Media
February 2021
New Analysis: Countries with Higher Unemployment Payments Have Lower Jobless Rates
New analysis from the Australia Institute shows Australia’s unemployment rate is worse than that of most OECD countries. In fact, this analysis shows that across the OECD, it is higher unemployment payments (the ‘net replacement rate of unemployment’) that correlate with lower unemployment rates. The Government and commentators have long argued that Australia’s internationally low
Bargaining Code a Welcome First Step in Regulating Big Tech
“The legislation creates a safety net designed to ensure that social media platforms recognise the value of public interest journalism,” said Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. “We know the prospect of the code has led to significant settlements with large media players. We now need to see how it
JobSeeker Cut Cruel and Economically Reckless
The reported Government increase to JobSeeker of $50 per fortnight, expected to be announced today, is inadequate and will see tens of thousands of people fall into poverty at the end of March. “An increase to the JobSeeker base rate of $50 per fortnight, while cutting the $150 per fortnight increase to JobSeeker supplement for
Gas Industry Cuts 10% of its Workforce
New Australia Institute analysis estimates that the oil and gas industry cut around 10 percent of its workforce in the 12 months to December last year. Despite this, the Government is continuing to hand out large taxpayer subsidies to the industry as part of its “Gas-Fired Recovery JobMaker Plan.” If all Australian industries had behaved
Canberra’s euthanasia insult weakens democracy for all
Much has changed in the 24 years since the Federal Parliament voted to prevent Canberrans from deciding for themselves whether they support voluntary euthanasia. Australia has had six prime ministers, hosted an Olympic Games, participated in four wars, and endured a global financial crisis and a global pandemic. What has also changed is the assumption
Call for National Facebook Advertising Suspension Until News is Restored
The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology calls for a National Facebook Advertising Suspension Until News is Restored
Business Council of Australia Research Confirms Centre for Future Work Research
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has today released a report which confirms trends described in earlier research by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work. However, the BCA’s expressed concern for ‘the future of bargaining’ contradicts its support for the Government’s omnibus bill which will further undermine genuine bargaining and suppress already record-low wage
Facebook destroying its social license by restricting Australian news content
“Facebook’s decision to prevent users viewing or sharing public interest journalism will make it a weaker social network,” said Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. “The social network is destroying its social license to operate. Facebook actions mean the company’s failures in privacy, disinformation, and data protection will require a
The Liberals’ agenda is bad for regional Australia – but the Nationals play along anyway
The National party represents many electorates which have high rates of unemployment and people receiving government support payments, and a high proportion of workers on the minimum wage. So you can see why they spend so much time attacking industrial laws, renewable energy and “urban elites” – creating blame is a lot easier than creating
Black Witness with Amy McQuire
Join Amy McQuire, a Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist and author with over 13 years of experience and the Australia Institute’s 2020 Writer in Residence recipient, for a discussion her upcoming book ‘The Water Behind Us’ is a journalistic investigation into the wrongful conviction of Aboriginal man Kevin Henry. This book deals with the
Google and the use and abuse of economic modelling
In its efforts to avoid regulation, Google commissioned economic modelling showing that Google providing tens of billions of dollars in benefits to Australia – but the figures quickly fell apart on closer inspection from the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. In this episode, chief economist Richard Denniss talks us through some of the assumptions
Proposed Electoral Reforms Not Good Enough for Good Government
The Gutwein Government has released its report in response to its review into Tasmania’s Electoral Act and associated election laws. “The report and recommendations, while welcome, do not provide enough concrete commitments. The Government has sat on the review for too long to still have such vague plans. Paying lip-service to change does little to
The rise of right wing extremism
The rise of right-wing extremism is happening all around us, yet it does not dominate Australia’s national security discourse in the way “Islamic extremism” did in the years after 9/11. The Australia Institute spoke to counter-terrorism expert Dr Anne Aly MP, to help us unpack the nature of the problem and if we’re doing enough
New Analysis: Google’s assessment of Google vastly overstated
New Australia Institute analysis shows Google’s estimates of its economic importance to Australia are vastly overstated, and Google’s claims to generate benefits of $39 billion for businesses and $14 billion for consumers do not withstand even the most basic scrutiny. Nevertheless, the tech giant uses those figures to claim it is as important to the
The Rise of Right-Wing Extremism with Dr Anne Aly MP
Join international counter-terrorism expert Dr Anne Aly MP, member for Cowan, for a frank discussion about the rise of right-wing extremism. In conversation with Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute. Hosted by Ebony Bennett, deputy director at the Australia Institute. Part of the Australia Institute 2021 webinar series, this discussion was recorded
Facebook and Google having too much market power is a threat to democracy
Forget about how much you loathe Rupert Murdoch for a minute. The well-earned ire for the media mogul’s empire is muddying the waters in the huge battle over the news media bargaining code, a battle Australia cannot afford to lose. At stake is the future of public interest journalism, as well as the ability of
EV Policy Paralysis Driving Australia Backwards
The Government has today released its Future Fuels Discussion Paper, which contains no additional funding and little in the way of commitments to accelerate electric vehicle uptake. Background The Government promised an Electric Vehicle Strategy in 2018, and instead delivered a discussion paper that does not exclusively focus on electric vehicles The only changes to
Scott Morrison knows setting a net zero target means picking a fight with the National party
The prime minister’s initial target of beginning the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines “as soon as January” is in tatters and mid-February is looking shaky. Likewise, the target of “fully vaccinating” some 26 million Australians by October. But just because someone fails to hit a target doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have set it. On the contrary,
Omnibus IR Bill will Further Reduce Wage Growth
New research by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work shows the Federal Government’s omnibus industrial relations bill will lead to a significant increase in employer-designed enterprise agreements (EA) that reduce workers’ pay and conditions, rather than improve them—signaling a return to the WorkChoices pattern of EA-making and putting further downward pressure on Australia’s already
January 2021
Summer special: Friends, Allies and Enemies with Karen Middleton & Jonathan Pearlman
In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Karen Middleton, Jonathan Pearlman and Allan Behm about the tenth issue of Australian Foreign Affairs which examines the alliances, blocs and rivalries emerging across the Asia-Pacific
Summer special: How Childcare Reforms Could Help Power the Economic Recovery with Jay Weatherill and Kate Carnell
In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Jay Weatherill, Kate Carnell and Richard Denniss about how an affordable, accessible early learning system could help power Australia’s economic recovery. The full webinar is available
Summer special: The crisis in Aged Care with Ged Kearney
In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, host Ebony Bennett talks to Ged Kearney MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Skills and the Shadow Assistant Minister for Aged Care, Beris Campbell, Board member of Homeshare and Ruth Kestermann, CEO
Why do our PMs treat the seat of democracy with scorn?
Scott Morrison spent the summer in the Canberra bubble and both he and our democracy are better for it. After finally spending some quality time in the Lodge, it would be good if he made it permanent. Until the 2019–20 bushfires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had made Kirribilli House in Sydney his family home—modelling himself on
Summer special: What we learned about Australia from Wikileaks with Jennifer Robinson and Peter Cronau
In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, Ebony Bennett talks to barrister and member of Julian Assange’s legal team Jennifer Robinson, as well as investigative journalist Peter Cronau about what Wikileaks revealed about Australia and the new book
Australians Want More News, Less Misinformation in Their Social Media Feeds
New research from The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has shown that a majority of Australians want social media companies to prioritise journalism from news sites, limit the spread of misinformation and be more transparent about how they choose what content their users see. The research is being released as representatives from Facebook prepare
Modest Fall in Unemployment Welcome but More Stimulus Needed: Australia Institute
Today’s employment figures show that more government stimulus is needed to counter the persistent, hidden economic fallout of COVID-19, The Australia Institute has said. “While a modest fall in unemployment is welcome, there is still a long way to go before we see a return to situation normal,” said Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist at The
Biden Presidency: ANZUS No Longer Sufficient, Time for Australia’s Security Reset
To mark the swearing-in of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the US, The Australia Institute has released research that shows the Australia, New Zealand and United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty is no longer a sufficient basis for Australia’s security relationship with the US—it is time for a security reset. The Australia Institute’s International
Summer special: Climate of the Nation with Matt Kean
In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Program director at the Australia Institute speakers with Matt Kean, NSW Minister for Energy and the Environment to launch the Australia Institute’s Climate of the Nation
Google’s Guinea Pigs – Australians Oppose ‘Disturbing’ News Experiment
New research from The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has shown that four in five Australians say it is “disturbing” that a search engine can remove Australian news from its results.
Save lives or save the economy? That’s a false choice – and it’s obscene
For the past year Australians have heard politicians, business leaders and conservative commentators argue that we need to balance the benefits of protecting Australians from Covid-19 with the costs of those protections to “the economy”. Should we close down risky venues or keep them open? Should we worry about the elderly who might get sick