May 2018
Request to Audit: Allegations concerning the purchases of water for environmental flows in the Murray-Darling Basin
The Auditor-General has received correspondence from Senators Patrick, Griff, Hanson-Young and Bernardi, Ms Rebekha Sharkie MP and the Hon. Tony Burke MP dated 24 April 2018, requesting that the Auditor-General conduct an investigation to examine the purchases of water for environmental flows in the Murray-Darling Basin. This request is under consideration and the response will
February 2018
Open letter – political donations from the gambling industry
To Premier Will Hodgman and Opposition Leader Rebecca White, Public trust in government is at an all-time low around Australia. We are working together to improve accountability and trust in public administration at a state and federal level. After the long-standing allegations about the role of the gambling industry in the fall of the Tasmanian
March 2015
NSW Parties Accountability Policies
The Australia Institute wrote to all NSW political parties on March 11, asking for them to outline their policies on regulating lobbying, and to what extent they had adopted the ICAC recommendations. Letter from The Australia Institute to NSW Parties Response from the NSW Liberal Party Response from the NSW Labor Party Response from NSW
January 2015
Party Responses to Fitzgerald Principles
The Australia Institute sent letters on January 8th 2015 (copy of letter to LNP) to Queensland’s main political parties. Responses were requested by January 19th, 2015. Responses received: Queensland Labor Party – ALP response – PDF Queensland Greens – Greens response – PDF Bob Katter’s Australia Party: Response to The Australia Institute Letter to Katter’s Australian
February 2014
May 2013
Making sense of government priorities
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the Resource Super Profits Tax, government advertising and missing out on government assistance.
March 2013
Facts Fight Back- NL March 2013
Facts Fight Back Dr Richard Denniss Foreign aid works Tim Costello Getting the research that matters to the people who matter Mark Ogge The truth about the gender pay gap Anne Summers A culture of resistance Kerrie Tucker Trouble with childcare David Baker Paid to pollute Matt Grudnoff Big business in Australia David Richardson Early
March 2012
In Conversation with Senator Bob Brown and David McKnight
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
December 2011
A great year – 2011 in review
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
July 2011
NL July 2011
This edition of the Institute’s newsletter looks at: ‘Closing the Gap 2011’; Silencing dissent in Environment Victoria; The rise of online retail; The macroeconomics of online shopping; The future of the republican movement in Australia; and Australia’s surplus fetish. It also looks at the hidden cost of maternity leave.
February 2011
Convenient cash, kids in detention, Rudd’s ‘Tale of Two Cities’
Between the Lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at ATM fees, children in detention and the prime ministership of Kevin Rudd.
January 2011
What would life be like without government?
We start the year by considering what the role of government ought to be. Despite some spectacular failures of government policy in 2010 there is still a valuable and important place for bold ideas and the ambition to act collectively.
December 2010
Australian Financial Integrity Network
A new network of community groups has been launched calling for all stakeholder voices to be heard when it comes to reforms to banking and finance. The Australian Financial Integrity Network (AusFIN) has launched the following Charter that they say should guide the Government and the industry in implementing changes to banking and finance that
October 2010
What’s the govt doing about poverty?
Between the Lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at Anti-Poverty Week, in particular the number of people missing out on government assistance they’re entitled to, and the poverty traps that exist in Australia’s tax system. It also considers whether the self-regulation of
September 2010
NL 63, September 2010
This edition of the Institute’s newsletter looks at the 2010 federal election, the market power of Australia’s big four banks, green jobs, income quarantining, the case for a carbon price and a review of Nobel-prize winning economist Jospeh Stiglitz lecture at the Sydney Opera House.
Australia’s outbreak of democracy
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the 2010 federal election and the history of referenda in Australia.
August 2010
Money and Power: How much is too much for corporate Australia?
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at corporate behaviour, the influence of the resources sector on the climate change and RSPT debates, and corporate donations to political parties.
July 2010
Green jobs, dog-whistling and political donations
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the nature of green jobs and their creation; the return of dog whistling in political speech; donations to political parties.
September 2009
NL 59, August 2009
Richard Denniss examines the work of the Institute over his first year as the new executive director; Brian Walters looks at anomalies in the common law with regard to public and private interests; David Richardson dissects the benefits of the mining boom; Georgia Miller explains some of the problems inherent in the nanotechnology revolution.
August 2009
Between the lines 14
Denticare: making a mountain out of a molar. Dissent is a dirty word. A fair-weather friend: Australia’s relationship with a climate-changed Pacific. Extract from author Ben McNeil’s speech at the launch of ‘The Clean Industrial Revolution’.
June 2009
NL 58, May 2009
Dr Bill de Maria discusses the new whistleblowing proposals; David Ingles laments the exclusion of people on NewStart from either of the stimulus packages and explains the great superannuation tax concession rort; Reconciliation Australia looks at reconciliation a year after the Rudd apology; Tully Fletcher examines the current state of legal aid; Richard Denniss enumerates
March 2009
Between the lines 9
Senator Fielding and the alcopops debacle. The wisdom of tax cuts. Freedom of information becomes freer?
Between the lines 8
A Human Rights Act for Australia. Executive excess. Policy on the run; is policy underdone? Food security
January 2009
Between the lines 6
Burying bad news in the media. The impact of climate change on new businesses. Cooperatives. The Government’s new human rights consultation.
December 2008
Between the lines 5
An economical truth. The bogus economic case for telemarketing. Bee lines. Over a barrel.
Between the lines 4
Ministerial responsibility. A major flaw in the ETS. Thinking long term.
March 2008
No. 54 March 2008
Clive Hamilton left the Australia Institute at the end of February to devote himself to writing. Here he pens his last comment for the newsletter.
December 2007
No. 53 December 2007
Australia After Howard What sort of government will Rudd Labor be? Clive Hamilton situates last month’s dramatic defeat of John Howard within broader historical trends.
September 2007
No 52 September 2007
Ever wondered how the PR industry operates, its tactics and links to government and business? A new book, Inside Spin published by Allen & Unwin, reveals how spin doctors invisibly influence just about every news story we read. Author Bob Burton provides an inside look.
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