Media Releases // Tasmania
May 2020
Building Back Better: Criteria for Tasmania to Make the Most of COVID-19 Stimulus
The Australia Institute has released a new report looking at how key economic criteria can be used to assess the effectiveness of future stimulus measures in Tasmania. The report has been sent to all Members of the Tasmanian Parliament, some members of the Premier’s recovery taskforce, industry and community leaders and unions. “As stimulus money
April 2020
Broad Alliance of Tasmanian Organisations Call for Establishment of NZ-Style Multi-Partisan COVID-19 Parliamentary Oversight Committee
A prominent group of Tasmanian individuals and organisations have today called for the establishment of a multi-party parliamentary oversight committee to ensure adequate scrutiny of the COVID-19 response while the Tasmanian Parliament is not sitting. Such a body has already been established in New Zealand to help fill the accountability gap. Known as the Epidemic
March 2020
Tasmanian Hydrogen Plan: Good for Tasmania and Good for the Planet
The Australia Institute welcomes the Tasmanian Government’s announcement to invest into the hydrogen industry. ‘Green’ hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through a process of electrolysis. “Hydrogen has been touted as a renewable energy source, but that is only true if the energy used to create it in the first
February 2020
Bushfire Response: International Experts Open Letter Call for Native Logging Ban
An open letter signed by Australian and international forestry and climate experts, published by the Australia Institute today, has called for the immediate nationwide cessation of all native forest logging in response to the climate, fire, drought and biodiversity loss crises currently facing Australia. The letter, signed by scientists from countries including Australia, USA, Canada, New
January 2020
New Tasmanian Leader an Opportunity to Change Direction on Privatisation, Transparency
The Australia Institute wishes Premier Will Hodgman, one of Tasmania’s most popular premiers, all the best for his future endeavours. The Premier can be proud of many of his achievements, particularly leading the government into a pro-renewable energy stance. Will Hodgman’s retirement will present both a challenge and opportunity for the Tasmanian Government, The Australia
November 2019
Majority of Tasmanians want Medevac Law to Stay: Polling
A majority (62.8%) of Tasmanians want Medevac to stay compared to just 27% of people who want it abolished, according to a new poll from the Australia Institute. Parliament is considering whether to keep or abolish the Medevac law. The Australia Institute commissioned uComms to survey 1,136 residents across Tasmania during the night of 22nd
October 2019
Voters still back a Takanya/Tarkine national park over logging
A Ucomms poll commissioned by the Australia Institute of 1,136 residents across Tasmania on the evening of 22nd October, found almost two thirds of Tasmanians want to see takayna/Tarkine protected rather than logged. Despite state government plans to log old growth and rainforest in takanya/Tarkine, support for preserving the forests in a national park remains
Midlands coal, the wrong project in the wrong market at the wrong time
Several market and physical challenges exist for a new proposed coal development in Tasmania’s southern midlands, according to a new briefing paper released by the Australia Institute Tasmania today. The company seeking to develop the project, Midland Energy, is looking to raise capital in the U.S.A. where it is claiming coal demand is “rampant” in Asia
August 2019
Bight Drilling to Threaten 27k Jobs, Environment: New Report
New research from The Australia Institute has shown that more than 27,000 jobs in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania would be put at risk if drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight is allowed to go ahead and a catastrophic spill occurs. New polling has also revealed that a majority of Australians, while hopeful
July 2019
Tasmanians missing out on revenue from fish farms
The Tasmanian government may have forgone millions of dollars in potential revenue from the rapid growth in the fish farming industry according to a new report from The Australia Institute. Key Findings: Annual lease and licence fees paid by the salmon industry to the State Government, represented 0.1% of the total farm-gate production of the
February 2019
New oil spill risk plan still shows potential disaster for King Island
A new Environment Plan from international energy company, Equinor, released today, shows that a spill in the Great Australian Bight could totally envelop King Island. The modelling has been released after a leaked document from the same company on the same drilling site in November of last year showed the potential catastrophic impact of an
Legal Advice: Energy Generation Program Unconstitutional
New legal advice, sought by The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program, suggests the Underwriting New Generation Investment Program is unconstitutional and lacks the legislative basis to proceed. Key points · Legal advice received from Fiona McLeod SC and Lindy Barrett on 15 February 2019 finds that Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor does not have constitutional authority
July 2018
Braddon: New Polling shows concern over Company Tax cuts, support for Penalty rates and a gain in the ALP Primary vote
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Braddon (700 respondents) on the evening of Friday 6 July. Key Findings: A rise in the Labor primary vote to 36.3 (compared to 33% in a Sky ReachTel poll at the beginning of June) A fall in the Liberal primary vote to 42.9 (compared
June 2018
Braddon loses out on tax cut windfall
A new report from the Australia Institute shows that Tasmanian families living in the federal electorate of Braddon benefit less than most other Australian electorates from the income tax cuts outlined in the 2018 federal budget. The figures represent the change in household disposable income (after tax income) as a percentage of change in the
February 2018
Tasmanians don’t believe company tax cuts will increase wages
New polling released today by The Australia Institute Tasmania shows that even Liberal voters in the state do not believe that company tax cuts will increase workers’ pay. The poll of 925 Tasmanians, conducted by ReachTEL for The Australia Institute, found only 10.8% believed that giving large companies a tax cut would increase workers’ pay,
Tasmanian club and pub pokies revenue: 0.9% to clubs, 48% to Farrell Group
A report released today by The Australia Institute Tasmania written by Dr Charles Livingstone from Monash University has found that The Farrell Group’s share of EGM revenue (47.8%) far exceeds that of the clubs that house many of the poker machines, with the Farrell family reaping fifty-four times more than that derived by clubs which
January 2018
Voters across political spectrum want greater accountability of Tasmanian politicians
Transparency and accountability of politicians and the public service may be one of the sleeper issues of the upcoming state election. A recent poll of 781 voters in Bass undertaken by ReachTEL on the night of January 16th for The Australia Institute found that 85% of respondents wanted more powers and resources available to Tasmania’s
October 2017
Tasmanian salmon industry faces major risks
The Australia Institute Tasmania today released a new report Salmon stakes: Risks for the Tasmanian salmon industry, outlining the serious risks Tasmania’s salmon industry faces if its environmental and social impacts are not managed. “The salmon industry is important to Tasmania and has tripled in size over a decade. Rapid growth is always brings problems,
September 2017
No loss of revenue and overwhelming support to phase out pokies – so why would Tasmania keep them?
Modelling by The Australia Institute has found any impact to the state budget from phasing out poker machines in pubs and clubs could be negated through increasing taxes on poker machines in casinos. New polling released today shows strong support for phasing out poker machines in pubs and clubs in Tasmania, even among Liberal voters.
Jobs survey reveals underemployment and unpaid work key issues for Tasmanian workers
The results of the combined Australia Institute Tasmania and Unions Tasmania’s jobs survey are in and they spotlight underemployment and unpaid work as key issues for respondents. While Tasmania’s unemployment rate sits at around the national average at 5.6% the survey results have revealed that underemployment is a critical issue for many Tasmanian workers. The
July 2017
Concern fish farms not modernising a risk to long-term jobs: Lyons poll
A high profile community campaign on fish farming has put economic and employment issues in the spotlight. New polling release today asked residents of Lyons about the industry’s performance on modernising in order to protect jobs into the future. “It is clear from these results that even those who back the industry believe that fish
Phasing out Poker machines a good bet for Tasmania
Report questions estimates of the impact on employment and revenue if Electronic Gaming Machines were phased out of Tasmania. A new report from Hobart-based think tank The Australia Institute Tasmania has found that previous estimates of the impact of phasing out Poker machines on employment are inconsistent with recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data.
May 2017
Booms bust: Tassie budget misses chance to invest in future
Today’s State budget has reflected our strengthening economy, built on the back of our clean and green image. The boom, fuelled by growth in tourism and the property market, has increased revenue, delivering a surplus of $54 million dollars. The Australia Institute Tasmania have warned that if investment is not made in vital long-term prosperity
August 2016
Tasmanians want salmon boom to be sustainable, regulated
Statewide polling shows Tasmanians want the fast growing industry of intensive fish farming to be better monitored and regulated. New polling of 1,310 Tasmanians conducted by ReachTEL for The Australia Institute shows 70% support for establishing an independent watchdog on intensive fish farms and 61% support for an independent investigation into the impacts of the
Don’t cut the dole: Poll
New polling shows very low support for Government policy to cut welfare benefits by removing the clean energy supplement. The poll of 1,310 residents across Tasmania showed 60% opposed cutting Newstart, while just 25% supported the move. (see poll below) “There has been mounting evidence of the inadequacy of the unemployment benefits. To cut them
July 2016
Gas exports cook up electricity price spikes in South Australia
Extreme price spikes in the South Australian electricity market sees gas generators taking advantage of a market failure at the expense of businesses and households. The Australia Institute’s report from 2013, Cooking up a price rise, accurately predicted that export parity pricing would drive up domestic gas prices. Meanwhile, South Australia has one of the
January 2016
Tasmanians polled on tax reform, GST
A ReachTEL poll of 1,139 Tasmanians showed 61% of residents were opposed to an increase in the GST rate and just 26% supportive. (See Question 1 below) Respondents also indicated where they would like additional revenue from a GST increase to go. 52.2% wanted more money for health, education and government services. Only 3.4% wanted
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,
November 2014
Industrial users playing blind to the benefits of RET for Tasmania
The Renewable Energy Target is a big win for Tasmania, drawing in a net benefit of more than $100 million per year, according to a new report from the Australia Institute. But unscrutinised and unfounded claims from Tasmania’s largest industrial firms, who vocally oppose the scheme, have skewed public perceptions, the report finds. Released today, 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.
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