by Richard Denniss[Originally published on the Guardian Australia, 12 November 2020] While it might seem heretical to suggest we stop exporting gas, it’s important to remember that we only started exporting gas from Australia’s east coast in 2015. But since that fateful day, the wholesale price of gas has risen from around $3 to $4 per

Increased public funding for child care is nearly 20 times more effective at creating jobs than a tax cut of the same size according to new macroeconomic modelling released by The Australia Institute today. The new report entitled ‘A comparison of the economic impacts of income tax cuts and childcare spending’  by Dr Janine Dixon,

Following the release of today’s State Budget, The Australia Institute has suggested that efforts to return to an early surplus will harm South Australia’s economic performance and undermine the state’s employment recovery from COVID-19. Key findings: According to the State Government, the budget will return to surplus in 2023-24. Previous recessions have shown that unemployment

by Alison Pennington [Originally published in The Age, 05 November 2020] Lockdowns in Victoria have made job polarisations starker than in other states. Entire layers of workers, previously interacting in the flows of the daily commute, the morning coffee, dropping kids off at school, were suddenly pulled apart and isolated from each other. Connected only

by Dan Nahum & Jim Stanford[Originally published via Medium, 26 Oct 2020] Like governments around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting recession knocked a huge hole in Queensland’s state budget. Big losses in revenues from the recession, combined with extra costs of fighting the pandemic, turned a planned $234 million operating surplus for this

A full-page advertisement will be published in The Courier-Mail on Monday 26 October 2020 featuring Australia Institute research exposing the Queensland Resources Council’s (QRC) false jobs claims. The QRC has a long history of using questionable economic modelling, known as input-output modelling, to exaggerate the number of jobs its members create. In fact, the Australian

by Richard Denniss [Originally published by Guardian Australia, 14 October 2020] What should Australia spend half a trillion dollars on over the next 10 years? After decades of being told we “can’t afford” to spend more to help the unemployed, the disabled or to reduce carbon emissions, the Morrison government is set to embark on

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that a majority of Australians plan to save the tax cuts announced in the Budget, bringing into question their ability to stimulate economic activity. The Australia Institute poll of 1005 Australians between 8 and 9 October 2020 also showed a majority of Australians think the Budget will

This week’s budget marks a remarkable turning point in Australia’s economic and political debate. Fears of budget deficits and public debt have been replaced by fears of pandemic and mass unemployment. And I’m not talking about a skittish public – these are the fears of Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg. Theirs has been a productive

New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that the 2020-21 Budget has set a new record for items deemed ‘nfp — not for publication’ because the item is classified, still under negotiation, or commercial in confidence. Budgets always have some items marked up ‘not for publication’, but Australia Institute analysis shows the 20-21 Budget

The Economy Income tax cuts as stimulus by Matt Grudnoff The fiscal cliff by David Richardson It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World by Alia Armistead Creating jobs by stimulating business by David Richardson Research & Development by David Richardson Spending on infrastructure by David Richardson Climate & Energy Climate change, what climate change? by Richie

New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that the Government’s income tax changes announced in the Budget will disproportionately advantage men over women, both now and into the future. Men will receive three in every five dollars of tax benefit in this financial year and then seven in every 10 dollars of the benefit

New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that the income tax changes announced in the Budget yesterday will disproportionately advantage wealthy Australians both now and into the future. The limited, temporary benefit that will flow to Australians on low and middle incomes this year will be replaced by larger, permanent tax cuts given to

The $16.9 billion spent on the early introduction of tax cuts in financial year 2021-22, as announced in the Budget, would create at least 160,000 fewer jobs than investing the same amount into healthcare, education and other public services, new analysis tonight from The Australia Institute has found. Key findings: According to the Government, the

by Ebony Bennett [Originally published in the Canberra Times, 03 October 2020] Pioneering feminist Susan Ryan sadly passed away this week, not long after United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While Ruth Bader Ginsburg pursued American women’s equality and freedom through the courts, Susan Ryan pursued it through the parliament, running on a

Richard Denniss [Originally published on the Guardian Australia, 01 October 2020] Thank you, Victorians. Your determination to crush the second wave of Covid-19 has delivered me, and the rest of Australia, enormous health, social and economic benefits. Your resolve, your patience and your sacrifice, means that the rest of Australia has been able to open

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that investing $13 billion into services such as healthcare and education would create 162,000 jobs across Australia. That is between seven and 12 times the number of jobs that are likely to be created by bringing forward the Stage 2 income tax cuts by a year. Key

With state budget deficits a potential issue in the coming Queensland election, new research from the Centre for Future Work shows that cutting public sector jobs and wages would directly undermine the delivery of essential public services at a challenging time in Queensland’s history. Moreover, misplaced fiscal austerity would also hurt the state’s economic recovery

The Australia Institute has criticised the Queensland Government’s deal to subsidise the Adani coal project via a royalty deferral deal. The long-running negotiations between Adani and the Queensland Government will allow the coal mine to ‘dig now, pay later’ at a secret, but certainly discounted, interest rate. Key points: The royalty deal has been reported

So what is MMT and why should you care?

New research from The Australia Institute’s Nordic Policy Centre shows there is no evidence for claims that higher levels of taxation have a negative impact on economic growth. As Australia’s economy begins to emerge from the COVID-19 recession, a comparative study of 188 countries has shown that higher levels of taxation, such as those found

A national advertising campaign opposing the early introduction of the Government’s income tax cuts will begin airing on SKY and commercial television this week. The campaign is being supported by more than 40 prominent Australians, including: Bernie Fraser, former governor of the Reserve Bank Stephen Grenville, former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank John Hewson

by Richard Denniss[Originally published by the Guardian Australia, 16 September 2020] At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic the Morrison government was adamant that – because the economy would “snap back” once the virus passed – their stimulus spending would be temporary and targeted. Well, you don’t hear much about “snap back” anymore and there is absolutely

New modelling from The Australia Institute has shown that bringing forward the Government’s income tax cuts will disproportionality advantage men over women, despite women being hardest hit in terms of lost employment due to the COVID-19 recession. Key findings Total employment in March and April fell 3.9 percent for men and 5.3 per cent for

The Australia Institute today released a report commissioned from economist Saul Eslake exploring tax reform possibilities for Tasmania as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and recession. The report proposes reforms in three areas of Tasmania’s state taxation system: Replacing stamp duties on the transfer of land (conveyance duty) with a broadly-based land tax, levied

New research from The Australia Institute has shown more voters want to see Government spending going towards supporting those looking for work and spending on infrastructure and services than for it to be used to hand out income tax cuts. The Australia Institute poll of 1017 Australians between 10 and 11 September 2020 showed, when