For the third consecutive quarter, the share of Australian GDP paid out in wages, salaries and superannuation contributions to workers has shrunk.  Data for the September quarter of 2018, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, shows that labour compensation accounted for just 46.85% of total economic output – one of the lowest on record.

New government data released today shows Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are still on the rise and Australia is still not on track to meet our Paris target. New Australia Institute analysis shows emissions are at their highest since June 2011 (before the introduction of the carbon price). “Over the last five years this Government has

Fracking in Western Australia would bring few jobs, little revenue and could increase gasprices, according to a new report by Canberra-based think-tank The Australia Institute. The report comes after WA Premier Mark McGowan announced on Tuesday that the statewould open up roughly five million hectares of the state to fracking. The report authors were to

A majority of Australians want the ABC’s independence protected from political interference, and agree the ABC must do more to defend its political independence new research from The Australia Institute shows. Key points: Vast majority of Australians (73%) agree the ABC’s independence should be protected from political interference 61% agree the ABC must do more

Renewable generation in the National Energy Market (NEM) has reached a new record high, with all new energy generation over the last two months due to eight new solar farms coming online in the NEM, latest findings from the National Energy Emissions Audit show. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the November

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,459 Australians about which current and former Ministers they had heard of. In the November 2018 poll, despite no longer a Minister, more Australians still recognise Julie Bishop (82%) than current Prime Minister Scott Morrison (75%). “The Australia Institute has been polling ministerial recognition since 2016

Extreme heat days over 35 degrees are projected to increase five-fold in Western Sydney, from 11 days per year to up to a staggering 52 days per year by 2090, according to new analysis from The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative. This landmark Western Sydney HeatWatch report from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program serves

34 former judges from across Australia have penned an open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, calling for the urgent establishment of a National Integrity Commission. Signatories to the open letter include The Hon Sir Gerard Brennan AC QC, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, The Hon Mary Gaudron QC, former justice

New analysis from The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has revealed that the bulk of Australians believe that the Government under Abbott made the wrong decision in scrapping the price on pollution and 63% of people want to see the policy reinstated. “This analysis shows that, despite 2013 supposedly being a referendum on carbon

The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program responds to the Labor Party’s renewable energy plan announced today as a welcome step in the right direction. “Australia’s electricity sector is in dire need of ambitious and integrated climate and energy policy. Labor’s announcement today is a strong step in the right direction,” says Richie Merzian, Climate

New analysis from The Australia Institute shows that 53% renewable energy capacity by 2030 would create between 18,000 and 59,000 direct jobs across the country. The analysis is based on the Australian Energy Market Operator’s ‘Fast Scenario’ developed as part of its Integrated System Plan. The wide range of possible employment outcomes depends largely on

The 10th annual ‘Go Home On Time Day’ report by The Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work estimates that Australian employees will work 3.2 billion hours of unpaid overtime for their employers this year, worth an estimated $106 billion in foregone wages.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has failed to meet any global or local targets, according to new research from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program. The release of The Australia Institute report coincides with today’s International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook report which suggests there is still a role for CCS, continuing the

New Analysis from The Australia Institute has predicted that South Australia will play a key role in the next Federal Election, with a range of parties and candidates vying for a handful of seats in the Senate that will likely hold significant weight in balance of power outcomes in the new Parliament. “When it comes

New analysis from The Australia Institute has shown that, even under the most optimistic predictions for a potential future Labor Government, it will likely still need to work with the Greens and at least one or two members of the crossbench to get legislation passed through the Senate. With the Coalition similarly incapable of taking

Simple, affordable policies could and should be adopted by federal and state governments to facilitate Australia’s rapid transition to a reliable renewable electricity system while simultaneously reducing electricity prices. This is shown by a new Australia Institute report authored by UNSW Associate Professor Mark Diesendorf. “The community wants to see the country move towards fully

New research from The Australia Institute shows that, while treasurer, Scott Morrison rushed a $260 million deal with the Northern Territory Government through in a matter of days, at exactly the same time that the NT announced it would overturn its moratorium on fracking. The report shows that even under FOI the Government has blocked

The Government program to underwrite new generation investments presents a number of risks that could jeopardise rather than improve the reliability and affordability of electricity, with the key question around whether the Government even has the authority to do so. In a submission to the Department of Energy, The Australia Institute has questioned why the

New analysis from The Australia Institute has shown that the different designs of various anti-corruption bodies at a State level yield significantly different results and has reinforced the need for a proposed Federal body to have adequate resourcing and powers. A panel of former judges that make up The Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee have

Looking purely at the number of people who use negative gearing in South Australian electorates, rather than who makes the most money from the scheme, is an intentionally misleading way to analyse the impacts of potential changes to the policy, an independent think tank has said. “New research from The Australia Institute has shown that

New analysis from The Australia Institute shows that the biggest winners of negative gearing are high income earners and Liberal Party held electorates, meanwhile it presents a double-hit for under 40s who are the biggest losers. Key results: Those aged over 40 years old receive 71% of the benefit of negative gearing, while those 40

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit for the electricity sector (The Audit*) covering September 2018. The Audit shows that Australia’s emissions continue to increase, being driven by growing LNG exports, greater diesel use in transport and increases in agriculture and waste emissions Key findings: LNG exports

A potent tool for cleaning up misconduct in the industry is being overlooked by the Royal Commission into financial services.

Dramatic increases in extreme heat days, combined with high humidity and the urban heat island effect present an increasing threat to the health and wellbeing of Gold Coast residents. The Australia Institute’s new HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days (over 35C) experienced on the Gold Coast could

Systematic mismanagement, cover up and maladministration has undermined the proper implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, a Senior Water Researcher at The Australia Institute says. Richard Beasley, Senior Counsel to the Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission, delivered the final submission to the Royal Commission today, which summarized the evidence provided throughout the hearings. “Mr Beasley’s

Offsetting fracking emissions identified by the Northern Territory Fracking Inquiry would reach $4.3 billion in costs per year if fracking in the NT is at full production by 2030 and $53 billion over the decade from 2030-40, finds new research from the Australia Institute. The new analysis released today uses Australian Government modelling of the

Households, businesses, power generators, and public infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast are under increased threat caused by a continuing increase in extreme heat temperatures, finds new research from The Australia Institute. The Australia Institute’s new HeatWatch initiative, which uses CSIRO–BoM modelling, shows that the number of extreme heat days (over 35C) experienced on the Sunshine

The number of days over 40 degrees could increase almost tenfold in the Roma region by 2050 in the absence of strong policy response to climate change, according to new research from The Australia Institute. The analysis is based on Bureau of Meteorology data and CSIRO climate projections. The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative shows that

The Australia Institute’s exit poll results show the Liberal primary vote collapsed primarily as a result of community concern about inaction on climate change and government support for coal. Key results: Climate change and replacing coal with renewable energy was the biggest single issue motivating voters in Wentworth: 77% of voters said it influenced their

UPDATED The interim results of an exit poll* of 1049 respondents in Wentworth, commissioned by the Australia Institute and undertaken by Lonergan Research, shows the Liberal primary vote collapsed primarily as a result of the community’s concern about the government’s support for coal and inaction on climate change.  “Prime Minister Scott Morrison once brought a