Opinions
July 2022
Canberra’s MPs are leading national debate and it’s time to take the city to the next level
Canberra is back and it feels good. Next up: using the city’s new power to take the national capital to its rightful next level. Key national political figures in the new parliament are from Canberra. Our local politicians are leading national debates. The territories ban on assisted dying laws is set to be lifted. The
A specific Tasmanian-focused state of the environment report is overdue
Following the national state of the environment assessment release, Tasmanians deserve to know when a report on our state will occur, writes Eloise Carr.
Stealthing: Most people don’t know it’s rape
When it happens to you, it can be devastating. Violating. Traumatising. But did you know it’s also rape? I’m talking about stealthing – the non-consensual removal of a condom during sex. Elena, who was 24 when she experienced stealthing says: “If stealthing was criminalised at the time of my incident, it would have provided me
June 2022
Labor walked into a gas-fired catastrophe. They needn’t look far for a solution
The poor Labor government. It got the keys to a brand new federal government, opened the doors ready for a fresh start, but inside the place was a mess. Barely had Prime Minister Albanese turned the lights on and the gas-fired recovery had turned into a gas-fired catastrophe and an electricity market failure. Some dings
Why Anthony Albanese’s decision to call The Lodge home matters
The thing that strikes you when reading about how The Lodge used to be, is just how humble an abode it once was. How, when Robert Menzies lived there for example, the home seemed embedded in the local community and neighborhood. Menzies’ daughter Heather Henderson writes about how when she lived at The Lodge the
May 2022
Opportunity for strategic recalibration?
The election of a new government presents Australia with a much-needed opportunity to reappraise its place in the world. In less than 20 years, we have segued from serious engagement in Asia and a leadership role in the Pacific to marginal significance in the affairs of Asia (except as a massive mine and a source
Anti-protest laws are undemocratic
Proposed laws that impose harsh fines and jail time for a broad range of peaceful protests are unnecessary and an assault on citizens’ fundamental democratic rights, writes Rachel Hay
Australia’s democracy isn’t perfect, but many of you just changed the country
The democracy sausage has become the symbol of Australians’ trust and enthusiasm for our free and fair elections, but we have much more to celebrate than sausage sizzles (which, I will point out, are needed to help P&Cs fundraise for our underfunded public school system). Think about the thousands of people across the country who
Scott Morrison’s attacks on ICAC have gone too far
“Intolerance of corruption is essential to the survival of our representative democracy and way of life,” said the late David Ipp QC, former commissioner of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. Australian voters certainly appear to agree. New Australia Institute research shows that three-quarters of Australians (76 per cent) say integrity issues are more or
With falling real incomes and rising prices many people don’t believe the story of prosperity Scott Morrison is preaching
While it makes economic and political sense to suggest, as Anthony Albanese has, that the minimum wage, and indeed most wages, rise inline with the rate of inflation Scott Morrison has suggested such a move would be ‘reckless and dangerous’. What’s far more dangerous and reckless is letting real wages and consumer spending fall just
Why commentary that wages growing in line with inflation will drive up inflation is completely misguided
Today the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese was asked about wages in the following exchange: Journalist: “You said that you don’t want people to go backwards. Does that mean that you would support a wage hike of 5.1% just to keep up with inflation? Anthony Albanese: “Absolutely”. Any other response would be to suggest that real
Why the Days of Safe Liberal Seats are Almost Over
Here is one truth about this election: the Liberal Party is risking its future on a prime minister who likely doesn’t have one. After years of neglect, it should come as no surprise that many Liberal voters would be looking for an alternative. What is a surprise is that the Liberal Party machine, as distinct
April 2022
It is time to talk about truth in political advertising
Before a vote has been cast, one election verdict has already been delivered. The campaign has been too light on policy and too heavy on misleading scare tactics. Our democracy is suffering for it. In just the first weeks of the election campaign, we have seen heated accusations of misleading claims from all sides. Waleed
Lest we forget the horror of war, from Gallipoli to the Pacific
On ANZAC Day our nation remembers and honours those who lost their lives in that failed, bloody mission at Gallipoli in 1915. Today, with a war in Europe and instability closer to home, it’s worth contemplating how we can best honour the memory of the fallen by avoiding repeating the mistakes of the past.
Canberra is increasingly outsourcing its national role. That needs to stop
In the final days before the federal election was called, the new South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas came to Canberra to deliver a blistering National Press Club address. One seasoned journalist described the speech as Obama-esque. While Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese criss-crossed the country visiting the states to make local announcements in the then
Low wage growth in Australia didn’t happen by accident – it’s the system working as intended
The only people in Australia who can boost wage growth are employers and the only way they can do that is by giving people pay rises.
Coalition’s federal budget prioritises re-election over good of Australians
Economists are fond of saying that Budgets reveal a government’s priorities and this year’s federal budget reveals the Morrison government’s number one priority is getting re-elected. In one way, that’s understandable- all governments want to be re-elected. But as the Treasurer’s speech outlined, these are uncertain times. Australia is facing some very real problems like
March 2022
It’s Official: Scott Morrison Has Given Up On Trying To Win Over Young Voters
Scott Morrison is betting his political life that young people won’t pay much attention to tonight’s budget or change their vote if they did. This is why he announced no new spending to help those struggling with high rents, high uni fees, or expensive public transport in this year’s Federal Budget. And it’s why he
Alison Pennington: Budget billions wasted as real wages go backwards
The federal government’s budget would have us believe that the cost of living is a sudden problem because of higher oil prices. But the real reason people are feeling the pinch is because their real wages are going backwards. The budget forecasts wage growth of 2.75 per cent in 2021-22, below inflation which is forecast
Morrison’s economic lies
Scott Morrison lies about the economy all the time. He can’t help himself. He tells big lies about transitioning away from fossil fuels and small lies about the role of his office in the way grants are directed to marginal seats. He tells strategic lies about the union movement engaging in “a campaign of extortion”
The era of the great carbon fraud is upon us
We are entering the great era of carbon fraud. Instead of rushing to end fossil fuels, there is going to be a gold rush for carbon offsets, dirty hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS), all designed not to stop climate change, but to actually drive up the consumption of coal, oil and gas. There
All of us pay for natural disasters like Qld and NSW floods
Defence Minister Peter Dutton’s no doubt well-meaning attempt to raise money for Queensland flood victims though a GoFundMe appeal this week revealed two concerning disconnects from reality. One was the Government’s failure to grasp the scope of the new era of climate disasters we now face. The second was a failure to meet expectations for
February 2022
Senate should flex its muscles to strengthen democracy
Australians are confused about the Senate. That is the unmistakable conclusion of the Australia Institute’s national poll of Australians on their knowledge of and attitudes towards the upper house, the largest and most comprehensive poll of its kind. However, that does not mean the Senate is not important in the public’s democratic engagement. In fact,
Largest coal plant to close early, but where is the national roadmap to manage the rest?
Australia’s largest power station is shutting down in 2025, seven years early. Origin Energy, having bought the power station from the New South Wales government less than 10 years ago, now wants to retire its last remaining coal asset. Upon announcement, the Origin Energy CEO stated “the reality is the economics of coal-fired power stations
Josh Frydenberg’s ‘Great Reshuffle’ another sign Coalition is out of touch with reality
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s recent declaration – that wage-restrained workers need simply participate in the so-called “Great Reshuffle” to find better-paid jobs – underscores just how disconnected the federal government is from the harsh realities facing many Australian workers. With shades of former treasurer Joe Hockey advising youth priced out of housing to “get a good job that pays good
Tax-deductible RATs deliver nothing to the lowest-paid. How very Morrison government
The recent decision to make Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) tax deductible rather than free will deliver nothing to low paid essential workers and big savings to high income earners. How very Morrison Government. While a part-time cleaner working in the aged care sector will likely receive zero benefit from tax deductible RATs, someone earning $200,000
Australia’s aged care crisis is nothing new. It’s just worse than before
Aged care was in crisis long before the pandemic arrived on Australian shores, yet even more than 500 deaths in one month is apparently not enough to make it a greater priority than attending the cricket for the Aged Care Services Minister. How good is Australia? It’s not that long since the royal commission delivered
January 2022
Funding for the Reef: A one billion dollar drop in the ocean
Headlines about public funding in an election year are generally accompanied by hi-vis vests, the promise of more jobs and occasionally a bit of Top Gun theme music thrown in for good measure. So it was unusual to see a beachside photo-op with Scott Morrison to announce a “record” $1 billion investment (over nine years)
Australia can learn from Asean when it comes to Russia-Ukraine stand-off
Make no mistake: the heightened risk of armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine has serious implications for Europe, especially the Nato members, as it does for the rest of the world. But most importantly, it has massive strategic consequences for the US. And that’s where it matters for Australia. To judge from much western media
Government budget under pressure as easy as ABC
It is budget season already, and not a Canberra autumn leaf in sight. Omicron has ended early March election speculation, meaning the early budget in March will go ahead instead. So much of the March 29 budget will already be in place, and some final decisions are being made right now. Much is made of
General Enquiries
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
Jake Wishart Senior Media Adviser
jake@australiainstitute.org.au