New research shows an overwhelming majority of Australians (82.5%) support the ACTU proposal that the Government guarantee two weeks paid leave for all workers who are forced to self-isolate as a result of COVID-19.  The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,723 Australians on the night of 18 March 2020. Key Findings: An overwhelming

New research from The Australia Institute has found that a majority of Australians (52%) want to see Newstart boosted to the rate of the Age Pension for the course of the Coronavirus crisis, while one in three Australians (34%) oppose the idea. Key findings: –          The maximum single rate of Newstart is currently $559 per

New technologies that deploy Artificial intelligence should be assessed for their social impact on citizens before they are allowed to be deployed, according to The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology. In its submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) discussion paper on human rights and technology, the Centre argues that a formal regulatory regime, rather

The hack of billions of photos from an Australian start-up, Clearview AI, which harvests photos from social media and bundles the information for law enforcement agencies, reinforces the need to place a moratorium on facial recognition technology. The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology is supporting the Australian Human Rights Commission’s proposal for a moratorium

New analysis from the Australia Institute shows that superannuation tax concessions are almost as large as the cost of the aged pension and growing at twice the rate. Key Findings: According to the latest Treasury release of the Tax Benchmark and Variations Statement, superannuation tax concessions are expected to reach $41.3 billion in 2019-20 and

The Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has called for an extension in the way computer games are classified, to capture design architecture that exposes children to addictive, gambling-based content in many common games. In a submission to the Department of Communications review into the classification system, the Centre for Responsible Technology argues that the

New national survey research from The Australia Institute reveals most Australians have been personally impacted by the bushfires and smoke, including millions missing work or suffering health impacts. Additionally, the research shows concern about the impacts of climate change are especially high among those directly affected by the fires, as is the wish for the

New research from The Australia Institute has revealed that nearly one third of Australians (30%) are expecting to receive a gift that they will never use this Christmas.  Three in ten (30%), or approximately 7.3 million Australians will receive gifts they expect they will never use or wear this Christmas, representing a total value of

“If the ACCC Digital Platforms Review was, as reported at the time, world’s best practice on regulating Big Tech, the government’s response shows Big Tech has secured world’s best practice in slowing down meaningful reform,” said Peter Lewis, Director of the Centre for Responsible Technology at the Australia Institute. “Hardly anything from the ACCC has

New research shows that the Kimberley region is set to experience a dramatic increase in extreme heat including up to a tenfold increase in days over 40 degrees in Broome if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced in line with the Paris Agreement.   The report, by the Australia Institute using CSIRO and BoM data, shows

New research from The Australia Institute has revealed that four in five South Australians (80%) believe that allowing poker machines to accept notes will increase harm in the community. Key findings; –          4 in 5 South Australians (80%) believe allowing poker machines to accept notes would increase the level of harm that results from poker

The Australian public support tighter regulation of political advertising on social media platforms, from truth in advertising, limits to micro-targeting, to bans on political advertising on social media altogether. The findings, based on public polling conducted by Essential Research in November found: 73 per cent support requiring social media platforms to ensure political ads are

New Research from The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has identified serious concerns with hydrogen demand projections, regularly cited by State and Federal Governments, energy experts and industry figures, which overstate potential export demand by a factor of up to 11. Due to this supposedly high demand, COAG Ministers will be asked to support

The majority of Australians are not comfortable with the way government and companies collect and use their personal information, according to new research. To coincide with its launch, the Australia Institute’s new Centre for Responsible Technology today released new research showing high levels of discomfort with the way personal information is collected, repurposed and stored.

The Australia Institute today launched the Centre for Responsible Technology, a new non-partisan centre designed to give people greater influence over the way technology is rapidly changing our world. The Centre for Responsible Technology will collaborate with academics, activists, civil society and business to shape policy and practice around network technology by raising public awareness

A majority (62.8%) of Tasmanians want Medevac to stay compared to just 27% of people who want it abolished, according to a new poll from the Australia Institute. Parliament is considering whether to keep or abolish the Medevac law. The Australia Institute commissioned uComms to survey 1,136 residents across Tasmania during the night of 22nd

New research from The Australia Institute has found strong support amongst South Australians for land tax aggregation, funding for affordable housing and measures that would require politicians to reveal personal interests before voting on land tax legislation. Key findings; –          4 out of 5 South Australians (81%) support property portfolio aggregation for taxation purposes –         

New research shows active strategies to directly link university degrees to a job are needed, to better support university graduates as they negotiate a rapidly changing labour market. The report, by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, shows that employment outcomes for university graduates have deteriorated significantly since the Global Financial Crisis, with only

New research has revealed that financial services in Australia will not insure against nuclear accidents, and if developers of nuclear power stations were forced to insure against nuclear accidents, nuclear power would be completely uneconomic. The Australia Institute’s submission to the Inquiry into the prerequisites for nuclear energy in Australia, shows that establishing a nuclear

The Australia Institute’s submission to the State Government’s review of the draft Land Tax (Miscellaneous) Amendments Bill 2019 supports the idea of aggregating land portfolios for taxation purposes but raises concerns about the lost revenue that will result from deep cuts to the state’s top rate of land tax. “The proposed changes to land tax

New research presented in Sydney today looks at how Nordic countries have a long history of placing emphasis on policies providing both mothers and fathers with the opportunity to work and care. Visiting Icelandic academic Ásdís Aðalbjörg Arnalds is in Sydney today to present her new research on Icelandic paid parental leave – and in

The release of ABS Household Income and Wealth figures confirm that the bottom 40% of Australians are going backwards. Wealth of the bottom 40% has decreased Not only has the average wealth of the bottom 40% fallen, the total wealth of the bottom 40% has also fallen. Meanwhile, the top 20% saw their total wealth increase

Most Australians want 100% renewable energy, a stamp duty to land tax swap and pill testing at music festivals in their own state, new national polling from The Australia Institute shows. A new report from The Australia Institute, authored by Bill Browne, shows that most of the Australian Capital Territory’s innovative policies have majority support

The income tax cut legislation to be introduced to Parliament this week is the largest single budgetary measure not to face a Senate Inquiry. The Australia Institute is today releasing a proposed Terms of Reference for a potential Senate Inquiry and new analysis on the fiscal risks associated with the Stage 3 tax cuts. “The

The final stage of the Morrison Government’s unlegislated income tax plan, stage 3(a) favours males by a ratio of almost two to one, according to a new distributional analysis from The Australia Institute’s senior economist Matt Grudnoff.   The Morrison Government is yet to legislate the additional tax cuts announced in the 2019-20 Federal Budget,

Australia should consider whether it wants a higher education and vocational training system more like that of Finland or more like the USA, according to a new report from The Australia Institute’s Nordic Policy Centre. The report, co-authored by Professor Andrew Scott, Emeritus Professor Tor Hundloe and Mr Shirley Jackson, shows Australian vocational training is

Out-of-pocket health costs have skyrocketed compared with all other prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index, shows new analysis by The Australia Institute. The analysis using ABS data shows that health costs have more than doubled the rise in CPI with a 24 per cent increase in health costs compared with 11 per cent

New analysis from the Australia Institute shows the gender distribution from the Government’s plan, announced in the Federal Budget, to flatten the income tax scales is skewed against women. When the tax cut is fully implemented, for every dollar of benefit that goes to women, two dollars goes to men. Figure 1. Gender Distribution of

New research from The Australia Institute dispels stereotypes around what Australians drink and their political leanings finding that café latte drinkers vote Liberal/National more than any other party. Among regular latte drinkers, voting intentions were 34% LNP, 32% Labor, 16% Greens 7% One Nation, 12% other Regular chai latte drinkers are also most likely to

New research from the Australia Institute finds that there are more guns in Australia now than there were before the Port Arthur massacre and introduction of strict gun controls.