Media Releases
December 2023
Australia Institute welcomes Government commitment to digital competition
The Australia Institute has welcomed the Australian Government’s response to the ACCC Digital Platform Services inquiry’s fifth interim report.
Qualifications, Not Religion, Should Decide Who Provides Pastoral Care in Public Schools
New research from the Australia Institute and the Rationalist Society of Australia has found that most Australians are unaware that the federal government funds a program under which pastoral care workers in public schools are hired based on religion.
November 2023
Government Decisions Look Set to Send Maugean Skate Towards Extinction
The Australia Institute has today condemned the decision by the Tasmanian EPA to renew fish farming in the Macquarie Harbour. The decision comes just hours after the announcement of a review of salmon farming in the Macquarie Harbour by the Federal Government, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. However, the Federal Government’s
Farmers Unite to Support Water Buybacks as Water Amendment Bill Clears Senate
Farmers and irrigators have joined the Australia Institute in a national campaign to support voluntary buybacks, with the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 passing the Senate today, clearing the way for important Murray-Darling basin reforms to become law.
Voters Trust Labor over Liberals on Cost of Living: Polling
Labor is trusted over the Coalition to manage the cost of living crisis even as more people struggle to make ends meet, new research from the Australia Institute shows.
‘Oh, you shouldn’t have’ – Christmas gift waste expected to top $900 million
More than six million Australians expect to receive presents they will not use or wear and the bulk of these unwanted gifts are destined for landfill, new Australia Institute research shows.
Native Forest Logging Could End with Little Economic Disruption
New research from the Australia Institute, presented to the MONA Forest Economics Congress, shows that an end to native forest logging in Tasmania will have no economic impact on the state as a whole.
Murray-Darling: Irrigators and farmers support water buybacks in new ad campaign
The Australia Institute and farmers will run full-page ads in leading rural newspapers in all Basin States this week supporting water recovery through voluntary buybacks.
JSCEM report opens door to improved representation
The Australia Institute welcomes the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters’ final report for its inquiry into the conduct of the 2022 election. The report picks up several pieces of Australia Institute research and echoes key recommendations. Key committee recommendations include: A possible inquiry into increasing the size of the House of Representatives to reduce
Sweeping Changes Needed to Reduce Influence of Money in Politics: Report
Politicians and political parties would be subject to rigorous scrutiny around their political finances under sweeping recommendations in a new report released today by the Australia Institute.
Employers Steal More than 280 Hours from Workers Each Year: Go Home on Time Day Report 2023
Despite record-low unemployment, Australian employers are still managing to steal more than 280 hours from their employees each year.
Tasmanian Ocean Summit 2023 Calls for Urgent Tasmanian Government Action
The second Tasmanian Ocean Summit, hosted by the Australia Institute on Friday, called for urgent action by the Tasmanian Government to implement wholistic, integrated management in Tasmania’s coastal waters/Sea Country.
Inadequate Electoral Reform Leaves Truth and Transparency Behind
Tasmanians look set to pay one of the highest rates of public funding for election campaigns with the poorest oversight of donations received by political parties, with the Liberals and Labor joining forces to pass electoral reforms in the state’s parliament.
New Report Recommends Statewide Tasmanian Marine Authority
A new Independent Marine Estate Authority with whole-of-government oversight of Tasmania’s Ocean management would be established under a new proposal released today by the Australia Institute.
Australia Institute Welcomes Walkley Award-Winning Journalist Stephen Long
The Australia Institute has today announced the appointment of Walkley Award-winning journalist Stephen Long to the newly established role of Senior Fellow and Contributing Editor.
Government’s ‘dirty favour for Santos’ bill passes with opposition support
A government bill that paves the way for Santos’ controversial Barossa offshore gas project passed the Senate last night with the support of the opposition, following a marathon week-long debate.
70% of Australians want ABC Board member appointments from independent selection process
The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,535 Australians about how the Communications Minister makes appointments to the ABC Board.
Two-thirds of Australians back doctors’ call for “health trigger” for coal, gas projects
Two-thirds of Australians support the federal government making new fossil fuel project approvals dependent on an assessment of their health impacts, according to new research by Doctors for the Environment Australia and the Australia Institute.
Independent watchdog essential to combat research misconduct
The Australia Institute is calling for the establishment of an independent research integrity watchdog, with a new report raising serious concerns about research misconduct, including data fabrication, falsification and plagiarism.
Tasmanian Salmon Industry: Few Jobs, Less Tax
New research released by The Australia Institute today highlights the modest jobs numbers and tax payments by the Tasmanian salmon industry.
Global Report Highlights “Enormous Chasm” Between Government Rhetoric and Climate Action
A major international report shows that international efforts to reduce coal, oil, and gas production in line with limiting warming to 1.5°C are on track to fall catastrophically short. The Production Gap Report 2023 finds that global governments plan to produce more than double –110% more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to
Green Light For Labor to Immediately Strengthen Tasmania’s Electoral Laws
Tasmania’s Lower House has demonstrated its willingness to immediately consider any amendments made by the Legislative Council to the Electoral Disclosure and Funding Bill 2022 and Electoral Matters (Miscellaneous) Bill 2022
Tasmanian Civil Society Organisations Call for Electoral Reform Before it is Too Late
Tasmania’s leading civil society organisations have today published full-page ads in The Mercury, The Examiner and The Advocate calling for both houses of the Tasmanian Parliament to strengthen the long-awaited electoral reforms and pass them without further delay.
October 2023
Murray-Darling Polling: Majority Support for water buybacks across Basin States, Party Lines and Regional Australia
New research released today by The Australia Institute shows strong public support for changes to Murray Darling Basin environmental and water rules.
Most Australians want Stage 3 scrapped or overhauled
More than two-thirds of Australians want the government to overhaul Stage 3 tax cuts or scrap them altogether, according to new research from the Australia Institute. When asked whether the government should repeal the Stage 3 cuts, 37% support the idea and 24% oppose it. A significant number of people – 39% – remain unsure
Letters to EPA, Department: Evidence demands state and federal action against fish farm licence renewals in Macquarie Harbour
The science is clear: Removing fish farming from Macquarie Harbour is an urgent priority to be actioned before this summer.
Proposed NT gas mega-projects will crowd out jobs and non-gas businesses
Australia Institute analysis shows the benefits of gas development in the NT have been overstated, and that gas development will crowd out jobs in other industries.
Pork barrelling, jobs for mates considered corruption in eyes of public
Australians consider a wide range of government behaviours as corruption, including cronyism, political expenditure and hobbling or ignoring integrity watchdogs, finds new polling research from the Australia Institute. People are most likely to think corruption is common among state and territory governments (69%), followed by local governments (68%) and the federal government (66%). On Monday
Overwhelming support for truth in political advertising laws following referendum
New research from the Australia Institute shows more than 60 per cent of ‘No’ voters are concerned about the misinformation and disinformation that circulated on social media during the referendum campaign, with more than 80 per cent of that cohort wanting to see truth in political advertising laws in place before the federal election, expected in 2025.
‘World’s Worst EV Policy’ Scrapped by High Court
State based electric vehicle taxes have been struck down by the High Court of Australia, paving the way for the Federal Government to act on increasing the uptake and availability of EVs across the country, the Australia Institute has said. Key points: State based EV taxes, dubbed the ‘worst electric vehicle policy in the world’
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