March 2016
SA Taxpayers asked to front $145 billion for nuclear dump gamble
The Australia Institute has today publicly released its report on the economics of an international nuclear waste dump in South Australia. — Press Conference and Public Forum details — The report is in response to the tentative findings of South Australia’s nuclear royal commission, which claimed a net benefit of $51 billion to South Australia.
New England ReachTEL poll
Polling of the electorate of New England has revealed fierce opposition to the Shenhua coal mine. The ReachTEL poll of 662 residents across New England over the evening of 10th March 2016, was commissioned by The Australia Institute as part of its upcoming research into attitudes towards coal projects and economic issues. — Download
Baird backs the frackers, people back the farmers
Polling reveals public support for civil disobedience and other protest in support of farmer’s rights against gas fracking operations. The Australia Institute commissioned polling, undertaken by Research Now, about communities conducting civil disobedience in opposition to coal and gas projects in their area. 84% of Australians said farmers should be able to say no to
February 2016
Free nuclear power is a fantasy: Report
A new report from The Australia Institute shows that a proposal to establish a global nuclear waste industry in South Australia would fail to secure 90% of the imported waste, leaving an expensive and risky legacy for the state. The report was commissioned by the Conservation Council of South Australia to analyse the submission to
January 2016
Back 100% renewables and moratorium on new coal mines: voters in key Coalition seats
Key Liberal and National party electorates back a switch to 100% renewables by 2030 and a global moratorium on new coal mines, according to new ReachTEL polling commissioned by The Australia Institute. A moratorium on new coal mines received between 50-57% support with opposition to the proposition ranging between 23-33% by voters in the seats
December 2015
Key Coalition seats back 100% renewables and moratorium on new coal mines: poll
Conservative electorates back a switch to 100% renewables by 2030 and a global moratorium on new coal mines, according to new ReachTEL polling commissioned by The Australia Institute. A moratorium on new coal mines is backed by voters in heartland conservative Liberal and National party seats. “Proposals to control the expansion of coal mining were
November 2015
International open letter calls for moratorium on new coal mines
World renowned scientists and economists back Kiribati President’s call for No New Coal Mines in open letters published in Saturday’s Guardian UK and this month’s global edition of New Scientist magazine. Former NASA Goddard Institute Director Dr. James E. Hansen, Dr. David Suzuki, Nobel Laureate in economics Professor Kenneth Arrow, Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, and
Unconventional gas bad news for business and jobs: Report
A new report by The Australia Institute shows that local businesses in unconventional gas regions in Queensland believe that gas development led to deterioration in their finances, local infrastructure, social connections and labor force skills. The analysis of mostly gas industry funded research also highlights survey results by the CSIRO that found less than a
Carmichael vs The World
The proposed Adani Carmichael mine would produce carbon emissions comparable or greater than major world cities and whole nations. The data reveals that The Carmichael Adani mine would single-handily produce almost twice the emission of Tokyo – a city with a bigger population than Australia. The report from The Australia Institute also reveals the coal
October 2015
61 prominent Australians back no new coal mines
61 prominent Australians have signed an open letter backing the President of Kiribati’s call for a moratorium on new coal mines. The letter, published in today’s Sydney Morning Herald, calls on French President, Francois Hollande and world leaders to put coal exports on the agenda at the 2015 Paris COP21 climate summit. Signatories include former
Gifts, donations for access, cosy relations: Report on mining approvals in Queensland
With the Queensland Labor Government still to make a decision on the controversial Acland coal mine expansion, as well as finalising the terms of reference for the inquiry into political donations which the Annastacia Palaszczuk promised to Peter Wellington in order to form government, a report released today paints a disturbing picture of the lack
September 2015
No taxpayer coal bank: Polls show Australians back subsidies switch
As new Resources and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg announces that the $5 billion Northern Australia fund could be used to subsidise coal projects, including the Adani mine in the Galilee, research shows support ranging from 65% to 78% for a policy shift. According to a series of polls, commissioned by The Australia Institute as part
Novocastrians Back Council Investment Decision
Polling conducted over the weekend shows strong local support for the Newcastle City Council’s decision to include environmental and socially responsible factors together with financial returns in their investments. 47.3% of Novocastrians supported the council’s decision, while 24.8% were opposed. Additionally, the majority (51.9%) of respondents to the ReachTEL polling thought that coal investments were
August 2015
Treasurer brings welcome reality check on Adani coal mine
The Queensland Treasurer, Curtis Pitt, has brought a welcome reality check to discussion about the Adani coal mine, pointing out the danger of overstating the importance of the mine to the state’s economy. Queensland has workforce of 2.3 million people. Adani’s own economic expert has said the mine will create around 1400 jobs, or a
The 0.4%
The Abbott Government’s move against environmental law is an unjustified overreaction according to a review of legal action under the EPBC act by The Australia Institute. 3rd party appeals to the Federal Court have only affected 0.4% of all projects referred under the legislation. — Download briefing paper available below — “Proper third party appeals
Environmental scapegoat sought for government’s poor economic performance
Since Tony Abbott took office, 101,900 more Australians are unemployed, but the Prime Minister is determined to create a new scapegoat – that of environmental legal victories – rather than face up to fundamental issues in the economy. “We’re seeing a deliberate effort from the Government to blame environmental law for job losses, despite all
Global moratorium on coal push from the Pacific – an urgent wake up call for Australia
Today’s call by the President of the Republic of The Kiribati for a coal moratorium is a wake-up call for the Australian Government who, only last week, was publicly expressing support for the construction of the enormous Adani – Carmichael mine in Queensland. No New Coal Mines website “As the world prepares to meet in
SA’s Strange Love of a Nuclear Pipe Dream
The Australia Institute has submitted a report to the inquiry into nuclear power in South Australia has found major flaws in both economic and technological assumptions underpinning the pro-nuclear push. “Nuclear power is not a practical option for South Australia,” Chief Economist at The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss said. “There are some very strange assumptions
June 2015
Queensland’s choice: schools or mining subsidies
Queensland spends less on social services than the rest of Australia in per capita terms, a new report from The Australia Institute has revealed. (Table 1 below) The state is the nation’s biggest spender of public funds in one area though; subsidies for mining projects. Currently public schools face a $268 million maintenance backlog, and
Universities should be divestment leaders: Poll
Most Australians agree universities should avoid investments in fossil fuels, according to the first national polling on the topic released today by The Australia Institute in a new report. The polling also shows university decisions to avoid fossil fuels may boost donations from alumni, while also encouraging people with superannuation to consider low carbon funds.
May 2015
Australian taxpayers’ slice of $10 million per minute fossil fuel subsidies bill
The Guardian reported this morning International Monetary Fund calculations that world fossil fuel subsidies are running at $5.3 trillion dollars annually, or $10m per minute. In Australia, successive state and federal governments have given subsidies in the form of diesel fuel rebates, infrastructure funding and royalties discounts worth billions. TAI director of research, Rod Campbell,
April 2015
Expert evidence given to case against Adani coal mine at Carmichael
Executive Director of The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, today delivered expert witness testimony to a court challenge of the approval of a major coal mine in the Galilee Basin. Summary: Adani have long claimed in public that the Carmichael mine project will create 10,000 jobs. In court, Adani’s own economist testified that the project would
February 2015
LNP’s $450m taxpayer subsidy to Adani: not required
Indian mining company Adani says its Carmichael coal project in Queensland’s Galilee Basin does hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds promised to it by the Queensland LNP, raising questions over why such a subsidy was offered in the first place. The $450 million rail subsidy, along with the offer to waive royalty payments
January 2015
Complaint lodged with ACCC over inflated Galilee job figures
Job creation claims relating to coal projects in the Galilee Basin have been inflated by 300%, from 9,000 to 27,000, according to a report by economists at The Australia Institute. The Australia Institute’s Executive Director, Dr Richard Denniss, said the use of input/output modelling used by those championing the Galilee coal projects has been described by the
September 2014
Facts about the NSW Minerals Council Debate
Richard debated Stephen Galilee, the head of the NSW Minerals Council on 7.30 NSW regarding their recent attack on our research into mining subsidies. This material sheds light both on our approach to our research and the disingenuous approach taken by the NSW Minerals Council.
MR: Australia Institute calls on the Minerals Council members to come clean and apologise
The Australian Institute says the Minerals Council members – the large, mostly foreign-owned, mining companies – should explain the attacks on The Australia Institute. The Minerals Council has claimed that The Australia Institute is being directed by a political party. This is untrue and defamatory. The Minerals Council should immediately desist from making such claims
July 2014
What to make of Palmer’s gambit – A message from Ben Oquist
Last week was another big week for The Australia Institute. You might have seen that we launched another major research report, Mining the Age of Entitlement, this time on the $17.6 billion worth of taxpayer support that State governments have given the mining industry. You might have seen Ben Oquist’s name mentioned in relation to
June 2014
Age of entitlement lives on: Report exposes billions in government handouts to mining
Age of entitlement lives on: Report exposes billions in government handouts to mining State governments are providing billions of dollars in subsidies to the minerals and fossil fuel industries, a new report by The Australia Institute (TAI) has revealed. The report exposes the massive scale of state government assistance, totalling $17.6 billion over a six-year
MR: Coal not vital to economic success of Hunter Valley
A strong majority (83%) of Hunter Valley residents do not want to see the coal industry expand, while 41 per cent would like to see it decrease or be phased out, a new research paper by The Australia Institute finds. Seeing through the dust: Coal in the Hunter Valley economy will be launched at 10.30am,
April 2014
MR: Warkworth decision another blow for dodgy economic modelling
Today’s Supreme Court judgement reinforces the view that the economics of Rio Tinto’s Warkworth project have never stacked up for NSW or the people of Bulga, according to The Australia Institute. Two economists from The Australia Institute, Dr Richard Denniss and Rod Campbell, gave evidence in Bulga’s successful Land and Environment Court case against the
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