New analysis from the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program reveals that $3.9 billion spent by federal grants programs with ministerial discretion has clearly skewed towards marginal Coalition seats in particular, at the expense of safe Labor seats and, to a lesser extent, safe Coalition seats. Marginal Coalition seats received on average $184 per person

It is the biggest attack on the Australian charity sector you have never heard of. On the eve of an election, with no notice, no public explanation, not even a media release, the Morrison Government has rushed retrospective amendments into the Parliament that would squash charities’ right to advocate, stomping on our democracy. Instead of

The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible technology today called on Amazon to mark its global marketing day, Black Friday, by ditching patents to increase the surveillance of its workers. According to an analysis by UNI Global, Amazon currently have patents on a range of technologies that will erode workplace privacy including: Augmented reality headsets that

The great resignation is apparently upon us — workers are walking away from bad jobs. But in Australia, the exodus of women from the workforce says more about structural barriers than worker empowerment.

New research from the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program shows that for each voter who was marked as voting more than once (accurately or otherwise), there were over 1,000 Australians who were entitled to vote but whose votes were not counted. New voter ID laws risk disenfranchising even more voters, for the sake of

The Australia Institute welcomes the decision by Victorian State Minister for Planning Richard Wynne to reject the Fingerboards Mineral Sands project proposed by Kalbar Resources. Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute, was an expert witness in the planning hearings that led to the rejection. He was called by community group Mine-Free Glenaladale. “We

The retiree group most affected by rising living costs.

Economist Matt Grudnoff outlines the ‘progress’ made since the royal commission.

The number of hours stolen from Australians by employers has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the average employee now providing eight full-time weeks of free work per year. 17 November 2021 marks Go Home on Time Day, run by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, and now in its thirteenth year. Key findings

Today’s announcement by Google of a $200 million per year technology fund is a great headline, but it is important to look behind the big numbers. Key Details: Google pays less than one per cent tax on annual earnings of about $5 billion. Simply paying tax on Australian earnings would deliver far more money to

New analysis shows that buried in the heart of the modelling for Scott Morrison’s ‘net zero plan’ is a carbon price that drives changes in new business investment, consumer behaviour and technological change. While the Morrison Government is adamant that it will not collect any revenue from this ‘phantom tax’, it will not protect consumers

Seven in 10 Australians want more legal protections for whistleblowers and say that whistleblowers make Australia a better place, finds new research by The Australia Institute and the Human Rights Law Centre. Key Findings: Over 7 in 10 Australians (71%) agree that whistleblower protections for public servants should be strengthened The vast majority of Australians

“If COP26 is judged on its ability to advance emissions reductions, then Glasgow has already moved the dial forward,” said Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Program Director at the Australia Institute, from Glasgow. “Attempts to name and shame fossil fuels have been blocked for major fossil fuel producers in the UN, but finally a line

Dishonesty is a trait people loathe in politicians, but thankfully our Prime Minister “doesn’t believe” he has ever told a lie in public life. While the PM should hope the media doesn’t throw to the video referee on that claim, it’s clear that French President Emmanuel Macron’s bombshell comment that Scott Morrison lied to him not only

The Fossil Fuelled 5 examines five wealthy nations – the US, Canada, Norway, Australia and the UK – that have a widening gap between their rhetoric on climate action and their plans to expand the production of fossil fuels. The paper gives a snapshot of how each is undermining global efforts to address the climate

The Australia Institute has reviewed the Federal Government’s newly released Long-term emissions reduction plan: Modelling and Analysis. “The Federal Government’s climate modelling is like economic science fiction,” said Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute. “The claimed economic benefits come not from avoiding catastrophic climate change, that is ignored, but from a speculative $50 billion

Australia is still trying to find its place in Asia, Paul Keating says, which explains why we’re so preoccupied with Taiwan and China.

The Morrison Government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with ‘technology not taxes’ is neither plausible nor original. New Australia Institute analysis shows that back in 1997 the Howard Government announced a similar plan, with no carbon price and no regulatory restrictions on fossil fuels, that failed to deliver more than 400 MT CO2-e of

GSCC Media Briefing – 10.30am GMT / 9.30pm AEDT 11 November 2021 E&OE Transcript, check against delivery Remarks by Richie Merzian, climate & energy program director at the Australia Institute, to Global Strategic Communications Council Media Briefing | Note: remarks by Dorka Bauer and Bernice Lee have not been included in the transcript below Richie

Scott Morrison thrives in the empty space between three-year terms and 30-year plans. Whether it is climate change, nuclear submarines or budget repair – it is no accident the prime minister with the shortest planning horizon in living memory is our greatest announcer of long-run plans. While the vacuousness of Morrison’s net-zero “plan” and his

The annual Climate Change Performance Index released today has ranked Australia last on climate policy, ranking in 64th place. Furthermore, Australia dropped four places to 58th out of 64 places overall in the index, ahead of only Korea, Chinese Taipei, Canada, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan. Australia received very low ratings for its performance across

NSW’s Independent Commission Against Corruption has revealed extraordinary amorality and cynicism in how the Berejiklian government, and its predecessors, approached both public policy and the use of public money. The ICAC has also revealed Berejiklian’s vicious approach to imposing compliance, complicity and ultimately connivance on the public servants who advise government. In an extraordinary few

“The Federal Government’s new Future Fuels Strategy will struggle to drive up electric vehicles sales and drive down transport emissions. Norway, the global leader on EVs, has driven the transition to cheaper, faster, and cleaner vehicles through credible policies and regulations,” said Richie Merzian, climate & energy program director at the Australia Institute. “The Prime