Media Releases

May 2019

Polling: Labor Ahead on Energy Policy But Many Undecided Voters Up For Grabs

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians about which major party policies they thought would be better for reducing emissions, lowering electricity prices and energy reliability.  “Interestingly, while Labor is very clearly ahead with voters when looking at which major party has the best policies on addressing emissions, Labor also leads on

April 2019

Apology from AEC Required After Giving Wrong Information on New Senate Voting Rules

The Australia Institute is calling for an apology and explanation from AEC Commissioner Tom Rogers after the Commissioner gave wrong senate voting instructions to listeners of RN Breakfast on the morning pre-polls open for the 2019 Federal Election. With early voting for the federal election starting today, Monday 29 April, mass public confusion still exists

Analysis: Regional Winners and Losers from Government Tax Plan Revealed

All five Tasmanian electorates are among the biggest losers of the Government’s income tax cut plan, inner-city electorates in Sydney and Melbourne are the biggest winners, and South Australia and Central & North Queensland get at least 30% per capita less than electorates in Sydney and Melbourne. The analysis by the Canberra-based think-tank’s senior economist

Debugging Watergate: interpreting official responses

The Australia Institute has today released analysis of official responses to the Watergate scandal surrounding Murray Darling water purchases, covered by The Project, Guardian and other outlets.   The analysis finds that official responses are misleading and in some cases incorrect: The Prime Minister’s claim that the record water purchase was covered in a Senate inquiry

New Analysis: $77 billion goes to those earning over $180,000

New Australia Institute modelling shows that at least $77 billion of the lost revenue from the Morrison Government’s top-end tax cut plan will benefit those earning more than $180,000, and $64 billion of that figure will go to those who earn over $200,000. The Government has claimed that the difference between its tax cut plan

Poll: North/South Divide on Climate Action Exposed as Political Myth

The much-hyped ‘North/South divide’ on climate action is a political misconception, according to new research from The Australia Institute. The research shows that the majority of Australian voters across states and poltical allegiance are concerned by climate change, and want the Government to mobilise on the issue, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”. Key

Poll: 80% of Australians support a Federal Integrity Commission with strong powers

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

Poor Voter Impression of Murray Darling Basin Management Soars

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

SA Voters Want Federal Royal Commission into MDB, Restrictions on Irrigators

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

Delaying Land Tax Cut ‘Common Sense’: Think Tank

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

Analysis: 54% of Tax Cuts Benefit go to Highest Income Earners

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

Research: ‘latte sippers’ and ‘chardonnay drinkers’ vote Liberal/National

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

Opposition Climate Proposal: Solid Plan to Reduce Emissions

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

March 2019

Australian Gun Lobby as Large as US Gun Lobby

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

Poll: SA Voters Don’t Buy Tax Cuts for Property Investors

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

Rooftops providing more than shelter with record solar contribution

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 increase in extreme heat forecast for Mackay

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

Four-fold increase in extreme heat days forecast for Whitsundays region

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

Thirty-fold increase in days over 35 degrees forecast for Townsville

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

Flawed Assumptions Cast Doubt on Dodgy 45% Modelling

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

General Enquiries

Emily Bird Office Manager

02 6130 0530

mail@australiainstitute.org.au

Media Enquiries

Glenn Connley Senior Media Advisor

0457 974 636

glenn.connley@australiainstitute.org.au

RSS Feed

Media Releases