If a ban or limitation of coal is not in today’s 50th Pacific Islands Forum communique, it will be because Australia has bullied its Pacific Island neighbours into taking it out. “This Government’s fixation on coal puts Australia in direct conflict with Pacific leaders fighting for the future of their nations,” said Richie Merzian, Climate

Prime Minister Morrison is undermining Pacific action on climate change, with new analysis from the Australia Institute revealing that his pollution loophole is equivalent to around 8 years fossil fuel emissions for the rest of the Pacific and New Zealand. The Government plans to use Kyoto credits to meet emissions targets – a loophole that

New research from The Australia Institute has shown how the world’s major electricity markets are opening up to demand response competition, which will benefit consumers with lower prices and help maintain reliability. “The rest of the world is charging ahead with energy market modernisation and Australia is now poised to make a major reform that

Crossbench MPs and Senators have joined with eminent retired Judges and corruption fighters to call for the Federal Government to legislate for a National Integrity Commission – but one that has real teeth. In particular, the Coalition Government’s proposed NIC model is deficient in two key areas: the inability to hold public hearings if the

As states compete for top-place in renewable energy generation and upgrades to the National Electricity Market (NEM) reach growth rates comparable to the development of Australia’s original electricity grids, Australia’s transition to renewables needs more planning and support from Governments. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit,

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

Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that coal mines in Queensland receive a discount on royalty payments of up to 17% relative to similar mines in NSW. This effective subsidy could be increased under a State Government deal with Adani currently being negotiated. “Mines like Adani’s effectively get 17% of their coal for

Australia faces significant risks to national security, energy security and climate change mitigation, due to a heavy reliance on imported oil and access to only a limited amount of fuel at any one time, according to new analysis from the Australia Institute. The new research finds that Australia is unprepared to deal with any potential

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre, The Australia Institute and Total Environment Centre have today welcomed a draft rule by the Australian Energy Market Commission (the Commission) that will increase competition in the wholesale energy market, lower emissions and prevent blackouts. Wholesale demand response is a system where the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) pays energy

The release of ABS Household Income and Wealth figures confirm that the bottom 40% of Australians are going backwards. Wealth of the bottom 40% has decreased Not only has the average wealth of the bottom 40% fallen, the total wealth of the bottom 40% has also fallen. Meanwhile, the top 20% saw their total wealth increase

Most Australians want 100% renewable energy, a stamp duty to land tax swap and pill testing at music festivals in their own state, new national polling from The Australia Institute shows. A new report from The Australia Institute, authored by Bill Browne, shows that most of the Australian Capital Territory’s innovative policies have majority support

New research released today by The Australia Institute shows that ‘time of use pricing’ facilitated by smart meters is likely to drive up household energy costs. Electricity companies and regulators have pushed for higher electricity prices at peak times, as well as higher ‘shoulder’ periods. In theory, this incentivises households to move their energy consumption

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that South Australians consider the privatisation of their energy network to be the number one reason for the increasing cost of electricity. Price gouging from power companies was considered the second most likely cause of increasing energy costs, according to the survey. Key findings; –          40% of

New research has revealed that despite Minister Angus Taylor’s claims that Australia’s total emissions are going down, Australia’s total emissions in the past year are likely to have increased, with Australia’s gas and coal industries the significant drivers of those rising emissions. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy

The income tax cut legislation to be introduced to Parliament this week is the largest single budgetary measure not to face a Senate Inquiry. The Australia Institute is today releasing a proposed Terms of Reference for a potential Senate Inquiry and new analysis on the fiscal risks associated with the Stage 3 tax cuts. “The

The Australia Institute has welcomed NOPSEMA’s decision to knock-back Equinor’s plans to drill exploratory oil wells in the Great Australian Bight. “NOPSEMA have made the right decision in knocking-back this application. BP and Chevron have already been sent packing and now the other companies lining up to exploit the Bight should take the message and

New Australia Institute analysis of the long term impacts of bracket creep shows that taxpayers are being over compensated for bracket creep at all income levels. The government has used bracket creep as a key reason why it needs to implement its income tax cuts package as outlined in the 2019 Budget. Key Findings: The

The Marshall Government’s 2019-20 Budget, which doubles down on tax cuts for wealthy property investors while slugging regular South Australians with increased fees and charges, is a disappointing missed opportunity, independent think tank The Australia Institute says. “Increased fees and cuts to services are the price South Australians are being forced to pay because of

New research shows Victorian coal power is responsible for around 13% of the National Electricity Market’s gas and coal capacity, but 32% of its gas and coal breakdowns. The Australia Institute’s Gas & Coal Watch initiative finds that Victoria is home to the most unreliable gas and coal power stations in the country, largely due

The Australia Institute has released new research showing that the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) caused ecological harm and reduced water to irrigators when it caused floods at the ‘Barmah choke’ and drained the Menindee Lakes. “While everyone else in the Basin was dealing with drought, the MDBA created a flood and lost large volumes

The final stage of the Morrison Government’s unlegislated income tax plan, stage 3(a) favours males by a ratio of almost two to one, according to a new distributional analysis from The Australia Institute’s senior economist Matt Grudnoff.   The Morrison Government is yet to legislate the additional tax cuts announced in the 2019-20 Federal Budget,

Australia should consider whether it wants a higher education and vocational training system more like that of Finland or more like the USA, according to a new report from The Australia Institute’s Nordic Policy Centre. The report, co-authored by Professor Andrew Scott, Emeritus Professor Tor Hundloe and Mr Shirley Jackson, shows Australian vocational training is

New research from The Australia Institute has found that two out of three voters want the State Government to make up the $517 million GST shortfall announced in the Federal Budget by increasing taxes on wealthier South Australians and property investors. The least popular way for the government to balance the books in its upcoming

New research shows that Queensland is set to experience more climate chaos, including more summers with a dramatic increase in extreme heat days – like in Brisbane, where days over 35C would go from a historical average of two per year, to up to 45 days per year by 2090. The report, written by The

New income distributional analysis from The Australia Institute senior economist Matt Grudnoff shows the Morrison Government’s proposed Stage 3(a) income tax cuts announced in the 2019-20 Federal Budget, to come into effect 2024-25, will overwhelmingly benefit high-income earners with over 50% of the benefit going to the top 20% of taxpayers, while the bottom half

New research shows that ongoing investment in renewable energy generation by companies and households continues to reduce Australia’s electricity sector emissions, even without adequate national climate and energy policy. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit for the electricity sector, analysing the electricity sector over the previous

A broad range of Australian business and industry representatives have written a letter supporting changes to the country’s energy rules that would allow demand response aggregators to enter the National Energy Market. The proposed change would allow companies to pay households, farms and businesses to reduce their use of energy, instead of turning on more expensive

$18 billion dollar gamble on climate action loophole The Government’s reliance on dated carbon credits to extinguish over half of its Paris Agreement target might not be authorised, forcing it to purchase last-minute international permits or drastically reduce emissions to cover huge gap.    New analysis by the Australia Institute identified numerous legal, diplomatic and

62 scientists and experts have signed an open letter to the next Parliament of Australia, calling for whichever party that wins Government this Saturday to make urgent action on climate change a top priority for the 46th Parliament of Australia.  Prominent signatories of the open letter include: Nobel Prize winners Professor Peter Doherty AC and Dr.

The Liberal Party is losing grip on their ‘better economic manager’ brand recognition with young voters (18-34 year olds) overwhelmingly rating the Labor Party as the better economic manager in Government. Key Findings: o   Young people rated the Labor Party better economic managers in government than the Coalition. 44% aged 18-24 rated the Labor