Four in five Australians support a Federal Integrity Commission and 76% agree it should have the ability to hold public hearings, according to new research from the Australia Institute. The Australia Institute polled a nationally representative sample of 1,536 Australians about levels of trust in Federal Parliament, their support for a Federal Integrity Commission, and

One in two Australian voters (50%) support shifting all sales of new vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025 according to new research from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. This research also looks at popular policy mechanisms adopted in Nordic countries which have successfully accelerated electric vehicle uptake. Australia can follow the lead

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians in 2018 and in 2019 about their views towards issues surrounding the health and management of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB). Key Findings: A majority of Australians (55%) now consider the health of the Murray Darling Basin poor or very poor, up 18 percentage points

New research from The Australia Institute shows that South Australians overwhelmingly want a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin Plan (73%) and believe that irrigation businesses in the Darling Basin should not be allowed to draw water when mass fish kills and drinking water shortages are occurring downstream (84%). The research also reveals

New research from The Australia Institute shows that 60% of Australians are opposed to drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, while the rate of opposition amongst South Australians is even higher at 68%. The first ever national poll on the issue found that only one in five Australians, and 16% of South Australians,

New analysis from the Australia Institute shows the gender distribution from the Government’s plan, announced in the Federal Budget, to flatten the income tax scales is skewed against women. When the tax cut is fully implemented, for every dollar of benefit that goes to women, two dollars goes to men. Figure 1. Gender Distribution of

Australia Institute research shows that the Marshall Government should heed the call of the South Australian Council of Social Services and delay the introduction of their tax cut for property investors. “With the state facing a growing revenue shortfall, which puts the funding of public services like health and education under strain, the tax cut

New research from The Australia Institute shows by 2024-25 when the income tax cuts are fully implemented, the benefits will overwhelmingly go to high-income earners. The Australia Institute has today issued a report modelling the distributionary effect of the accelerated income tax cuts, which reveals 54% of the tax cut benefits goes to the top

New research from The Australia Institute dispels stereotypes around what Australians drink and their political leanings finding that café latte drinkers vote Liberal/National more than any other party. Among regular latte drinkers, voting intentions were 34% LNP, 32% Labor, 16% Greens 7% One Nation, 12% other Regular chai latte drinkers are also most likely to

The Federal Opposition climate approach announced today has the potential to actually reduce emissions in line with a credible and achievable emission reduction target of 45% by 2030, according to The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. “Labor’s climate approach has the real potential to actually reduce emissions in line with a credible and achievable

The number of big businesses already moving towards 100% renewables and emissions reduction targets directly contradict Business Council of Australia claims that a 45% target would be “economy wrecking”, according to new research from The Australia Institute.  Key Findings At least 14 BCA members have committed to 100% renewables, including IT giants like Google and

New research from the Australia Institute finds that there are more guns in Australia now than there were before the Port Arthur massacre and introduction of strict gun controls.

New polling from The Australia Institute shows that more than two thirds of South Australian voters (69%) want to see the state transition to 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. A majority of voters for all parties listed, including the Coalition and One Nation, support the policy. “Renewable energy is extraordinarily popular in South

New research from the Australia Institute finds the Australian gun lobby is as large and spends as much on political campaigns per capita as the National Rifle Association does in the USA. The new Australia Institute report, commissioned by Gun Control Australia, also find that these pro-gun lobby groups are also utilising alternative political strategies

New polling from The Australia Institute shows South Australians overwhelmingly think increasing funding for public services is a far more effective policy for encouraging jobs and economic growth than the SA Government’s land tax cut for property investors. The government’s cuts to land tax, which take effect in 2020, will increase the tax-free threshold while

New research shows that rooftop solar continues to climb and is now generating over 4% of the total electricity however it can’t shield us from rising national emissions especially in the transport sector, which continues unfettered by any federal or state government limits. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National

Dramatic increases in extreme heat days, combined with high humidity present an increasing threat to the health and wellbeing of Mackay residents. The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days (over 35C) experienced in Mackay could increase up to seventy times current levels and that virtually

Dramatic increases in the number extreme heat days (35°C+) present an increasing threat to the wellbeing of Whitsundays residents, and to key industries to the region such as agriculture and tourism. New research from the Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days experienced in the Whitsundays

Dramatic increases in the number extreme heat days (35°C+) present an increasing threat to the health and wellbeing of Townsville residents. New research from the Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days experienced in Townsville could increase up to thirty times above historic levels and that

The Australia Institute has reviewed economic modelling of climate policies released today by Brian Fisher of BAEconomics. The Institute’s review shows that BAEconomics’ modelling is based on flawed assumptions and its conclusions are not valid. Key problems with BAEconomics model: Does not incorporate rapidly declining costs of renewable energy, storage and electric vehicle. Minimal disclosure

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,536 Australians about government support to assist farmers to harvest solar energy and sell it directly to clients. Key Findings: Respondents were asked if they support allowing farmers who generate wind or solar power on their farms to sell it directly to other landholders. ·  Overwhelming

New research released today by The Australia Institute shows that around 2,000 gigalitres of water were used for cotton crops in the northern Murray Darling Basin in the last year, while less than 11 gigalitres made it downstream to Wilcannia where residents have no drinking water. Almost no water reached Menindee, the site of the

New analysis from The Australia Institute prepared by researcher Bill Browne shows the Coalition is in danger of missing out on a third Senator in each state, which has not happened since the Senate was expanded in 1987. The analysis is based on new Australia Institute national polling of 1536 people which shows Labor and

New research released today by The Australia Institute finds that a coal project proposed near Kingaroy, Queensland, should be rejected by policy makers on economic grounds. The report finds that the project is unlikely to be economically viable, faces huge barriers in getting coal to market and would adversely impact key local industries. “The Kingaroy

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,536 Australians about which current and recent Ministers they had heard of At the next federal election, the retirement of Bishop and Pyne leaves only two Ministers known by most of Australians: Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton. Two of the three most recognised female MPs are

After decades of uninterrupted economic growth, how is it that we all still feel so poor? It’s the question that leading Australian economist, Dr Richard Denniss, gets to the heart of in his newest book Dead Right: How neoliberalism ate itself and what comes next. In a national book tour, starting next week, Denniss will

NSW Water Minister Niall Blair has been urged to halt a controversial policy change in an open letter co-ordinated by The Australia Institute and signed by irrigators, graziers, Aboriginal nations, local governments, environment groups and the former Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. The broad alliance of signatories oppose the Minister’s plan to give away rights to

A new paper published by The Australia Institute explores the lessons Australia could learn from Nordic countries such as Norway in providing leadership for revenue raising options in Australia. The paper is the first piece of research released by the newly established Nordic Policy Centre at The Australia Institute in partnership with Deakin University. “The repeated claims

The number of extreme heat days over 35°c and 40°c will increase dramatically across the South East of South Australia unless more is done to tackle global warming, according to new research from The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative which uses BoM and CSIRO climate projections. HeatWatch – Extreme Heat in South East SA shows that

The Federal Government is preparing to spend vast amounts of taxpayer funds on fossil fuel project overseas to generate business for increased fossil fuel exports out of Australia, new analysis by The Australia Institute warns. Key Points A new bill to Parliament that would expand funding and powers for Efic, Australia’s export finance agency, turning