New polling research reveals Australians are confused about how to pay for the nuclear submarines as part of AUKUS. The nuclear submarines are estimates to cost between $268 billion and $368 billion. Key findings: None of the four options for meeting the cost of the AUKUS submarines were chosen by a majority of voters. 34%

A new research report has found that favourable tax and policy treatment of fuel-guzzling utes and SUVs is driving Australia’s transport emissions. Of the top 10 most popular new vehicles in Australia, five are big utes, compared to only 2/10 in the UK. The new research identifies a range of policy options to reduce Australia’s

17.9 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution would be emitted from the 28 proposed coal mine projects awaiting a decision from Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, according to detailed analysis and the newly launched Coal Mine Tracker website from the Australia Institute. The climate impact from the pollution would be equivalent to keeping all of

The prosecution of Richard Boyle demonstrates Australia’s whistleblowing laws are too weak, and governments are too secretive, according to the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program. Richard Boyle, a former Australian Taxation Office worker, became a whistleblower after contacting the ABC with his concerns about unethical workplace practices within the ATO. Boyle had initially reported

The Safeguard Mechanism deal between Labor and the Greens is an improvement on the original legislation but still falls short of what the world’s climate scientists, the United Nations and the International Energy Agency say is required. The package will allow new fossil fuel projects to commence. Importantly, however, it places a cap on emissions

Today the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) and the Australia Institute Tasmania have written to Tasmanian Treasurer Michael Ferguson requesting the release of at least $1.5 million to enable the Government to fulfil its legal obligation to produce a State of the Environment Report in the 2023-24 Tasmanian Budget.

Research released today by The Australia Institute estimates that NSW could have raised an additional $6.2 billion in coal royalties this financial year if it had adopted Queensland’s royalty system. While NSW households and business have been charged more for energy due to the war in Ukraine, the public has missed out on collecting additional

Minister Chris Bowen was today asked in Question Time by the Member for Kooyong why the Safeguard Mechanism allows unlimited access to carbon offsets, undermining any incentive for emissions cuts. The Minister’s response was “I do not accept the premise of the member’s questions. It is the case that the Government is allowing access to

New research reveals few Australians have confidence in Australia’s freedom of information (FOI) system, and delays in FOI processing are not in line with community expectations. Agencies and ministers are normally required to make a decision within 30 days, but three in 10 decisions are made late. There are also 957 reviews with the Office

Polling across 5 federal electorates reveals a majority of voters support a ban on new gas and coal projects, and very few support unlimited carbon offsets to expand fossil fuels. uComms were commissioned on behalf of the Australia Institute to poll in the seats of Mackellar, Goldstein, Sydney, Bennelong and Moreton between 9-14 of March

New research shows the pollution from the 116 new fossil fuel projects in the Federal Government’s Major Project list would add 4.8 billion tonnes of emissions to the atmosphere by 2030. This increase in greenhouse gas would be 24 times greater than the 205 million tonne reduction in emissions the Government’s proposed Safeguard Mechanism aims

Over 50 Australian environmental and climate organisations have joined together to call on the Federal Government to listen to scientific evidence on climate change and to prevent new fossil fuel projects and expansions. The open letter, published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times today, comes as the Federal Government continues

The importance of gas in Australia’s energy market continues to be overinflated in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s annual Gas Statement of Opportunities. The report, which is based on information from gas industry participants, repeats the pattern of previous years by warning of supply uncertainty and claiming ongoing investment in gas infrastructure is required to meet demand. It

New polling research reveals voters in the Australian Capital Territory overwhelmingly support (63%) a ban on new gas & coal projects in Commonwealth climate law. The overwhelming majority (82%) oppose the unlimited use of carbon offsets to account for polluting projects. A majority (61%) believe it’s more important the Senate works to improve climate legislation,

New research released on International Women’s Day reveals Australian women earn $1.01m less over their working lives than men, based on median income data. Women earn $136,000 less in superannuation over their working lives than men, based on median income data. Women earning the median wage will accumulate approximately $393,676 in super, $151,000 below what

New polling reveals overwhelming public support for greater independence in appointments to government boards and organisations like Australia Post, the ABC and the Australian War Memorial. The research comes as Parliament considers reforms to improve merit-based appointments and reduce real or perceived political cronyism. Key Findings:  Two in three Australians (68%) think that the Government

100+ Australian scientists & experts have published full-page open letters in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Hobart Mercury calling on the Federal Government to listen to the scientific evidence on climate change and to prevent new fossil fuel projects and expansions. It comes as the Government continues negotiations with the Senate crossbench

Today’s announced changes to super tax concessions by the Prime Minister and Treasurer are a welcome step towards fairness and sustainability for Australia’s retirement income system. The changes come after more than 15 years research from the Australia Institute into the inequitable and unsustainable super tax breaks for multimillionaires, with our most recent research on

New empirical research reveals the main driver for inflation in Australia is excess corporate profits, not wages, and that inflation would have stayed within the RBA target band if corporates had not squeezed consumers through the pandemic via excess price hikes.

ABS wage price data released today reveals real wages fell by the largest amount on record in Australia last year. Economists are calling on the RBA to recognise the current inflation is not driven by workers wages, but instead by rising prices as Woolworths and Coles post surging profits today and yesterday. Real wages in

New research reveals that climate and energy policy in Australia is driving investment towards carbon credits of questionable integrity and away from investment in renewables and genuine decarbonisation of industry. Official data shows that investment in new renewable energy generation in Australia has declined by 50% compared to 2018, while the volume of carbon offsets

The Carmichael Centre at the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work is proud to announce the appointment of Prof. David Peetz, one of Australia’s most outstanding labour policy experts, as the new Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow. Prof. Emeritus Peetz has recently retired from a long career at Griffith University, where he served as Professor

The Australia Institute has filed a complaint with the ACCC on the basis that the Australian Government’s ‘carbon neutral’ certification scheme, Climate Active, may be misleading and deceptive under consumer law. The Climate Active scheme certifies Australian businesses who have offset some of their emissions including fossil fuel retailers AGL, Energy Australia, Origin Energy, Ampol

New analysis reveals residents born in Far West NSW are suffering substantially worse health outcomes than residents in Sydney. People in Far West NSW are dying earlier than they should, from avoidable causes, and while suicide rates have steadied in Sydney, they are on the rise in the most remote parts of the state. The

Public policy think tank the Australia Institute has welcomed the passage of the South Australian Government’s Motor Vehicles (Electric Vehicle Levy) Amendment Repeal bill, scrapping the former Government’s EV Tax. The bill’s passage comes as research from the Australia Institute shows that interest in purchasing an EV has increased significantly among South Australians. Key Findings:

New research shows the cost to the federal budget of generous superannuation tax concessions is now on par with the cost of the entire aged pension, and greater than the total cost of the entire NDIS in 2022-2023. Economists say billions could be saved if rules governing tax concessions for a minority of ultra-wealthy accounts

Nordic models of providing subsidies to the media help support media diversity and public interest journalism and should be considered as part of the Albanese government’s commitments to review and improve media policy, according to a new report from the Nordic Policy Centre at the Australia Institute. Key findings: Norway’s direct ‘press support’ subsidies for

Today’s IMF report on the Australian economy underscores the economic and budgetary risks of proceeding with the Stage 3 Tax Cuts for high income earners, according to economic experts. The IMF report, which directly refers to the Government’s ability to restructure the Stage 3 tax cuts in a way which “appropriately balance[s] costs on the

The ABS release of annual inflation data to the December quarter of 7.8% reveals many Australians will be paying more for housing with rapidly rising rents and a likely RBA rate increase at the February 7 meeting, according to the Australia Institute. “This increase is bad news for Australians struggling with the cost of living,

Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that a cotton industry in the Northern Territory would not bring significant employment or tax payments. The findings were submitted to the NT Government’s water policy consultation process, which closed yesterday. Key points: The cotton industry does not create significant employment in Australia. Cotton growing employs just