Media
April 2022
Tassie Deserves More Representatives in Wake of Premier’s Shock Resignation
The Australia Institute Tasmania thanks Premier Peter Gutwein for his dedication and hard work over the last two years as Premier and 20 years as a Member of Parliament, including six of those as Treasurer. “Premier Gutwein worked extremely hard during the COVID pandemic for Tasmanians and delivered a much greater level of support to
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
Govt spends more on advertising than Coles, Woolworths, McDonalds amid crossbench calls for greater oversight
New research reveals the Australian Government spends more on advertising than several major corporations, including Coles, Woolworths & McDonalds. New polling also reveals the overwhelming majority of Australians (76%) want greater independent oversight over the use of taxpayer money for government advertising.
Narrabri Coal Mine Approval No Joke for Climate
“Today’s decision by the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) decision to approve this coal mine is no joke for our climate,” said Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute. “The IPC has got it wrong on climate, tax and economics. The decision to approve Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri mine extension to 2044 is reckless and
Pandemic tech
After turning to new technology in a public health crisis we now face critical questions in what a new surveillance normal looks like. Special guest Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran from Reset joins the panel to ask whether we are ready to learn the lessons of 9/11 before a new tech paradigm takes hold. Recorded live 1st April 2022.
March 2022
Crossbench Independents Launch Reform Agenda for 47th Parliament
Crossbench MPs, Helen Haines MP, Rebekha Sharkie MP and Zali Steggall MP will be joined by the Australia Institute to launch a new report outlining potential democratic reforms for the next parliament, including: A federal ICAC with teeth Truth in political advertising laws Code of Conduct for MPs Ministerial diaries to be made public Reforms
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
Removing Designated Fathers Leave Threatens to Worsen Gender Inequality
“Australia has missed a great opportunity to improve its parental leave policies, invest in children’s early years, support parents and improve gender equality,” said Professor Andrew Scott at Deakin University and Convenor of The Australia Institute’s Nordic Policy Centre. “The Budget decision to abolish the designation of two weeks parental leave for fathers from Australia’s
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
The Rise of the Splinternet
Our panel and former president of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Paul Twomey will outline how competing models of state control over online communications are challenging the very essence of the internet. Recorded live 18th March 2022. Regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology Lizzie O’Shea,
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.
The People’s Choice
In the last Burning Platforms before the Australian Federal Election we run the rule over the policies being offered up by the major parties. Is it just Coke vs. Pepsi? Or are there bigger ideas at play? Recorded live 13th March 2022. Regular panelists: Peter Lewis, Director of The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology
General Enquiries
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
Jake Wishart Senior Media Adviser
jake@australiainstitute.org.au