Media
March 2022
Fuel Excise Cut ‘Bad Economic Policy’
The Federal Government Budget 2022 has cut the fuel excise by 22 cents for a six month period. “The fuel excise cut is bad economic management, bad economic policy, and bad policy full stop,” said Richie Merzian, climate & energy director at the Australia Institute. “For the last nine years this government has kept Australians
Are fossil fuel subsidies ending or accelerating?
Australia has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The United Nations Secretary General has said that it’s time to end fossil fuel subsidies, so are fossil fuel subsidies in Australia ending or accelerating? The Australia Institute has crunched the numbers. This episode was recorded on Tuesday 29 March 2022, prior to the federal
New Analysis: $75 Billion Tax Grab by Business Council of Australia
On the eve of the Budget and a Federal Election, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) has renewed its advocacy for a company tax cut for big business. New Australia Institute analysis finds that the BCA’s proposed tax cut would cost the Budget up to $75 billion dollars over the next decade. The BCA offers nothing
83 Percent of Beer Excise Cuts Would Flow to Men
Cutting the excise on beer from kegs is an ineffective and inequitable way to support the hospitality sector, reduce cost of living pressures, and reduce excessive drinking according to a new report released by The Australia Institute. “The overwhelming majority of beer drinkers in Australia are men, and the overwhelming majority of hospitality venues don’t
Australian fossil fuel subsidies surge to $11.6 billion in 2021-22
Fossil fuel subsidies cost Australians a staggering $11.6 billion in 2021-22, an increase of $1.3 billion in the last year, according to new Australia Institute research.
Admiral Chris Barrie on how Australia should respond to increasing disasters [webinar]
During the Black Summer bushfires the RFS had 78,000 volunteers in the field; the ADF can’t put more than 6000-7000 people in the field – so the scale is an issue for a start
Carbon Offset Regulators Dominated by Oil and Gas Industry: FOI Documents
New research released by The Australia Institute reveals the extent to which fossil fuel companies and other big emitters influenced the Clean Energy Regulator (CER)’s carbon offset rules around carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.
Vic Govt. democratic reforms supported by vast majority of voters: Polling
Truth in political advertising laws would be a first for Victoria The announcement today from the Victorian Government that it will back a wide range of democratic and electoral reforms, recommended by the multi-party Electoral Matters Committee and the Australia Institute, would be supported by a vast majority of Victorians, according to new polling. The
New Research: Australia’s Skills System Continues to Crumble After COVID
Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system shows growing signs of erosion, fragmentation and dysfunction, according to new research from the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work. The research reveals a grim picture of a VET system starved of consistent funding or focus, fragmenting into scattered offerings of non-accredited and ‘micro-credential’ courses, mostly provided by
Dodgy carbon credits and dirty hydrogen
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. This episode was recorded on Tuesday 22 March 2022 and things may
Time to Scrap SA’s EV Tax as Petrol Prices Surge
The new South Australian Labor Government has been encouraged to move ahead with its promised scrapping of the state based EV Tax sooner rather than later, due to the rapidly increasing cost of petrol and confirmation that the Federal Government is considering options for a national tax on electric cars. Background: Laws introducing a South
Polling: Majority of Australians want climate disaster levy and climate adaptation strategies
The vast majority of Australians (72%) want new Federal government policies to help understand and prepare for climate change impacts, including a national climate risk assessment, a National Adaptation Plan and a National Climate Disaster Fund, finds new polling from the Australia Institute. The Australia Institute surveyed 1,001 Australians in March 2022 about the role
Stage 3 Tax Cuts Go to Wealthy Occupations, Low & Middle Income Earners Miss Out: Report
New economic research reveals that the Stage 3 tax cuts proposed by the Federal Government will give Bank CEOs, surgeons, and federal politicians a windfall tax cut of $9075, while low-income workers like aged care workers, disability careers and minimum wage employees get $0.
Disinformation is Our Burning Platform – Government Action Urgently Required
Today’s report from the government’s media regulator ACMA shows once and for all that the digital platforms can not be trusted to manage the safety of their own information flows. “The report and Minister Fletcher’s announcement the government will increase ACMA’s powers to hold big tech to account for harmful content is well overdue,” said
False Climate Solutions Expand Demand for Gas and Coal
A new tv advertisement will begin airing nationally from Sunday featuring research from the Australia Institute that exposes the false solutions to climate change currently perpetrated by the fossil fuel industry. The initiative builds on research by the Australia Institute showing that dodgy carbon credits and dirty hydrogen are actually expanding the demand for gas
A budget for buying votes or backing workers? [webinar]
Today we bring you another conversation from the Australia Institute’s webinar series. The Coalition Government’s ninth Federal Budget on 29 March will be an election Budget. Against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis, ACTU President Michele O’Neil looks beneath the likely hype to talk about what will really matter for workers. This was
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
Who pays for the cost of climate change?
Climate change is making natural disasters like fires, floods, heatwaves and drought more frequent and more extreme. In today’s episode we discuss a levy on fossil fuels to help pay for the damage.
Tassie Corruption Body a Toothless Tiger: Research
New research has found the Integrity Commission Tasmania is one of the weakest anti-corruption bodies in Australia, with polling revealing nearly one in two Tasmanians distrust the current Commission’s ability to uncover and prevent misconduct in politics and public administration. The report reveals that Tasmania’s anti-corruption body is one of the lowest funded in Australia,
How to fix Australia’s mental health care system
Today we’re bringing you the second episode of a special series with our chief economist Richard Denniss and special guests, based on Richard’s new book BIG: The Role of the State in the Modern Economy. Where we talk about the shape of the economy, not just the size of it. In this episode we ask
No Enemies, No Friends with Allan Behm [webinar]
‘We’re not sure of who we are and we don’t know what we stand for’ – Allan Behm
Polling: Majority want Greater Senate Scrutiny of Secret Contracts
New research reveals overwhelming public support (71%) for strengthening the Senate’s ability to scrutinise the outsourcing of core government functions to private consultancies.
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
Research Finds No Evidence of China Interference Campaign on #AusPol Twitter
New research has found no evidence of a major China-backed campaign to influence Australian political discourse on social media, according to the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. The research analysed more than 69,000 tweets from two low-points in Australia-China relations in 2020 and found no evidence the CCP was using bots to shape political
War in Ukraine Warns Australia to Invest More in Regional Diplomacy: Conflict Expert
The outbreak of war in Ukraine is a bleak reminder of just how disrupted and unpredictable the world has become. Nations like Australia must invest more in regional diplomacy to advance their national interests, thereby providing the force multiplier that makes armed force and military alliances options of last resort, argues Allan Behm, Director of
‘Adaptation saves lives, delay means death’
As residents of Lismore tried to escape massive floods on their roofs, the IPCC delivered its latest report on climate impacts as well as adaptation and the news is not good. It warns that Australia faces significant “cascading and compounding” risks due to climate change, including damage from bushfires, floods, drought and sea-level rise. But
Goldstein Polling Research
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
SA Survey: Ministerial Name Recognition, Satisfaction Ratings Revealed as Close Election Looms
New research from The Australia Institute shows that the leaders of the South Australian Liberal and Labor parties have similar overall satisfaction ratings ahead of the March state election. The Australia Institute surveyed of a representative sample of 602 South Australians in February, asking about their level of satisfaction with the job being done by
‘The science is clear. It’s over to you now’: IPCC Report
“The new IPCC report on climate Impacts paints a dire picture of the reality of climate change now and the limits available to adapt to a warming world. The best response remains rapid emissions reductions while cushioning the impacts through greater research and spending on adaptation. “It’s unbelievable and irresponsible that after all the devastating
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