The Palaszczuk Government risks a voter backlash as it breaks a clear election promise which ruled out subsidising the Adani coal project, according to a new report from The Australia Institute. First, the Queensland government is ultimately responsible for a $1bn subsidised loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF). Secondly, the Queensland government has

New research released by The Australia Institute today looks at the economic and employment effects of the Ord River irrigation schemes. Expansion of Ord irrigation is part of the Federal Government’s vision for developing northern Australia, but faces opposition from indigenous groups, the Northern Territory government and is dogged by decades of economic failure. The

The Australia Institute has released a report Electricity Costs which finds that electricity prices have increased at three times the rate of CPI. The report finds that companies have been ‘gold-plating’ financial assets and passing those costs onto consumers. [Full report see attachment below] “All in all we find that the additional direct and indirect

New research released today by the Australia Institute shows that a federal ICAC may not be effective in exposing or investigating corruption and misconduct unless it holds public hearings. Public hearings have a proven track record in anti-corruption investigations in Australia. Evidence from state based anti-corruption commissions show that the anti-corruption commission that holds regular

A high profile community campaign on fish farming has put economic and employment issues in the spotlight. New polling release today asked residents of Lyons about the industry’s performance on modernising in order to protect jobs into the future. “It is clear from these results that even those who back the industry believe that fish

A new report released today from The Australia Institute’s Senior Research Fellow, David Richardson shows that, according to ATO data, the equivalent of 21.6 per cent of Australia’s national income was run through a trust. The latest ATO figures show there are 823,448 trusts with assets of $3.1 trillion, and total business income of $349.2

New analysis shows that the socio-economic status of Canberra parents, not Canberra schools, explain the above average performance of ACT children in national testing. The Australia Institute released a report today that exposes the systemic failure of the ACT’s primary education system and offers recommendations on how to rejuvenate the sector. The Australia Institute report,

The Australia Institute has released new research showing that the development of Adani and other Galilee basin mines would reduce NSW coal royalties by over $10 billion to 2035. [Full report in PDF below] The Institute’s calculations are based on analysis by well-known coal analysts Wood Mackenzie, commissioned by the Port of Newcastle, the world’s

Report questions estimates of the impact on employment and revenue if Electronic Gaming Machines were phased out of Tasmania.  A new report from Hobart-based think tank The Australia Institute Tasmania has found that previous estimates of the impact of phasing out Poker machines on employment are inconsistent with recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data.   

New report identifies ‘virtual power plants’ could provide energy security faster and cheaper than new power stations, echoing parts of the Finkel review that have been largely ignored. “Australian governments can fight all they like over what new generation capacity to build. Regardless of who wins, none of it will be built for years, while

As the Federal Government’s proposed legislation to relax restrictions on who can own and operate newspapers, TV and radio stations in Australia, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party has reportedly proposed that ABC funding should be cut as a condition of its support for the legislation. New polling released today shows a combined 74% of South

The Australia Institute today released the results of the Fitzgerald Principles survey of parliamentarians’ principles of good governance. The survey, which asks parliamentarians a range of questions on acting with integrity, is based on principles outlined by the Hon Tony Fitzgerald AC QC, former judge and leader of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, in an article published

New polling of seven electorates belonging to senior Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister, reveals strong opposition to a federal subsidised loan for Adani’s coal project, and support for instituting a moratorium on new coal mines. The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct surveys of 4,712 Australian residents across the electorates of Wentworth (Turnbull), Cook

The combined SA and Federal bank levies are less than one-third of IMF ‘safe maximum’ A new report from The Australia Institute’s Senior Economist, Matt Grudnoff, reviews the economic impact of the South Australian government’s proposed bank levy. The research finds that the banks are not only very capable of paying the 0.0036% levy on

A new report has mapped current polling trends to predict the make-up of the Australian Senate over the next two terms of Parliament. The results show a likely outcome with an entrenched cross bench with an increased One Nation presence, a stable Greens block.  [Full report in PDF below] Between March and May 2017 The

Media release 24 June 2017 The Climate Institute has selected The Australia Institute to take on remaining funds and intellectual property from the disbanding organisation. “I am  pleased to announce that, following the closure of The Climate Institute on 30 June, its significant remaining funds and intellectual property will be transferred to The Australia Institute,

Ahead of a National Manufacturing Summit, a new report outlines the industry’s dogged resilience in difficult times, its importance to the Australian economy, and its more hopeful future prospects.

The Australia Institute is surveying every federal MP and Senator on their values of accountability and integrity as momentum builds for a national anti-corruption body along the lines of the NSW ICAC. The Fitzgerald Principles survey asks parliamentarians a range of questions, including if they are ethically obliged to act always in the public interest,

The Australia Institute has outlined the key challenges for the Finkel Review.  The objective of the Finkel Review is to provide a blueprint for national policy, legislative, governance and rule changes required to maintain the security, reliability, affordability and sustainability of the national electricity market. The objective of a policy instrument such as a LET

Following pressure from Australian civil society organisations, Australia’s export credit agency, Efic, has shelved plans to lend Australian taxpayers’ money to the Boikarabelo coal project in Limpopo Province, South Africa. While Efic has not ruled out future funding of this project and other overseas coal mines, Senate Estimates were told last week that Efic does

A well designed Low Emissions Target (LET) could be the basis for the needed integration of climate and energy policy in Australia according to Canberra-based policy think tank The Australia Institute. “The key will be to ensure any scheme accelerates the transition away from coal and does not lock in support for fossil fuel generators,”

If Donald Trump does renege on the US Paris climate commitments, it creates an opportunity for leadership from other countries, including Australia. A poll of 1420 Australians undertaken in March showed most believe domestic action would be only more important in the event of Donald Trump reneging on US climate action policies. “Trumps decision to

Today’s State budget has reflected our strengthening economy, built on the back of our clean and green image. The boom, fuelled by growth in tourism and the property market, has increased revenue, delivering a surplus of $54 million dollars. The Australia Institute Tasmania have warned that if investment is not made in vital long-term prosperity

A new report by The Australia Institute provides in-depth analysis of the proposed Hume Coal project, finding that it could damage the economy of the Southern Highlands region in NSW. The Southern Highlands economy is based on service industries with mining accounting for just 2 percent of employment in the region. Compared to NSW as

African white elephant, a report released today by Jubilee Australia and The Australia Institute examines the proposal for Australia’s export credit agency to fund a coal mine in South Africa. The tax payer-backed Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, known as Efic, is considering a loan to develop the Boikarabelo coal project in Limpopo Province, South

New analysis of tax data shows that limiting the deduction for managing tax affairs to $3,000 is likely to impact only very high income earners. The majority of Australians make no claim for managing their tax affairs, and even amongst those in the top 3% of income earners, most claims do not exceed the $3,000

The Palaszczuk government has reportedly made a deal to give away $320 million dollars-worth of the state’s coal, for free, to an Indian mining giant.  The Adani project and government assistance: $320 million dollars in free coal in the form of a reported ‘royalty holiday’ deal. $900 million dollar subsidised loan to build a coal-only

Latest data from the ABS shows wages growth stuck at 1.9% with no signs of any pick up. Wages growth has now been stuck at roughly this level for the last 3 years.  The ABS has now confirmed that wages growth is running at a slower rate than inflation (Consumer Price Index). According to the

New research from The Australia Institute has found that the Prime Minister’s electorate reaps the greatest benefit from the capital gains tax discount, by a large margin. The CGT discount is expected to cost the budget $9.6 billion dollars this year (2016-17) $44 billion over the next four years. Historical data also shows that, in

Following media report that the Queensland Government and Adani are negotiating a discount on the royalties the company would pay to extract the state/s coal resources, The Australia Institute has calculated the potential cost of a ‘roylaty holiday’ to the taxpayer. The Courier Mail reported that the government and Adani working on this deal: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk