IMF confirms — tax concessions distorting Australia’s housing market

Findings released today from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) align with existing research from the Australia Institute that tax concessions are distorting Australia’s housing market. The IMF noted that “tax breaks, including from capital gains tax discount and superannuation concessions, could be phased out to generate a more equitable and efficient tax system”. Supporting the

Negative gearing and capital gains tax discount driving up house prices

Restricting negative gearing and scrapping the capital gains tax discount would make housing more affordable and increase home ownership rates, the Australia Institute has said in a recent submission. Key Findings: A major cause of rising house prices has been increased demand from investors. Restricting negative gearing to newly built housing and scrapping the capital

September 2024

Report: Fire ants to kill 6 Queenslanders and cost households $188 million annually if not eradicated

As fire ant numbers surge across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, new research shows Queensland households could be hit with an annual bill of $188 million, if they are not eradicated. The report, released by the Australia Institute, estimates that, if fire ants are allowed to spread, every year they could cause six deaths, trigger 116,000 medical visits and

Coles, Woolies’ Secret Pricing Deal Undercuts Inflation Claims

Coles and Woolworths seem to take turns offering items on sale, showing that they are more concerned with protecting their market power than competing against each other, Australia Institute research has revealed. The ACCC this week launched legal action against Coles and Woolworths for misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of products at

Open Letter Calls on Government to Set Timeline for End of New Fossil Fuel Projects

A group of Australia’s leading climate and environment organisations have signed an open letter, coordinated by the Australia Institute and published today in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times, calling on the federal government to tell Australians when it will stop approving new coal, oil and gas projects. The open letter

ACCC Suing Supermarkets as Price Gouging Drives Inflation, Rate Hikes

The ACCC launching legal action against Coles and Woolworths today for misleading consumers reinforces the findings of Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work research, that showed inflation is higher because of big businesses price gouging. Key Points: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched legal action against Coles and Woolworths for misleading

Overdue report delivers scathing assessment of Tasmanian Government’s environmental record 

The State of the Environment Report released today shows that Tasmania’s unique environmental assets have been severely impacted by years of neglect from the state government, the Australia Institute has said. Key Findings: The Tasmanian Government has released the first State of the Environment Report in 15 years. The report shows that the Government has

August 2024

July 2024

June 2024

Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz Australian Speaking Tour: July and August 2024

Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate, former World Bank Chief Economist, and best-selling author and professor at Columbia University, will visit Australia from late July 2024 for a national speaking tour to discuss Australia’s growing inequality, the levers available to governments to address it, and his latest book, ‘The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society’.

May 2024

General Enquiries

Emily Bird Office Manager

02 6130 0530

mail@australiainstitute.org.au

Media Enquiries

Adam Gottschalk Media Advisor

0457 974 636

adam.gottschalk@australiainstitute.org.au

RSS Feed

Media Releases