Whether Australia’s budget has a surplus tells us little about the government’s worth – it’s all on the choices made
We are now a month away from the 2024-25 budget. And as with all budgets, the choices made matter much more than any big numbers that get the media attention.
Poverty is a policy choice – it is time for the government to choose better
If the government decided to make raising Jobseeker a priority in the Budget it would not talk about not being able to afford it, writes Greg Jericho.
.April 2024
The carbon con killing koalas
The NSW Labor Government took office promising to create a vast koala sanctuary on the state’s mid-north coast – the Great Koala National Park. Despite the threat of koala extinction in the state, more than a year later the Great Koala National Park is yet to be established.
Video: The Right to Disconnect is NOT Bad for Productivity
The Right to Disconnect legislation being passed recently has attracted criticism from Opposition leader Peter Dutton and business groups, who say it’s bad for productivity. They may need to learn some basic maths, because they couldn’t be more wrong. Centre for Future Work Director Dr Jim Stanford explains. Research indicates the average Australian worker performs
Labor’s pledge to depoliticise the public service is undermined by the government only hearing what it wants to hear on climate change
While last year’s robodebt royal commission exposed a shocking lack of ethics among senior ranks of the Australian public service, the systemic condition still largely seems to be regarded as an aberration.
Don’t worry about a budget surplus, care about the choices in the budget
Budget, Julia Gillard rightly said, are about choices. And those choices are a lot more important than whether or not the budget is in surplus or deficit
March 2024
Why the Carbon Myth Industry is bad for farmers
Jigsaw Farms, long held up as a shining star of carbon neutral farming, is no longer carbon neutral, although only just.
The academic publishing rort
As much as $1 billion in taxpayer funding may be being funnelled into the pockets of for-profit academic publishers every year, writes Dr Kristen Scicluna.
Fixing the work and care crisis means tackling insecure and unpredictable work
The Fair Work Commission is examining how to reduce insecurity and unpredictability in part-time and casual work to help employees better balance work and care. The Commission is reviewing modern awards that set out terms and conditions of employment for many working Australians to consider how workplace relations settings in awards impact on work and
Housing affordability is so bad that 2020 (!) now looks good
House prices after a brief fall in 2022 rose consistently during 2023 and housing affordability is now as bad as ever
On International Women’s Day: How the Fair Work Commission Can Really Take On the Gender Pay Gap
On occasion of International Women’s Day, the Centre for Future Work’s Senior Researcher Lisa Heap reviews the opportunities to use recent industrial relations reforms to more ambitiously address Australia’s gender pay gap.
The RBA gets its wish as Australia’s economy slows dramatically
As interest rates have climbed, Australia’s economy has slowed – let us hope the RBA has not stalled it.
Pork Barelling is Not Democracy
Politicians Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie dressed up as pigs this week in a memorable stunt in Parliament to draw attention to excessive supermarket profits.
February 2024
The gas industry is laughing at us as they make more money but not more tax
Despite soaring production and revenues the gas industry is not paying more tax
The changes to Stage 3 show that good policy is good politics
The changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts have passed the Senate and will become law.
Funny business: Why you’re paying the price for corporate greed
Australians are paying prices that are too high, too often.
The big error at heart of ‘right to disconnect’ opposition
This week, Parliament is set to approve a new set of industrial relations reforms, bundled in the second part of the “Closing Loopholes” bill.
More loopholes to close on insecure work … and a new right to disconnect from work
Late yesterday the final part 2 of the government’s Closing Loopholes industrial relations bill was passed by the Senate.
Stage 3 Tax Changes: A Win for Australians & Sensible Policy
Politicians are often accused of backflipping when they change their minds.
January 2024
Richard Denniss: National Press Club Address
On Wednesday, 31 January 2024, Richard Denniss and Allegra Spender MP addressed the National Press Club for a debate on the Stage 3 tax reforms. **Check against delivery** [See below for transcripts] Tax is good. Tax is an investment in our society and the highest taxed countries in the world also happen to be the
We Cannot Truly Value ‘Care’ Until Workers Using Digital Labour Platforms Get Fair Pay and Conditions
Unless minimum employment standards for care and support workers using digital labour platforms are guaranteed, decades of slow progress towards proper recognition of care work and equal pay for women could be undone.
Where is the middle income in Australia? Not where you think it is.
Australians right across the country are calling out for cost-of-living relief, but the government doesn’t want to risk any measures that will increase inflation—keeping interest rates higher for longer, or worse, pushing them up even further.
Closing the loopholes in labour hire
The industrial reforms system needs important repairs, writes Dr Fiona Macdonald – no more, no less.
The Pink Test is a feel-good story, but does it help where it’s really needed?
With the federal government announcing a desire to double charitable donations by 2030, Stephen Long examines the potential inefficiency & inequity of relying on charities, rather than governments, to provide essential services.
December 2023
How the Grinch Saved Christmas
For decades, the Grinch has had a terrible reputation as a Christmas-hating monster who railed against the festivities of the season and stole the townspeople’s presents, food and decorations in an attempt to stamp out the whole technicolour carnival.
Why You’re Paying More Tax Even Though Real Wages Are Shrinking
It’s a bitter irony.
Closing Loopholes: Important repairs to the industrial relations system, no more, no less
Labour hire workers can no longer be paid less than employees doing the same job in their workplaces as a result of industrial reforms passed by Parliament. However, other important reforms to close loopholes in employment laws and stop exploitation of workers and avoidance of standards won’t be voted on in Parliament until next year.
The Stage 3 tax cuts will make our bad tax system worse
Australia has one of the weakest tax systems for redistribution among industrial nations, and as Dr Jim Stanford writes, the Stage 3 tax cuts will make it worse.
Higher exports prices improve the budget, but the Stage 3 tax cuts remain the wrong tax at the wrong time
As the Budget outlook improves, with most of the benefits of Stage 3 tax cuts going to those earing over $120,000, over 80% of workers will be short-changed
Why are gas companies trying to sell us hydrogen?
The hydrogen dream has become widespread in the Australian climate conversation: apparently, with it, we’re going to decarbonise Japan, Korea, and the world! Is this ambitious vision a genuine step towards a greener future or merely a diversion from ongoing fossil fuel expansion?
General Enquiries
Emily Bird Office Manager
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
David Barnott-Clement Media Advisor
david.barnott-clement@australiainstitute.org.au