Both major parties are right to say pensioners can’t eat their homes – but only because the government won’t let them, argues The Australia Institute. The new Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is concerned about retirees who are cash poor but asset rich. Labor Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek raised similar concerns, saying: ‘You can’t eat

A new report identifies huge potential investment in solar power, not just wind, is dependent on a stable, strong large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET). The Large Scale Solar and the RET report also suggests that a 40% target would provide an earlier tipping point to trigger major solar investment. “Since coming to office, the Abbott

Leading anti-corruption experts say that the lack of proper regulation of lobbying is a major corruption risk. They called on whoever forms government in Queensland to ensure that all lobbyists are included in the lobbying register, and for full disclosure of lobbying meetings.  Corruption fighting heavyweight, former ICAC Commissioner the Hon David Ipp AO QC,

Indian mining company Adani says its Carmichael coal project in Queensland’s Galilee Basin does hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds promised to it by the Queensland LNP, raising questions over why such a subsidy was offered in the first place. The $450 million rail subsidy, along with the offer to waive royalty payments

New government figures reveal superannuation and housing tax breaks for the wealthy are costing the budget ten times as much as leaving the GST off fresh food. The Treasury statement also shows that the cost of one form of tax concession for superannuation is set to double. “The Abbott government says it will do anything

Twenty two prominent QLD legal and civil society organisations have taken out a full page add in today’s Courier Mail newspaper calling on all parties elected to the new parliament to their election commitment to honour their the principles of accountability and good governance put forward by The Honourable Tony Fitzgerald AC QC. The letter

Job creation claims relating to coal projects in the Galilee Basin have been inflated by 300%, from 9,000 to 27,000, according to a report by economists at The Australia Institute. The Australia Institute’s Executive Director, Dr Richard Denniss, said the use of input/output modelling used by those championing the Galilee coal projects has been described by the

A new report commissioned by The Australia Institute shows gas demand in NSW could halve within a decade and questions the need for a gas network in NSW. The report, “The Dash from Gas. Could demand in New South Wales fall to half?” by the University of Melbourne’s Energy Institute synthesises recent important research by

Research by The Australia Institute, including modelling commissioned from NATSEM has shown that ending the GST exemptions for private education and health, both of which overwhelmingly benefits higher income earners could net the Government up to $2.3 billion per year. There are a number of ways for the Government to increase revenue, such as winding

New research finds that improved connections with health services for people leaving prison and their families is a critical first step in addressing mental distress and ensuring smooth reintegration into the community.  Unlocking Care, a new report from The Australia Institute, finds that the incidence of moderate and severe mental health issues increases after release

New research from the Australia Institute finds that the health and environmental impacts of wind and solar technologies are far less detrimental than fossil fuels.  Two reports were released today, examining the impacts of, and broad public attitudes toward, wind power and solar energy. They find Australians are overwhelmingly more interested in a future fuelled

Women could be made billions of dollars better off if the Government considered gender issues when formulating the Budget, a new report from The Australia Institute reveals. Released today, The budget’s hidden gender agenda report finds that – in good times and in bad – women are getting a rougher deal than men from budget

The Victorian Liberals’ announcement of $3.9 billion for new trams and trains over the next 10 years appears unlikely to meet growing demand, according to analysis of the announcement from the Australia Institute. The “Napthine Government [is] building better public transport for a growing population,” the Victorian Liberals said in a press release last week.

The Renewable Energy Target is a big win for Tasmania, drawing in a net benefit of more than $100 million per year, according to a new report from the Australia Institute. But unscrutinised and unfounded claims from Tasmania’s largest industrial firms, who vocally oppose the scheme, have skewed public perceptions, the report finds. Released today, The

The latest plan to renege on the 41,000 GWh renewable energy target (RET) is even worse for consumers than the plans modelled by Dick Warburton’s recent inquiry, according to an analysis by The Australia Institute. A new proposal from NSW Senator David Leyonhjelm recommends existing hydro electricity generators built before the RET become eligible for

Work/life balance worsens under burden of unpaid overtime Millions of Australian workers are losing the battle for better work/life balance due to excessive unpaid overtime and feel they have little control over how to change the situation, new research by The Australia Institute reveals. Released to coincide with today’s national Go Home on Time Day, Walking the

On any given day, 2.8 million Australians have little certainty around what time they will finish work.  That’s the equivalent of one in four workers regularly having to juggle their other commitments such as child care, social activities or important appointments, because of the unpredictability of their job. Go Home on Time Day, an initiative

Richard debated Stephen Galilee, the head of the NSW Minerals Council on 7.30 NSW regarding their recent attack on our research into mining subsidies. This material sheds light both on our approach to our research and the disingenuous approach taken by the NSW Minerals Council.

The austere measures contained in the proposed Commonwealth budget have been justified by fears that Australia’s public debt is expanding rapidly and dangerously, and must be arrested through a dramatic change in fiscal policy. These fears are misplaced. Australia does not face any present or imminent debt crisis. Australia’s deficit and accumulated debt are both

The Australian Institute says the Minerals Council members – the large, mostly foreign-owned, mining companies – should explain the attacks on The Australia Institute. The Minerals Council has claimed that The Australia Institute is being directed by a political party. This is untrue and defamatory. The Minerals Council should immediately desist from making such claims

Last week was another big week for The Australia Institute. You might have seen that we launched another major research report, Mining the Age of Entitlement, this time on the $17.6 billion worth of  taxpayer support that State governments have given the mining industry. You might have seen Ben Oquist’s name mentioned in relation to

Age of entitlement lives on: Report exposes billions in government handouts to mining State governments are providing billions of dollars in subsidies to the minerals and fossil fuel industries, a new report by The Australia Institute (TAI) has revealed. The report exposes the massive scale of state government assistance, totalling $17.6 billion over a six-year

A strong majority (83%) of Hunter Valley residents do not want to see the coal industry expand, while 41 per cent would like to see it decrease or be phased out, a new research paper by The Australia Institute finds.  Seeing through the dust: Coal in the Hunter Valley economy will be launched at 10.30am,

National Party constituents will be amongst the hardest hit if the federal government adopts recommendations by the Shepherd Commission of Audit, a new analysis by The Australia Institute has found. While the Commission of Audit suggests that people are visiting the doctor too often, it does not take account of regional circumstances. Despite evidence that

A new report released today by The Australia Institute outlines how the age pension could be strengthened by tackling overly generous and unfair superannuation tax concessions.  Sustaining us all in retirement: The case for a universal age pension, by David Ingles and Dr Richard Denniss, shows super tax concessions will soon cost more than the

Today’s Supreme Court judgement reinforces the view that the economics of Rio Tinto’s Warkworth project have never stacked up for NSW or the people of Bulga, according to The Australia Institute.   Two economists from The Australia Institute, Dr Richard Denniss and Rod Campbell, gave evidence in Bulga’s successful Land and Environment Court case against the

Grow your own: the potential value and impacts of residential and community gardening will be launched today at 10.30am by Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis at the Wayside Chapel in Sydney. The Australia Institute paper, by Poppy Wise, reveals two out of three households support more locally produced food via community gardens, school gardens, and in

One in two Australians want more regulation of coal seam gas, while 71 per cent think the federal government should be responsible for regulating the industry rather than individual states, according to new research by The Australia Institute.  Fracking the future: Busting industry myths about coal seam gas will be launched today by former Independent

The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure has censored parts of The Australia Institute’s submission on the Terminal 4 coal project. The Institute’s submission focuses on the economic assessment of the project and highlights a number of flaws in the economic modelling. Almost a page of text showing the relationship between an “independent” reviewer of

Investments in coal, oil, and gas increase financial risk without increasing returns, according to the new report Climate proofing your investments: Moving funds out of fossil fuels published by The Australia Institute. To meet the internationally-agreed two degree global warming limit, fossil fuel businesses must leave in the ground two-thirds of the reserves currently on