After Durban, is climate change on the backburner? The Australia Institute will host Politics in the Pub in Canberra on Wednesday 14 March. Ian Fry is the International Environmental Officer for the Government of Tuvalu. He has represented Tuvalu as part of their delegation to climate change meetings since the start of the Kyoto Protocol

Solar subsidies just the tip of the enery policy iceberg, Crikey, 1 March Coal seam gas, Alan Jones 2GB, 14 February Economic models: uses and abuses, Counterpoint, 13 February The budget surplus and the banks, Weekend Sunrise, 11 February Super rort for wealthy, The Canberra Times, 3 February The very model of a future based

CSG economic modelling: On the alleged benefits of the Santos coal seam gas project in North West NSW, D Richardson, 14 February The use and abuse of economic modelling in Australia, R Denniss, 1 February Casual labour: A stepping stone to something better or part of an underclass?, D Richardson, 27 January Rubbery figures: An

 In 2004 we published a lengthy analysis of the role of non-government organisations under the Howard Government called ‘Silencing dissent’. In 2011 we were one of the first to provide a detailed critique of the view that everyone benefits from a mining boom in our paper ‘Mining the truth: the rhetoric and reality of the

”The cost-benefit analysis to taxpayers … is not just about the car industry jobs … it’s also about the importance of that skill system and that ability to innovate and that kind of equipment and machinery to the whole of manufacturing – and manufacturing employs around 1 million Australians.” Prime Minister Julia Gillard, 6 February

 The Australia Institute will host two events in Queensland in the coming fortnight to discuss the impact of the mining boom on the State’s tourism, manufacturing and agriculture industries. The events will focus on the 99 per cent of Queenslanders who don’t work in mining. CAIRNSTuesday March 13 6.00 – 8.00pm Civic Reception Room, Council

One of the first things the Rudd Government did when it came to power was remove gag clauses in government contracts with the not-for-profit sector. This was an attempt to start rebuilding relationships with the sector which had broken down so badly under the Howard Government’s culture of silencing dissent. In an interview with The

The Australia Institute will host a special event on Sunday 18 March with Senator Bob Brown and the author of the new book Rupert Murdoch: An investigation of political power Dr David McKnight. The Institute’s Executive Director Richard Denniss will lead a discussion on ‘media diversity and the power of media moguls’. David McKnight is

This edition of the Institute’s newsletter features: A great year -2011 in review Dr Richard Denniss Help needed: billions of tax dollars looking for a problem Lin Hatfield Dodds Big change or a lot of hot air? Dr Richard Denniss The rhetoric and reality of the mining boom David Richardson Bulky billing David Baker Why

Things you helped us achieve: 2011 wrap-up  Here at The Australia Institute we’re a big fan of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Irvine Index. Each week, economist Jessica Irvine condenses topical issues into salient numbers. After such a busy year at the Institute we thought it might be fun to create our own index which reflects

 Here at The Australia Institute we’re a big fan of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Irvine Index. Each week, economist Jessica Irvine condenses topical issues into salient numbers. After such a busy year at the Institute we thought it might be fun to create our own index which reflects our achievements. Here is The Australia Institute

Are you a slave to your smartphone? Just because technology has made work easier in certain respects does not mean that its effects have been consistently beneficial. While the marketing and advertising of IT products tends to focus on the working utopia that their purchase will usher in, in reality the use of smartphones, mobile

Are you a slave to your smartphone? Just because technology has made work easier in certain respects does not mean that its effects have been consistently beneficial. While the marketing and advertising of IT products tends to focus on the working utopia that their purchase will usher in, in reality the use of smartphones, mobile

 The gifts that turn you into a workaholic, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 November Industry straddles both sides of ‘free trade’ debate, The Canberra Times, 28 September Executive and worker wages out of step, ABC Lateline Business, 16 November Nation brainwashed by cult of boom, The Age, 5 November Go back to Between the Lines

Polluted time: Blurring the boundaries between work and life, J Fear, 19 November Bulky Billing: Missing out on fair and affordable healthcare, D Baker, 28 October The Australian wine tax regime: Assessing industry claims, D Richardson and R Denniss, 28 September Mining the truth: The rhetoric and reality of the commodities boom, D Richardson and

Does this put pressure on their family life? A researcher at UNSW is interested in these issues and is hoping to talk to fathers with young children about their experiences balancing work and life. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please get in contact with George Argyrous at g.argyrous@unsw.edu.au or on 0432

Do you find yourself working back late? Never enough hours in the day to do all the things you need or want to do? Are work calls or emails getting in the way of enjoying free time? Or are you a manager who values your staff? Do you want to show them how important they

In theory, technology is supposed to make workers more efficient and productive. In practice, it may in fact do precisely the opposite. Rather than workers using these new tools to do their jobs more effectively, they are now increasingly beholden to those very tools. Just because technology has made work easier in certain respects does

Abbott takes a punt on repealing legislation Tony Abbott is making a habit of making promises he knows will be very difficult to deliver on. First, he promised to rescind the carbon price legislation if the Coalition takes government at the next election. As The Australia Institute pointed out, doing so would involve a protracted

Bulky billing: Is Medicare working? Abbott takes a punt on repealing legislation Social stigma costs the unemployed Events Recent publications Recent media Bulky billing: Is Medicare working?  New research by The Australia Institute released today reveals that Australians are paying more than $1 billion each year in out-of-pocket expenses for medical care. Despite Medicare being introduced

Industry straddles both sides of ‘free trade’ debate, The Canberra Times, 28 October Patients $900 a year out of pocket, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 October Think tank questions value of resources sector, Lateline Business, 8 September Mining offers less than people think, The Age, 8 September You can catch Richard Denniss on The Bolt Report