Go Home On Time Day 2025. As full timers disconnect, part timers are doing more unpaid overtime
New research by the Centre for Future Work at The Australia Institute has revealed a disturbing new twist when it comes to unpaid overtime in Australia.
“Anti-achievement” Democrats let pressure off Trump
By negotiating an end to the government shutdown without getting anything much in return, some Democrats have gone back to their old trick of resisting the President by giving him exactly what he needs.
Mike Rann: Gas lobby using “tobacco tactics” to keep polluting, tax breaks
Former South Australian Premier, the Hon. Mike Rann AC, has criticised the “almost tax‑free” gas exports driving billion‑dollar profits for the fossil fuel industry in Australia.
How bad policy created a housing crisis
The capital gains tax concession and negative gearing have worked together to make housing less affordable and exacerbate inequality.
Defending nature with Bob Brown
Protecting Australia’s incredible natural environment from bad policy, spurred on corporate interests and a hostile media, can sometimes feel like an impossible task. But sometimes, people power wins out.
ANZ profit completes obscene $43 billion quadrella
The ANZ bank has today posted an $8.8 billion profit, completing an obscene quadrella from Australia’s big 4 banks.
Coalition offers crash course on staying in opposition for forever
If the Coalition’s aim is to stay in opposition, it’s doing a bang-up job.
Inflation beats employment by the length of the straight (sigh)
On our 100th episode of Dollars & Sense, we discuss why the Reserve Bank always seems to prioritise inflation over employment in its interest rate discussions.
NAB posts a $9.7 billion profit. It’s time to properly tax these obscene results
The National Australia Bank today released its annual report showing a pre-tax profit of $9.7 billion.
A broken university system is letting Australia down
Poor governance, poor policy and decades of neoliberalism have broken Australia’s university sector, with devastating consequences for students and the country.
Australians believe universities are too expensive and not doing their job: polling
New Australia Institute polling research shows most Australians, regardless of who they vote for, think most university degrees are too expensive.
Rate hold shows RBA cares more about inflation than jobs
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to leave interest rates on hold may come as no surprise, but it’s still a huge disappointment for mortgage holders at a time when key indicators show so many are struggling.
Westpac profits from the pain of regular Australians – but there is a solution
Westpac has today announced a full-year profit of $10 billion before tax for the financial year ending on 30 September, 2025. Westpac is one of Australia’s “big four” banks, which together control 72% of all loans to Australian residents. By market capitalisation, Westpac ranks as Australia’s fifth largest listed company and third largest bank. Westpac
October 2025
Reddit to the rescue: watchdog sues Microsoft after AI price-hike complaints
Plenty of big tech companies are losing money on their artificial intelligence investments, begging the question: do people actually want the products?
Mates’ rates and why Australia can’t have nice things
Australia’s natural environment is in crisis and its wealth is disappearing into the hands of a few powerful fossil fuel companies – but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Dropping planeloads of crap on people would be less toxic than gas industry’s current output
When Donald Trump posted an AI video of himself in a plane, spraying crap all over Americans, I couldn’t help but admire his transparency about the way he treats the American people.
How gold became a memecoin
People have been queuing for gold and it’s giving toilet paper in 2020.
There is no financial crisis at the University of Newcastle: New analysis
New analysis from The Australia Institute shows the University of Newcastle has generated surpluses and seen its net assets grow significantly.
Labor misleads UNESCO to protect destructive industrial salmon farms
A letter from the Australian government to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, obtained by The Australia Institute under Freedom of Information, misleads UNESCO to allay concerns about the damage industrial salmon farming is doing to Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage.
Underfunded and painfully slow – is the Tasmanian government serious about protecting the state’s natural wonders and its people?
After a decade-long delay for a detailed report into the state of the Tasmanian environment, the state government seems to have again pulled the handbrake on protecting the state’s natural wonders.
Health funding is one of our trickiest issues – here’s a politically sweet fix
For the past few years, a growing problem has put healthcare budgets under increasing stress. State and territory governments have been trying to do more with less, and it is all starting to come apart at the seams. Extra money for healthcare during the pandemic hid the problem for a while. But, with those emergency
Progressive patriotism: ACTU’s 25% gas export tax should replace broken PRRT
Analysis by The Australia Institute reveals that replacing the broken Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) with a flat 25% tax on gas exports, as suggested by the ACTU, would raise more than $17 billion a year, enough to quadruple Commonwealth spending on housing.
Pots and kettles: Trump trades barbs with China over trade
The global economic outlook is “dim” according to a new report, driven by uncertainty over Trump’s economic and trade policies.
Adani selling coal to India at mates rates, costing Queenslanders $400 million
Queensland taxpayers have missed out on almost $400 million because Adani sold coal at mates rates to Indian customers, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
Fixing Australia’s “arse-backwards” environment laws
Environment laws that don’t stop new gas and coal are like putting screen doors on a submarine.
Trump’s shutdown power play
As Trump and his officials look at invoking the Insurrection Act, the administration is using the ongoing government shutdown to lay off workers and consolidate power.
Watered-down super tax won’t address inequality
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has today announced a significantly weaker superannuation tax plan than the one he promised two years ago.
Shame and harm at every JobSeeker turn – and now with added AI slop
“Single JobSeeker [payment] just hit $400 a week. Let me know how you’d go if you were getting that little and were randomly not paid.” This comment, from the people behind Nobody Deserves Poverty, points to the ignored cruelty at the heart of one of Australia’s most shameful open secrets. The mutual obligations system –
A closer look at the ANU books reveals a hard truth about these job cuts
The leadership of the Australian National University (ANU) has been claiming it is in financial crisis, with the former vice-chancellor declaring the institution was living beyond its means.
Housing affordability to get worse as big corporates do annual tax magic
Renting a place to live is getting more expensive and house price rises are tipped to accelerate.
General Enquiries
Emily Bird Office Manager
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
Glenn Connley Senior Media Advisor
glenn.connley@australiainstitute.org.au