Media Releases
August 2018
Current NEG ineffective and expensive band-aid
The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released a special update of their National Energy Emissions Audit, assessing the value and effectiveness of the current NEG using figures from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). The Audit update shows multiple scenarios in which much larger emission reductions and levels of renewable energy generation can
Workers’ slice of Australian economic pie gets smaller
As corporate profits continue to climb, new research from the Centre for Future Work shows the share of Australian GDP paid out to workers is hovering at a post-war low.
Company tax cuts: $7.67 billion to just one company
New analysis by The Australia Institute shows that based on Rio Tinto’s half year report, the company tax cut would represent a $7.67 billion gift to Rio Tinto over the first decade of the cut. The Australia Institute has today launched a new Revenue Watch initiative, looking at companies over reporting season, to quantify how
July 2018
Company tax cuts: new analysis shows foreign investors big winners
New analysis by The Australia Institute shows that foreign investors will be the unambiguous winners of the big business company tax cut ($50+ million turnover). “If the remaining company tax cuts now before the Senate are implemented the gift to foreign shareholders will be $3.7 billion in 2026-27, the year the tax cuts are fully
Mayo: New Polling on Asylum Seekers and Adani
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Mayo (766 respondents) on the evening of Wednesday 25 July. Key Findings: 59/41 two-party preferred, favouring Centre Alliance candidate Rebekha Sharkie 64% of Australians support bringing genuine refugees to Australia who arrive by boat, only a quarter support indefinite detention on Nauru and Manus
Mayo: New Polling on Company Tax Cuts, Voter Priorities for Government Revenue, Newstart
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Mayo (766 respondents) on the evening of Wednesday 25 July. Key Findings: 59/41 two-party preferred, favouring Centre Alliance candidate Rebekha Sharkie Only 27.7% support for cutting company tax rate for large business, while 65.8% want tax rate increased or kept same 63.5% oppose or
NEG 26% Target Spells Trouble for Agriculture Sector
New analysis from the Australia Institute shows that requiring Australia’s agricultural sector to reduce emissions by at least 26 per cent by 2030 would impose significant costs and reduced production for the industry. The federal government’s proposed NEG plans to lock in a 26 per cent reduction in the electricity sector, implying an intention to
Tony Abbott out of touch with Warringah
New polling shows Tony Abbott, Federal Member for Warringah, is out of touch with his electorate on issues of coal, renewable energy and climate change – and his electorate know it. The Australia Institute commissioned a ReachTEL poll of 615 people in the electorate of Warringah, which was conducted on 11 July 2018. Key results:
Voters in Longman and Mayo oppose ABC privatisation
A majority of voters in Longman and Mayo oppose privatisation of the ABC. The Australia Institute commissioned a poll of 727 Longman and 736 Mayo residents conducted by ReachTEL on June 21st. Results:+ A majority of respondents in Mayo (74%) and Longman (58.7%) oppose selling off the ABC in Australia’s capital cities+ Opposition to privatisation
Adani’s automated mine risks just transition for coal workers
The best way to protect coal jobs in existing mines is to stop the construction of new, highly automated coal mines in the Galilee Basin according to new research by The Australia Institute. The Institute’s report estimates that development of the Galilee Basin would reduce coal mining jobs by 9,000 in the Hunter Valley (NSW),
Rooftop solar key to managing NEM – not coal
New analysis from the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program shows that rooftop solar delayed and reduced peak demand in the National Electricity Market (NEM) this summer. This improved the reliability of the grid, covering for coal-fired power plants during breakdowns. When demand was highest this summer rooftop solar reduced peak demand by over 2000
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
ABC still Australia’s most trusted news source
Australians rate the ABC as increasingly important in an age of ‘fake news’ and social media new research shows. The Australia Institute commissioned a poll of 1,557 people which was conducted by Research Now between 27 March and 7 April 2018. Key results: Majority (68%) of respondents think the ABC is more important in an
NEG means 4% target for electricity emissions
The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit electricity update (The Audit*) for July 2018. The Audit shows current policies will reduce National Electricity Market (NEM) emissions to 22% below 2005 levels in 2019-20, effectively meaning electricity sector has an emissions reduction target of only 4% to 2030. Key findings
Penalty rate cuts fail to ignite jobs boom
Reduced Sunday and holiday penalty rates for retail and hospitality workers failed to ignite the boom in employment as promised by employer groups who supported the change.
Majority want CEO salaries capped
A new national poll, conducted by The Australia Institute, has found a majority of Australians support placing a strict limit on the maximum salary for CEOs or executive staff, with four out of five saying CEOs are paid too much. The poll follows a report by The Australia Institute that showed ten years on from
June 2018
Government delays company tax cut legislation
The Government has announced it will delay Senate vote on company tax legislation until after the winter recess. Meanwhile, research from The Australia Institute has demonstrated the economic case for a company tax cut for big business has not been made. “Company tax cuts will not lead to greater economic prosperity. In fact modelling from
Senate Committee on Electric Vehicles Welcome Move
The Australia Institute welcomes the establishment of a Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles, and congratulates Senator Tim Storer for taking the initiative to bring this to the consideration of the Senate, and on his role as Chair of the committee. “There is a race to transition the world’s massive car fleet to electric vehicles and Australia is
Manufacturing Rebound Could Be Cut Short By Skills Shortage
After years of decline, Australia’s manufacturing industry is finally recovering – adding almost 50,000 jobs in the last year, one of the best job-creation records of any sector in the whole economy. But that recovery could be cut short by growing shortages of skilled workers, according to a new report on vocational training in manufacturing.
Victorian Government Further Weakens IBAC
The Victorian Government is attempting to pass a bill through the Legislative Council that will further weaken Victoria’s corruption watchdog IBAC. A briefing paper released today by the Australia Institute outlines the flaws in IBAC’s design and summarises the impact the bill will have on IBAC’s ability to hold public hearings. IBAC is one of
Longman and Mayo: New Polling on Company Tax Cuts and Voter Priorities for Government Revenue
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Mayo (736 respondents) and Longman (727 respondents) on the evening of Thursday June 21. Key Findings: 50/50 TPP in Longman 62/38 TPP favouring Centre Alliance candidate Rebekah Sharkie in Mayo Mayo: 24.9% support for cutting company tax rate for large business (71% want tax
New Hope Coal, QRC Fudge Figures on Mine Jobs and Investment
A research report released today by The Australia Institute shows job claims of the Acland mine on the Darling Downs have been grossly exaggerated by owners New Hope and other coal lobbyists. The new report shows: 1. New Acland Coal and the Queensland Resource Council (QRC) are using inflated job figures up to triple what
New Analysis: 95% of Stage 3 Tax Cuts go to high income earners
New Australia Institute analysis of stage three of the government’s income tax plan show high-income earners will get 95% of the benefit, while three-quarters of taxpayers get no benefit at all. Today the Senate has rejected stage 3 of the government’s income tax plan, which removes the 37 per cent tax bracket completely, resulting in
Case for top-end tax cuts not supported by data
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 top-end income tax cuts as outlined in the 2018 Budget. “There is no compelling case for an income tax cut to reduce
Mayo poll shows electorate wants ABC protected
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct a survey of 1,031 residents across the federal electorate of Mayo on the evening of 5 June 2018. The poll included a question about funding for the ABC. The results are released today. Key results: 74% of respondents think funding for the ABC should be increased or stay the
Inequality in Australia going from bad to worse
On Monday 18 June, The Australia Institute, Australia21 and the former Treasurer, the Hon Wayne Swan MP, are jointly hosting a roundtable discussion in Parliament House on dealing with economic inequality in Australia. A new report from The Australia Institute, released as part of the Inequality Roundtable, shows inequality is getting worse in Australia with
QLD loses out in tax cut windfall
New analysis from the Australia Institute shows that Queenslanders would receive below average benefits compared to the average Australian household from 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 national average. Modelling also took into
Tax cut windfall: Regional VIC loses out
New analysis from the Australia Institute shows regional Victoria would receive below average benefits compared to the average Australian household from 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 national average. Modelling also took into
WA tax cut windfall
The Australia Institute has analysed the average electorate household benefit* from the income tax cuts announced in the 2018 Budget, as a proportion of the National Average benefit. The figures represent the change in household disposable income (after tax income) as a percentage of change in the national average. “It’s very visible in a state
Tax cut windfall: Regional NSW loses out
New analysis from the Australia Institute shows that regional NSW would receive below average benefits compared to the average Australian household from 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 national average. Modelling also took
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