Follow the Money // Climate & Energy
The Australia Institute’s Follow the Money podcast explains Australia’s big economic issues in plain English. We bust myths, dissect politics, interpret econobabble and help you sound really smart at your next dinner party, with host Ebony Bennett.
April 2024
The Knitting Nannas redefining the face of activism
As the government shelves important reform to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, the Knitting Nannas are getting out into their communities and demanding an end to fossil fuel projects.
March 2024
The Coalition goes nuclear
After scarcely mentioning it for nearly a decade while in government, the Coalition are now hot to trot on nuclear power – but why?
Great expectations: will Australia walk the talk on climate change?
The Albanese government came to power with big expectations around climate action, but are the government’s actions falling short of their rhetoric?
Robodebt, repeated? How government is failing the nation on climate
The ‘robodebt’ debacle was a shameful episode for the federal government, but was it an anomaly? Our guest today says the same behaviours that enabled robodebt have been playing out for decades in our climate policymaking and questions whether the government has appetite to implement its proposed integrity reforms. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly Hemming, Director,
February 2024
The Great Gas Rort: Fixing the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax
Every year, the Commonwealth collects more revenue from HECS than it gets from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax. The PRRT is so weak that gas companies love it! Mark Ogge explains the Government’s proposed changes, and how we can fix it to tax our gas companies fairly. This was recorded on Tuesday 6th February 2024
January 2024
Heat: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet with Jeff Goodell | Summer Series
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars and live events in 2023. Extreme heat is the most direct and deadly consequence of our hellbent consumption of fossil fuels. It is a first order threat that drives all other impacts of the climate crisis. And as the temperature rises,
December 2023
Big Petrostate Energy
The United Nations annual climate conference, COP28, is wrapping up, and it’s crunch time. Is there going to be a mention of actually phasing out fossil fuels? Or will we have more of avoiding the issue? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th December 2023 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: Polly
November 2023
Clive Palmer of…Singapore?
Clive Palmer, one of Australia’s richest men, is suing Australia for $41.3bn, claiming it breached the ASEAN free trade agreement in relation to coal exploration permits. But he’s doing so…as a foreign investor? Stephen Long explains how Clive Palmer’s controversial legal strategies challenge Australia’s trade agreements and environmental laws. Stephen Long is a Senior Fellow
September 2023
There are still climate refugees in Lismore [Politics in the Pub]
As the Northern Hemisphere experiences extreme heatwaves and Australia prepares for a “horror summer”, and the new RBA Governor Michelle Bullock warns climate change poses a “particularly acute” challenge for the Australia economy, listen back to the launch of the 2023 Climate of the Nation Report at Politics in the Pub. This was recorded on
Who should pay the cost of Climate Change? [Climate of the Nation 2023]
As many Australians are facing rising cost-of-living, which is being made worse by climate change, fossil fuel companies are making record profits. So how can our Government make them pay the bill? This was recorded on Tuesday 12th September 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guest: Liz Morison,
August 2023
An Eventful Trip to Fiji
The Labor Government has been campaigning for Australia to host COP31, the UN climate conference, in partnership with a Pacific Island nation. But Pacific Islanders have several concerns, mainly due to Australia’s track record with new fossil fuels, and lacklustre climate policy. This was recorded on Wednesday 30th August 2023 and things may have changed
What Transition?
The lifecycle emissions resulting from Tamboran Resources’ proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) processing and export facility in the Northern Territory would be equivalent to 12 coal-fired power stations every year when operating at full capacity. Not exactly on the transition to net-zero… This was recorded on Wednesday 16th August 2023 and things may have changed
A Trojan Horse for Fossil Fuels
The Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill currently before Parliament sounds promising. But as it turns out, the name of the bill is hiding a lot of ugly truths. This was recorded on Thursday 11th August 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute //
July 2023
The Shell Game Behind Carbon Credits with Nick Feik [Webinar]
In his new essay “The Great Stock ‘n’ Coal Swindle” for The Monthly, Nick Feik takes a deep dive into Australia’s carbon offsets industry and its links to fossil fuel expansion. This was recorded on Wednesday 8th March 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Guests: Nick Feik, Writer, journalist
June 2023
Australia’s Olympic Moment on Greenwashing
The Australian Government has proposed that Australia host the 2026 UN Climate Conference, in “partnership” with Pacific nations. But can Australia be considered a credible host for a COP31 while it continues to subsidise and approve fossil fuel expansion? This was recorded on Wednesday 14th June 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The
Nordic Talks: The Role of First Nations Communities in the Clean Energy Transition [Webinar]
Australia has all the ingredients for a green industrial revolution; abundant rare minerals, plentiful wind and sun, manufacturing capabilities, while Sweden is a global leader in green industry practices and production. But how can First Nations communities participate in the clean energy transition? This talk will unpack how Sweden and Australia can better balance the
May 2023
Funding our own Destruction
Despite fossil fuel usage contributing to the destruction of our climate, the Australian government still hands out billions every year in fossil fuel subsidies. But where is the money going, and how much is being spent exactly? This was recorded on Tuesday 2nd May 2023 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute
April 2023
The Great Gas Rip-off
The PRRT, or Petroleum Resource Rent Tax, is a tax on profits of petroleum products, including crude oil and petroleum gas. But through accounting tricks and loopholes, gas corporations are avoiding paying their fair share of tax. Research mentioned: https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/reforming-the-petroleum-resource-rent-tax/ This was recorded on Monday 19th April 2023 and things may have changed since recording.
March 2023
Final Warning
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, just released a report with a a very clear message; there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all. One of the key messages in the report is that new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with a net zero
February 2023
What is Climate Integrity?
The Climate Integrity Summit 2023 brought together leading experts to discuss and address integrity risks that could jeopardise Australia’s emissions reduction policies. The Australia Institute’s Polly Hemming unpacked what climate integrity really is, and why it is the antidote to the Australian government’s state-sponsored greenwash. This was recorded on Wednesday 15th February 2023 and things
January 2023
Summer Series – Offsetting Us Up To Fail: The myths of ‘nature markets’ explained [Webinar]
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2022. Australian governments have committed to tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises but continue to subsidise and approve fossil fuels and habitat destruction. While simple policy solutions exist, governments are instead relying on over-complicated market-based solutions to conceal the
Summer Series – Pulling the Climate trigger: Environment Laws Fit for a Crisis [Webinar]
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2022. Last year, the Greens introduced a bill to establish a ‘climate trigger’ in Australia’s environment laws which would force the government to take into account the climate impacts of fossil fuel projects. This was recorded on Wednesday 21st September
Summer Series – Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum 2022 [Webinar]
Our summer podcast series brings you some of the best conversations from our webinars in 2022. Pacific Island nations are on the front line of climate change, and as Australia celebrates the passage of the 43% climate bill, Pacific leaders want to know that the new Australian Government’s improved rhetoric on climate is matched by
November 2022
Climate policies the Government could deliver at COP27
Climate is dominating headlines worldwide as COP27, the United Nations annual climate conference, begins in Egypt.
October 2022
It’s a No-Brainer!
Gas companies in Australia made up to $40 billion in windfall profits in the last year due to the war in Ukraine, and global price spikes. There are growing calls for a windfall profits tax to claw back some of these war profits, to fund essential services in Australia. This was recorded on Tuesday 18th
Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum 2022 [Webinar]
Pacific Island nations are on the front line of climate change, and as Australia celebrates the passage of the 43% climate bill, Pacific leaders want to know that the new Australian Government’s improved rhetoric on climate is matched by policy integrity when it comes to new gas and coal projects and exports. Join Their Excellencies
September 2022
Safeguarding the ability to increase emissions
Labor’s climate bill cleared the Senate last week. It’s a pretty modest bill, and doesn’t include any measures to actually reduce emissions in the private sector. That’s where the Safeguard Mechanism comes in – which is a voluntary scheme that affects the nation’s biggest industrial emitters, and is the Government’s main policy it will use
August 2022
A Dumping Ground for Inefficient Cars
New research by the Australia Institute shows that $5.9 billion in fuel costs would have been saved and emissions equivalent to a year’s worth of domestic flights would have been avoided, if robust fuel efficiency standards were adopted in 2015. This was recorded on Wednesday 17th August 2022 and things may have changed since recording.
The First Fortnight of the 47th Parliament
We are nearly at the end of the first sitting fortnight of the 47th Parliament, and it has been a packed agenda. This week we’re unpacking quick recap of how much things have changed in this new Parliament, and what changes are likely on the horizon. This was recorded live on Wednesday 3rd August 2022
July 2022
Follow the Money LIVE!
For this special live episode of Follow the Money, the panel will be discussing: A New Agenda for a New Parliament: Climate Action, International Affairs & Integrity – Yes Please! bringing together diverse knowledge on all fronts of climate & energy, international & security affairs, and integrity issues. This was recorded on Wednesday 13th July
General Enquiries
Emily Bird Office Manager
mail@australiainstitute.org.au
Media Enquiries
David Barnott-Clement Media Advisor