Since Tony Abbott took office, 101,900 more Australians are unemployed, but the Prime Minister is determined to create a new scapegoat – that of environmental legal victories – rather than face up to fundamental issues in the economy. “We’re seeing a deliberate effort from the Government to blame environmental law for job losses, despite all

Today’s call by the President of the Republic of The Kiribati for a coal moratorium is a wake-up call for the Australian Government who, only last week, was publicly expressing support for the construction of the enormous Adani – Carmichael mine in Queensland.  No New Coal Mines website “As the world prepares to meet in

The Australia Institute has called for a code of conduct for economic modelling. Today saw the Liberal Government produce modelling suggesting a $660 million economic cost for their climate target a day after the Environment Minister said the Labor climate policy would cost the economy $600 billion. A code would require assumptions to be revealed,

A report from The Australia Institute shows that the Australian public understands and supports what economists have been saying: that increasing the Renewable Energy Target (RET) puts downward pressure on electricity prices.  The polling conducted prior to Labor’s 50% 2030 RET announcement showed that more than half of respondents wanted a target of 50% or

The Australia Institute has submitted a report to the inquiry into nuclear power in South Australia has found major flaws in both economic and technological assumptions underpinning the pro-nuclear push. “Nuclear power is not a practical option for South Australia,” Chief Economist at The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss said. “There are some very strange assumptions

A new report has exposed Australia’s wine tax system as corporate welfare, with Australians paying a billion dollars a year to subsidise the wine industry. Unlike beer and spirits, which are taxed based on their alcohol content, wine is taxed on its wholesale value. As a result, cheap wine attracts far less tax than beer

The Abbott regulations to cut ‘red-tape’ are restricting regulators ability to progress energy saving standards which have delivered big saving to Australian household electricity bills. Australia used less electricity in 2014 than in 2013, or in any year since 2006, despite constant population and economic growth, a new report from The Australia Institute reveals. Households

Polling released today reveals strong opposition to Coalition cuts to the ABC. The ReachTEL poll was conducted in seats represented by Christopher Pyne, Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey in late April. Results: Do you support or oppose the government’s decision to reduce funding to the ABC in last year’s budget? 59% of Joe Hockey’s constituents

A message from the Chair of the Board The Australia Institute has some exciting news to announce. After 8 years at the helm Richard Denniss has decided to step down from the role of Executive Director of the Australia Institute. On behalf of the Board I would like to express my appreciation to Richard and

The Howard Government decision in 2001 to cut indexation has cost the budget more than $46 billion in tax revenue to date. If no change is made the total cost to the budget is projected to top $160 billion by 2025. Additional carbon dioxide emissions attributable to the policy are projected to reach 16 million

Queensland spends less on social services than the rest of Australia in per capita terms, a new report from The Australia Institute has revealed. (Table 1 below) The state is the nation’s biggest spender of public funds in one area though; subsidies for mining projects.  Currently public schools face a $268 million maintenance backlog, and

Most Australians agree universities should avoid investments in fossil fuels, according to the first national polling on the topic released today by The Australia Institute in a new report. The polling also shows university decisions to avoid fossil fuels may boost donations from alumni, while also encouraging people with superannuation to consider low carbon funds.

Senators Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus, Ricky Muir and Nick Xenophon will today call on the government and opposition to back broadening access to the Pension Loan Scheme (PLS) to any retirees who wish to use it. Press Conference: Senators together with The Australia Institute executive director, Richard Denniss, will be available for comment 10:45am, APH

The Guardian reported this morning International Monetary Fund calculations that world fossil fuel subsidies are running at $5.3 trillion dollars annually, or $10m per minute. In Australia, successive state and federal governments have given subsidies in the form of diesel fuel rebates, infrastructure funding and royalties discounts worth billions. TAI director of research, Rod Campbell,

The Reserve Bank of Australia today cut interest rates to a new record low of 2%, but cited surging house prices in Sydney as a concern. In the lead up to next week’s Federal Budget, the Government has ruled out any changes to generous subsidies for real estate investors, in particular the Capital Gains Tax

The latest modelling of Superannuation Tax Concession distribution shows the inequality is growing as the cost to the budget surges. $12.2 billion, 41% of all concessions, are going to the top 10% of households. $17.8 billion, or 60%, go to the top 20%. “That leaves 80% of Australians to share the remaining 40% of what

As debate continues over ‘means testing the family home’, new polling shows 1 in 2 Australians think the government should require retirees with expensive homes to fund their own retirement incomes, through an existing but little known government scheme called the Pension Loans Scheme (PLS). “The PLS is essentially a government provided reverse mortgage, but

While a large number of people take advantage of negative gearing for residential investment properties in Australia, the majority of the benefits, in dollar terms, are more narrowly focused.  A paper released yesterday by The Australia Institute showed how the benefit of negative gearing was distributed by income and aged groups. Today TAI released data

Executive Director of The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, today delivered expert witness testimony to a court challenge of the approval of a major coal mine in the Galilee Basin.  Summary: Adani have long claimed in public that the Carmichael mine project will create 10,000 jobs. In court, Adani’s own economist testified that the project would

Modelling from NATSEM featured in a new report from The Australia Institute and GetUp, reveals that more than half (55%) of the benefit of capital gains discount and negative gearing goes to the top 10% of income earners.   Australia is one of only three OECD countries with this type of negative gearing regime. Working together with

Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute and long-time advocate of overhaul to the super tax concessions scheme, has welcomed moves on the issue by the Australian Labor Party but says it needs to be the start, not the end of the conversation. “Providing generous tax concessions to people who are already far too

New modelling by NATSEM, commissioned by The Australia Institute, shows many of Australia’s wealthiest people pay negative tax, and it’s costing the budget bottom line $4.6 billion. Report available here. Like most tax loopholes, the ability to convert ‘surplus’ dividend imputation credits to cash delivers most of its benefits to the wealthiest, with almost half

A ‘Buffett Rule’ in Australia would limit the incentive for very high income earners to use excessive tax deductions and boost government revenue by $2.5 billion per year. The findings are outlined in a report from The Australia Institute: Closing the tax loopholes: A Buffett rule for Australia, which includes NATSEM modelling of a 35%

A new research paper from The Australia Institute reveals that home ownership rates in Australia are falling across all age groups, most significantly for people in their 50’s. Middle income earners are experiencing the sharpest decline in ownership rates.  The Australia Institute attended a housing roundtable hosted by Opposition Treasurer, Chris Bowen, in Sydney on

A tax on financial transactions, known as a “Tobin” tax, could protect superannuation investors, improve the operation of Australia’s capital markets and provide a source of tax revenue of over $1 billion per year, according to a policy brief from The Australia Institute. Tobin taxes or some form of financial transaction tax are in effect in

Australia has the fastest population growth of major developed countries, and projections show a reduced infrastructure spend per capita, putting huge pressure on major cities. “Since the 2000 Olympics the population of Australia has grown by 25 per cent. In fact, since the Sydney Olympics, Australia’s population has grown more than the entire population of

“For 27 of the last 30 years, Australian Governments have needed to engage a crossbench or convince the opposition to pass any legislation.” – Richard Denniss A new book, Minority Policy: Rethinking Governance When Parliament Matters, explores the influence of marginal parliamentarians in Australian Politics. It will be launched by Senator Nick Xenophon and Clive

The Intergenerational Report is a deeply flawed document based on deeply flawed assumptions according to Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of the Australia Institute. “The Intergenerational report should provide an opportunity to start a conversation about the Australia we want to have in the coming decades, instead it simply tries to scare the public into

The Australia Institute (TAI) has challenged modelling and analysis used in a report from the Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA) which argues for increases to the GST. The CPA report assumes that the economy will grow more quickly because of cuts to taxes funded by the increase and broadening of the GST. “The economic model used

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