Putting a new tax on electric vehicles without related concessions, as has been proposed in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, would likely face strong opposition and discourage Australians from purchasing zero and low emissions cars, a leaked intergovernmental document has shown. The analysis of potential models for state based Road User Charges for

The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has welcomed the introduction of legislation, forcing Google and Facebook to pay for news, as globally significant response to the growing power of Big Tech. The News Media Bargaining Code, to be tabled by the Morrison Government this week, will force the platforms to compensate for the premium

The Australian public has endorsed moves by the Morrison Government to pass legislation requiring Google and Facebook to pay media companies for the news that drives their social networks. The proposed ACCC Media Code seeks to regulate big tech platforms such as Facebook and Google, and help ensure a viable future for Australian media. The

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that a significant majority of voters in the Coalition held Federal Electorates of Robertson, Bass and Mallee support the creation of a national integrity body with the power to conduct public hearings and investigate whistle-blower complaints. The survey results were released at a Parliament House press conference

The Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee of Former Judges have joined with Federal Parliamentarians from all sides of politics, the Australian Federal Police Association, academics, and civil society to call on the Attorney General to establish a federal integrity commission with teeth. The Attorney General’s Commonwealth Integrity Commission (CIC) model which has been re-released for

The Australia Institute has today published recommendations for much needed political reform in Tasmania. The report, Good Government in Tasmania advocates a co-ordinated approach to reform across Tasmanian Integrity Commission Truth in Political Advertising Election Donations Reform Right to Information The report is being co-launched by retired Victorian Supreme Court judge, The Hon David Harper AM QC,

The Norwegian Government’s recent commitment to phase out all new fossil fuel vehicle sales by 2025 is the most ambitious in the world. Research by the Australia Institute’s Nordic Policy Centre shows Norway’s 2025 goal is bolstered by a package of incentives that reduce the upfront and operating costs of electric vehicles. In comparison, Australia

“The Federal Government’s decision to approve the Narrabri gas project not only endangers water and the environment, but will permanently lock NSW manufacturers into high gas prices,” said Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the Australia Institute. “Australia Institute research shows high cost gas from Narrabri ($7.40 GJ at the wellhead) will displace lower

The Australia Institute welcomes the Victorian Government’s Making Victoria a Renewable Energy Powerhouse plan, as announced in the Victorian Budget 2020/21. “This is one of the largest investments in clean energy by a state government and it should bring down prices, reduce emissions and improve the resilience of Victoria’s grid, by increasing innovation and competition,”

Last Summer’s devastating Black Summer bushfires exposed the under-preparedness of Australian workplaces to the serious health and safety risks of heat stress for many workers across Australia.

In the lead-up to Summer, the Australia Institute, emergency leaders, and bushfire survivors have renewed coals for a Climate Levy on fossil fuel exports to help pay for increasing disasters due to climate change. The call follows estimates that the Black Summer bushfires cost Australians over $50 billion, which represents a step change in disaster

The Morrison Government’s decision to reduce the rate of JobSeeker to $150 from January 2021 will push an additional 190,000 Australians below the poverty line—including 50,000 children—and have a devastating impact on low income families, shows new research by The Australia Institute. The Federal Government has announced it intends to cut the JobSeeker supplement again,

New research has revealed that almost three-quarters of Australians “working from home” are doing at least some of it in non-work-time. This has contributed to a substantial rise in the incidence of unpaid overtime this year, which now costs Australian workers almost $100 billion a year.

Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that the Federal Government’s “gas-fired recovery” will not assist Australia’s manufacturing industry. Increasing gas production is likely to benefit gas exporters, not manufacturers.  Australian manufacturing used just 373 petajoules (PJ) of gas, while more than 4,500PJ went to exports in 2018-19. Just 56PJ, or 1% of Australian

The State Government’s proposed road user charge for electric vehicles, as announced in the Budget, is a backwards and unnecessary step for the state that contradicts its supposed commitment to increasing the uptake of EVs into the future, The Australia Institute has said. Key points: The State Government is planning to introduce a ‘road user

The State Government’s proposed road user charge for electric vehicles, as announced in the Budget, is a backwards and unnecessary step for the state that contradicts its supposed commitment to increasing the uptake of EVs into the future, The Australia Institute has said. Key points: The State Government is planning to introduce a ‘road user

Increased public funding for child care is nearly 20 times more effective at creating jobs than a tax cut of the same size according to new macroeconomic modelling released by The Australia Institute today. The new report entitled ‘A comparison of the economic impacts of income tax cuts and childcare spending’  by Dr Janine Dixon,

Following the release of today’s State Budget, The Australia Institute has suggested that efforts to return to an early surplus will harm South Australia’s economic performance and undermine the state’s employment recovery from COVID-19. Key findings: According to the State Government, the budget will return to surplus in 2023-24. Previous recessions have shown that unemployment

A Biden win puts pressure on Australia to dump the use of controversial Kyoto credits to meet its Paris Target.  “There will now be increased pressure on Australia to abandon its proposed use of so-called Kyoto carry-over credits,” said Richie Merzian, climate & energy director at the Australia Institute.  “Australia Institute research and legal analysis

A record high share of renewables in August and September 2020 has led to a record low for fossil fuel generation, which over the year has impacted national emissions more than the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released their latest National Energy Emissions Audit analysing the electricity

The Australia Institute and a range of South Australian business and community organisations are calling for Adelaide to become a host city for the Formula E Grand Prix. A full page advertisement in today’s Advertiser newspaper uses Australia Institute research to show that the idea of hosting the race in Adelaide is broadly supported by

Today the Attorney-General Christian Porter has released the exposure draft of the Commonwealth Integrity Commission legislation for public consultation. The National Integrity Committee intends to participate in the consultation process as outlined by Minister Porter and looks forward to making a submission regarding the draft legislation and to an invitation to participate in a roundtable

New research from The Australia Institute has found that twice as many Australian would prefer that Joe Biden become the President in the upcoming US election than for the incumbent Donald Trump to be returned. The Australia Institute conducted surveys of the Australian public over September and October which show that Joe Biden is seen

In the wake of the devastating Black Summer bushfires, an overwhelming majority of Australians (82%) and South Australians (81%) say they are concerned about climate change resulting in more bushfires, according to a new benchmark report released today by the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program. The annual Climate of the Nation report has tracked

Climate of the Nation 2020 Benchmark Report to be launched by The Hon. Matt Kean MP, NSW Minister for Energy & Environment In the wake of the devastating Black Summer bushfires, an overwhelming majority of Australians (82%) say they are concerned about climate change resulting in more bushfires, according to a new benchmark report released

A full-page advertisement will be published in The Courier-Mail on Monday 26 October 2020 featuring Australia Institute research exposing the Queensland Resources Council’s (QRC) false jobs claims. The QRC has a long history of using questionable economic modelling, known as input-output modelling, to exaggerate the number of jobs its members create. In fact, the Australian

The Australia Institute has today published a timeline which highlights key milestones and moments on the road towards a federal anti-corruption watchdog, including a log of claims from the Attorney General that such legislation was forthcoming. “A federal anti-corruption watchdog won’t fix democracy but it is a prerequisite to a healthy functioning one,” said Ben

Australia’s electricity sector is being revolutionised by the rise of renewable energy and storage, but new analysis from the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program shows the current energy market framework is holding these technologies back. In 2018 the Federal and State/Territory Governments tasked the Energy Security Board with designing a new National Electricity Market

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that a majority of Australians plan to save the tax cuts announced in the Budget, bringing into question their ability to stimulate economic activity. The Australia Institute poll of 1005 Australians between 8 and 9 October 2020 also showed a majority of Australians think the Budget will