’s fifth largest miner of
Fire and Forestry: How Intact Forests Can Work As Buffer to Bushfires
“More than any other state, Tasmanians live in and on the edges of the bush,” said Leanne Minshull, Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania. “As the severity of fires increase, so does the impact on our homes, our communities and our economy, we need to look at this problem holistically to have any chance of
Australia Puts Coal Ahead of Pacific Survival
If a ban or limitation of coal is not in today’s 50th Pacific Islands Forum communique, it will be because Australia has bullied its Pacific Island neighbours into taking it out. “This Government’s fixation on coal puts Australia in direct conflict with Pacific leaders fighting for the future of their nations,” said Richie Merzian, Climate
July 2019
Tasmanians missing out on revenue from fish farms
The Tasmanian government may have forgone millions of dollars in potential revenue from the rapid growth in the fish farming industry according to a new report from The Australia Institute. Key Findings: Annual lease and licence fees paid by the salmon industry to the State Government, represented 0.1% of the total farm-gate production of the
Qld Government and Opposition race to subsidise Adani
Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that coal mines in Queensland receive a discount on royalty payments of up to 17% relative to similar mines in NSW. This effective subsidy could be increased under a State Government deal with Adani currently being negotiated. “Mines like Adani’s effectively get 17% of their coal for
Australia ill-equipped for fuel security crisis: time for solution
Australia faces significant risks to national security, energy security and climate change mitigation, due to a heavy reliance on imported oil and access to only a limited amount of fuel at any one time, according to new analysis from the Australia Institute. The new research finds that Australia is unprepared to deal with any potential
Canberra shows Australia: Progressive policies nationally popular and proven to work
Most Australians want 100% renewable energy, a stamp duty to land tax swap and pill testing at music festivals in their own state, new national polling from The Australia Institute shows. A new report from The Australia Institute, authored by Bill Browne, shows that most of the Australian Capital Territory’s innovative policies have majority support
June 2019
Equinor’s Bight Plans Rightly Knocked-Back by Regulator
The Australia Institute has welcomed NOPSEMA’s decision to knock-back Equinor’s plans to drill exploratory oil wells in the Great Australian Bight. “NOPSEMA have made the right decision in knocking-back this application. BP and Chevron have already been sent packing and now the other companies lining up to exploit the Bight should take the message and
Irrigators & environment dudded by Basin Authority
The Australia Institute has released new research showing that the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) caused ecological harm and reduced water to irrigators when it caused floods at the ‘Barmah choke’ and drained the Menindee Lakes. “While everyone else in the Basin was dealing with drought, the MDBA created a flood and lost large volumes
May 2019
Key independents back 4 steps to fix Murray Darling
New research from The Australia Institute highlights four steps governments can take to improve the management of the Murray Darling Basin: Emergency water allocation to the dairy industry Develop policies to ensure diversity in Basin agriculture A federal Royal Commission or federal ICAC investigation Pause the Basin Plan The Institute’s proposal has been backed by
#Watergate’s water mates
The Australia Institute has released new analysis of the controversial $80 million water deal between the Department of Agriculture and Water under then-Minister Barnaby Joyce and a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands. The analysis shows the close collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and the company selling the water, Eastern Australia
April 2019
Debugging Watergate: interpreting official responses
The Australia Institute has today released analysis of official responses to the Watergate scandal surrounding Murray Darling water purchases, covered by The Project, Guardian and other outlets. The analysis finds that official responses are misleading and in some cases incorrect: The Prime Minister’s claim that the record water purchase was covered in a Senate inquiry
Declare War on Global Warming, Say SA Voters as Climate Election Looms
New research from The Australia Institute, released just weeks out from the Federal Election, shows that a majority of South Australian voters want the government to mobilise all of society, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”, to tackle global warming. The state-wide polling also found that a majority of South Australians support a
Poll: North/South Divide on Climate Action Exposed as Political Myth
The much-hyped ‘North/South divide’ on climate action is a political misconception, according to new research from The Australia Institute. The research shows that the majority of Australian voters across states and poltical allegiance are concerned by climate change, and want the Government to mobilise on the issue, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”. Key
Poor Voter Impression of Murray Darling Basin Management Soars
The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians in 2018 and in 2019 about their views towards issues surrounding the health and management of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB). Key Findings: A majority of Australians (55%) now consider the health of the Murray Darling Basin poor or very poor, up 18 percentage points
SA Voters Want Federal Royal Commission into MDB, Restrictions on Irrigators
New research from The Australia Institute shows that South Australians overwhelmingly want a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin Plan (73%) and believe that irrigation businesses in the Darling Basin should not be allowed to draw water when mass fish kills and drinking water shortages are occurring downstream (84%). The research also reveals
National Poll: Australians Opposed to Drilling in the Great Australian Bight
New research from The Australia Institute shows that 60% of Australians are opposed to drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, while the rate of opposition amongst South Australians is even higher at 68%. The first ever national poll on the issue found that only one in five Australians, and 16% of South Australians,
March 2019
Majority of Australians want Gov to help farmers to farm sun and wind
The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,536 Australians about government support to assist farmers to harvest solar energy and sell it directly to clients. Key Findings: Respondents were asked if they support allowing farmers who generate wind or solar power on their farms to sell it directly to other landholders. · Overwhelming
Big irrigators first, communities later: River ‘owes’ water to cotton
New research released today by The Australia Institute shows that around 2,000 gigalitres of water were used for cotton crops in the northern Murray Darling Basin in the last year, while less than 11 gigalitres made it downstream to Wilcannia where residents have no drinking water. Almost no water reached Menindee, the site of the
Kingaroy coal proposal uneconomic
New research released today by The Australia Institute finds that a coal project proposed near Kingaroy, Queensland, should be rejected by policy makers on economic grounds. The report finds that the project is unlikely to be economically viable, faces huge barriers in getting coal to market and would adversely impact key local industries. “The Kingaroy
Murray-Darling: United Condemnation of NSW Water Policy
NSW Water Minister Niall Blair has been urged to halt a controversial policy change in an open letter co-ordinated by The Australia Institute and signed by irrigators, graziers, Aboriginal nations, local governments, environment groups and the former Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. The broad alliance of signatories oppose the Minister’s plan to give away rights to
Taxpayer Dollar Boon for Fossil Fuel Exports Under Guise of Overseas Development
The Federal Government is preparing to spend vast amounts of taxpayer funds on fossil fuel project overseas to generate business for increased fossil fuel exports out of Australia, new analysis by The Australia Institute warns. Key Points A new bill to Parliament that would expand funding and powers for Efic, Australia’s export finance agency, turning
February 2019
Drilling in The Bight Still a Major Risk to South Australia
A new Environment Plan from international energy company Equinor, released today, shows that an oil spill in the Great Australian Bight could reach South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian coastlines while also hitting Kangaroo Island. The modelling has been released after a leaked document from the same company on the same drilling site in November of
New oil spill risk plan still shows potential disaster for King Island
A new Environment Plan from international energy company, Equinor, released today, shows that a spill in the Great Australian Bight could totally envelop King Island. The modelling has been released after a leaked document from the same company on the same drilling site in November of last year showed the potential catastrophic impact of an
Murray-Darling: NSW floodplain strategy “grossly inadequate”
The NSW Government’s strategy to manage irrigators’ use of floodwaters has been slammed in a joint submission by researchers, irrigators, graziers and a Darling River community group. The diverse groups called on the NSW Government to withdraw its draft strategy as it fails to address the problem of massive volumes of water being diverted into
January 2019
New Research: Darling River fish kill caused by river mismanagement
New research by the Australia Institute shows that the Darling River fish kill was due to the mismanagement of the Menindee Lakes in southwest New South Wales. Key findings: The Lakes were drained in 2016-17 at a time when downstream areas did not need water – South Australia was experiencing flooding and all Murray irrigation
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