Australia is one of the lowest-taxing countries in the developed world. While it is sometimes suggested that Australian governments spend too much, the reality is that Australia raises very little tax revenue compared to similar countries. Insofar as Australian governments have a problem balancing revenue and spending, that problem lies in the level of revenue

This is an extract from Black Witness by Amy McQuire, published by University of Queensland Press.

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Australia’s emissions reduction claims simply don’t add up.

While the gas industry has been busy trying to tell you that we need more gas, we’ve been busy countering their spin with facts, especially in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. However, not everyone is as enthusiastic as we are for the message to get out. A billboard too far? We wanted to let

Last week, the federal government announced plans to define menstrual products as “lifestyle-related” and exclude them from NDIS funding.

There is widespread public support for banning gambling advertisements on free-to-air media because of the harm caused by gambling. The main objection is that Australia’s free-to-air networks, hit by declining revenues and fragmenting audiences, can’t afford to lose the money. But there’s a simple solution. A small levy on the many billions of dollars gambling

Is government spending inflationary?

Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen spoke for an hour at the National Press Club last week in a speech titled “Australia’s Energy Choice in the Critical Decade.” Despite the title, and despite taking questions from Australia’s top journalists, most of Australia’s energy choices didn’t even rate a mention.

Replacing political donations may sound good in theory, but in practice what matters is who gets the money – and how much they get.

Tasmania’s Government has failed to publish a State of the Environment Report since 2009,
despite having a legal obligation to do so every five years.

“The US-Australia alliance is consistently described as being based on shared democratic values.”

The Minerals Council recently released an ad promoting the coal industry in Australia, which uses some figures that don’t stack up.

Workers’ compensation and rehabilitation are amongst the most important legal issues facing the ‘gig’ economy. This reflects the potential vulnerability of these workers and their families, co-workers, and community to harsh and long term consequences from injuries. For a while, it looked like federal industrial policy might ‘solve’ the workers compensation problem by redefining ‘gig’/platform

Every single year in Australia over 200,000 tonnes of textile waste go to landfill, and more than 100,000 tonnes are shipped overseas. Australia must somehow scale this 300,000-tonne mountain of clothing if the nation is to make the textile industry circular by 2030.

“We are recommending a tax on fast fashion to protect Australian businesses and also protect the environment.”

Digging into details of the Future Made in Australia plan, does the Government’s actions match their rhetoric?

“This is a narrative that Trump has been running for a long time, saying that the Department of Justice is in particular, but the entire security state is completely corrupt.” “Trump has been really effective at weaponising that narrative and in galvanizing his base in particular.” – International & Security Affairs Senior Researcher Dr Emma

Inflation has stopped falling, but there’s no need for a further rate hike, says Greg Jericho.

The United States Government’s indictment of Julian Assange has major implications for the future of public-interest journalism, according to his legal advisor.

“The Australian public thinks the gas industry should be paying for the gas.” “We can keep doing dumb things if we want to. But if this Government wants to have more money for schools, more money for hospitals…there is a simple tax reform opportunity here.” – Executive Director Richard Denniss on ABC The Business

Australia Institute research has found that 56% of gas exported from Australia attracts zero royalty payments, effectively giving a public resource to multinational gas corporations for free. Around 80% of Australia’s gas is exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Most of this gas is extracted from gas fields in Commonwealth waters, but the Australian Government

Gas companies are meant to pay royalties for the right to extract and sell Australian gas. But no royalties are paid on 56% of gas exported from Australia. Report author Mark Ogge joined ABC News to discuss. A new report from the Australia Institute, Australia’s Great Gas Giveaway, shows that over the last four years,

While we could be forgiven for thinking 2024 will be all about American democracy, this year is in fact a big one for democracies across the world, writes Dr Emma Shortis.

In 2019 the Australia Institute identified ambitious, progressive policies from the Australian Capital Territory, most of which are overwhelmingly popular among all Australians. Five years on, we have an update on how these policies have progressed in Canberra and around Australia.

An on-the-ground video investigation into native forest logging and the people trying to protect the last refuges of some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife.

Ongoing logging within the boundaries of the proposed Great Koala National Park threatens the survival of endangered species and contradicts conservation efforts, writes Stephen Long.