Delayed RBA cut is welcome, but borrowers are still lagging
The RBA has cut interest rates – five weeks too late.
Feeling hopeless? You’re not alone. The untold story behind Australia’s plummeting standard of living
A new report on Australia’s standard of living has found that low real wages, underfunded public services and skyrocketing prices have left many families experiencing hardship and hopelessness.
Rate cut welcome – but borrowers are still behind
The Australia Institute welcomes the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to cut interest rates today, but borrowers are still at least 0.25% behind where they should be.
Will Trump run again?
“Probably not…”
The problem with productivity
We discuss the proposals around corporate tax and artificial intelligence ahead of the government’s productivity roundtable.
The Productivity Commission is floating AI copyright exemptions – with worrying implications for Australian authors and publishers
In an interim report released overnight, Harnessing data and digital technology, the Productivity Commission has floated a text and data mining exception for the Australian Copyright Act. This would make it legal to train artificial intelligence large language models, such as ChatGPT, on copyrighted Australian work. AI training would be added to the list of
The big reform that could make our childcare system cheaper and safer
There is a sickness at the centre of Australia’s childcare system. The profit motive.
July 2025
Australia’s gun laws aren’t as strong as you think
Nearly three decades after the Port Arthur massacre, there are more guns than ever before in Australia and there is still no national firearms register.
Private health insurance is for the rich – the rest would rather better public health
ATO figures show that private health insurance is favoured by the rich and it should be subject to GST
The disempowerment of the ‘consumer’ in public services
We are all consumers. Every one of us.
Australia is a low-taxing nation
Also: the country is not too reliant on income tax.
While university leaders zip around the world, consultants are creating twin crises on Australian campuses
University leaders are keeping their institutions in the news for all the wrong reasons. Yesterday, it was University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) turn for a round of bad press.
Six months down, 42 to go (maybe…)
It’s only been SIX MONTHS.
New analysis reveals the devastating truth behind Australians’ poker machine losses
New analysis by The Australia Institute reveals that the vast majority of the money Australians lose on poker machines each year is money they simply cannot afford to lose.
Most gambling losses are from at-risk gamblers
Australia has some of the highest rates of gambling in the world, with a third of Australian adults using poker machines at least once a year. But it’s a past-time that could be riskier than you think: At least $10 billion of the $13 billion that Aussies lose on pokies each year comes from exceeding
The secret deal with ‘Big Gas’ that threatens heritage listed, ancient rock art
A veil of secrecy hangs over the conditions that will apply to Woodside Energy’s massive gas export project on the Burrup Peninsula in WA – the kind of secrecy that corporate power can command.
“Out of patience”: it’s time to fix the housing crisis
Amy Remeikis and Matt Grudnoff preview the first parliamentary sitting week.
Trump’s pharma tariffs would hurt Americans the most
A 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals would help Big Pharma make bigger profits, but it’d be a disaster for Americans’ health.
What is the government doing to protect the World Heritage-listed Murujuga rock art?
The ancient Indigenous rock art on Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula has been deservedly listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Register.
Trump’s Big Bill makes America more dangerous while enriching a few
The legislation will turbocharge inequality and the climate catastrophe – and it’s all part of the administration’s plan to radically reshape American society.
Where to now for Indigenous justice? | Thomas Mayo
After the failure of the Voice referendum, achieving justice for Indigenous Australians remains more important than ever. This demands keeping hope alive.
Negative gearing is back, baby!
Positive gearing is so FY21-22.
June 2025
The rich cry poor; the media laps it up
The debate over superannuation tax concessions shows that the wealthiest Australians get to play by different rules.
Here’s something absolutely cooked about books in Australia
It’s a big week for Australian culture, with announcement of the shortlist for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, one of the country’s top writing prizes.
The costly double standard of winning a cash prize in Australia
New analysis from The Australia Institute reveals a costly double standard for those who win cash prizes in Australia.
Do you have $3 million in super? Me neither. These changes will actually help you
Labor’s planned reforms to superannuation tax concessions may be being reported as “controversial” but the fact is they are popular.
Whether for or against the stadium, Tasmanians overwhelmingly feel dudded by the AFL – poll
Regardless of who wins the July 19 state election, Tasmanians overwhelmingly want the government to rip up the dud stadium deal with the AFL.
If events around the world are sending you insane you’re not alone, and there’s a name for it
If you feel like you are going a little insane at the moment, you’re not alone.
Time to end university greenwashing: The Australia Institute
The role of Monash University in greenwashing the activities of Woodside and other fossil fuel companies has been revealed by journalist Royce Kurmelovs in climate-focused publication Drilled and Crikey. Kurmelovs’ report reinforces Australia Institute research highlighting the crisis of integrity in the governance of Australia’s universities. Upcoming Australia Institute research will further outline Monash and other universities’
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