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.

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.

The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,535 Australians about how the Communications Minister makes appointments to the ABC Board.

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.

The Australia Institute will attend a Senate inquiry today to discuss the conflict of interest risks associated with consultants, the need for better oversight and the case for professional standards in the consulting sector.

A detailed and extensive examination of corporate political expenditure has found that Australia’s publicly-listed companies disclose little information about their political expenditure, lagging well behind their US counterparts.

Victoria should adopt truth in political advertising and address the unfairness created by its donation cap and public funding model.

Details about the WA Government’s proposed climate change bill demonstrate that it is an inadequate and inappropriate response to the state’s rising energy emissions, and deal a major blow to the Federal Government’s 43% emissions target. Key points: Despite the urgency of climate action, the proposed bill fails to require the WA Government to set

New research from The Australia Institute reveals the corrosive and conflicted influence of consulting firms on NSW Government processes.

The Australia Institute will attend a Senate Inquiry today to highlight flaws in Australia’s broken freedom of information (FOI) system and argue for much-needed reforms modelled on South Australia’s approach.

Research from the Australia Institute shows that a majority of Australians support governments changing economic policy to suit the current circumstances, even if that means breaking an election promise.

Research conducted by the Australia Institute has found the desire for action on climate change and corruption in politics remains high in the federal electorate of Kooyong.

Research released today by the Australia Institute shows overwhelming national support for a ban on political donations from any organisation that receives funding from government contracts

The Australia Institute welcomes independent MP for Curtin Kate Chaney’s Electoral Legislation Amendment (Restoring Trust) Bill, a private member’s bill that would implement key electoral reforms.

An eminent group of retired judges have published an open letter to the people of Australia in support of a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum on the Voice.

Australia’s leading civil society organisations have today published a full-page ad in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review and Canberra Times newspapers, calling for long overdue political finance reforms to make politics fairer and more transparent.

The Australia Institute has identified five key questions incoming Governor of the Reserve Bank, Michele Bullock must answer – questions that will ultimately measure her success in the role.

Four-in-five Australians (79%) want consulting firm PwC banned from receiving new government work, including nearly half who back a permanent ban, according to new research from the Australia Institute. Just 2% did not think PwC should be banned from government work, while 19% did not know or were not sure, according to the nationally representative

The Australia Institute welcomes the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters’ interim report for its inquiry into the conduct of the 2022 election, in which Australia Institute research and recommendations are cited often. The committee recommends: A lower donation disclosure threshold ($1,000, down from over $15,000) and real-time disclosure of donations. Caps on political donations

Campaign finance reforms risk hurting democracy by entrenching massive financial advantages enjoyed by sitting MPs and senators unless the right balance is struck, think tank The Australia Institute warns. New research finds that MPs are entitled to nearly $3 million, and senators more than $2.6 million, in pay, resources and perks over a three-year election

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy has been urged to review potential conflicts of interests at Australia’s key climate change agency in light of the integrity scandal at PwC and the consulting services sector.

As the PwC scandal continues, new research shows significant public concern about the relationship between the consulting industry and government, with an overwhelming majority of Australians (80%) supporting a ban on government contracts for companies that leak information and breach public trust; greater parliamentary scrutiny of the industry; and reduced outsourcing for core public sector