Climate of the Nation 2021 shows concern about climate change is at record highs and a majority of Australians support phasing out fossil fuels and electrifying appliances in their homes.

Today’s episode examines carbon offsets, in other words, the credits companies can buy to offset their emissions. The Australia Institute, together with the Australian Conservation Foundation did a bit of digging into Australia’s offsets system and found some alarming things. Recorded live on 5 October 2021 The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy

Exploring the economic, political and strategic implications of Australia dumping a $90 billion French submarine program to secure a deal with the US and UK for nuclear-powered submarines.

Extracting gas from the Northern Territory through hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is one of the largest potential sources of carbon pollution in the world. In this episode we explore the climate cost of a potential policy backflip on opening up the NT to fracking, as well as the community opposition and the economics of it all.

Recorded live on 24 February 2021 as part of the Australia Institute webinar series. Professor Ross Garnaut is an economist and author of new book Reset – which explores the opportunity Australia has to reset its economy in the wake of the pandemic. Warning: there is a bit of feedback on the audio for the

The sixth IPCC assessment report sounded the alarm on the climate crisis, finding that human activity is changing the Earth’s climate in “unprecedented” ways, with some of the changes now inevitable and “irreversible”. We unpack the latest report and the urgency of change with Richie Merzian and Alia Armistead from the Australia Institute’s climate &

The EU has announced it will introduce a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as part of its efforts to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This has big implications for the Australian economy, especially carbon intensive expor industries. This week we talk to Richie Merzian and Hannah Melville Rea about what CBAMs are, how they

When the University of Newcastle appointed the Chair of Whitehaven Coal as its new Chancellor, it prompted a swift and public backlash from students, staff, philanthropists and alumni. Join our chief economist Richard Denniss as he unpacks the problems with the university’s decision, the community who challenged that decision and why Vaile ended up resigning

There has been an enormous surge in the sale of utes, due to the instant asset write-off in the Budget. But just how effective is this in terms of stimulating economic growth and creating jobs? Dig into the details and find out how we’re spending billions of dollars to make our car fleet bigger, heavier

Not the federal budget, the carbon budget. Prime Minister Scott Morrison keeps telling world leaders Australia will ‘meet and beat’ its Paris target and that Australia is ‘leading the world’ on emissions reduction, but if you dig into the carbon accounts the numbers tell a different story. Join Richie Merzian and Polly Hemming from the

Exactly how much do governments hand out to fossil fuel companies every year?

Why are new coal mines like melting ice cream? In today’s episode, Richard Denniss explains the economics of coal, why Malcolm Turnbull has been in trouble with the Liberals and why we need to pause approvals of new coal mines. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guest: Richard Denniss, chief economist,

In our summer special series, we bring you some of our favourite guests from the Australia Institute’s webinar series in 2020. In this episode, Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Program director at the Australia Institute speakers with Matt Kean, NSW Minister for Energy and the Environment to launch the Australia Institute’s Climate of the Nation

Let’s face it, 2020 has been a bit of a nightmare. This week, in our final episode of the year, Ebony Bennett and Richard Denniss revisit some of the Australia Institute’s predictions back in March 2020 and reflect on the way Australia’s economy and politics have changed this year in response to the pandemic. Mild

The SA and VIC governments have announced a new electric vehicle tax – in other words, a great big new tax on clean air. In today’s episode we explain why this EV tax is terrible idea and unpack some of the arguments for and against it. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

The ‘gas-fired recovery’ is supposed to help Australia’s manufacturing industry by freeing up new supply. But the Australia Institute’s research shows the days of cheap gas are over. www.tai.org.au Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor // @MarkOgge Producer: Jennifer Macey Theme music is by Jonathan McFeat

In this episode we unpack what a Biden Administration means for climate and foreign policy in Australia, with Richie Merzian and Allan Behm. The Australia Institute // @theAusinstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Richie Merzian, director Climate & Energy Program // @richiemerzian Allan Behm, director International & Security Affairs program

Gas is promoted as a transitional fuel, but in this episode we explore just how polluting gas really is with Richie Merzian and Tom Swann from the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program.The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstituteHost: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests: Richie Merzian, Climate & Energy Director at the

Fight for Planet A is the newest TV series from Craig Reucassel, a three-part documentary exploring the challenges of climate change, where our energy comes from, the health effects of transport and the carbon footprint of what we eat. It offers practical solutions for people to implement at home but as Craig points out, action

For over eighty years, Australia and East Timor have been joined together, mostly in conflict and struggle. The latest conflict is playing out in a secret court case and involves Australian lawyer Bernard Collaery and a former ASIS officer turned whistleblower Witness K. Both have been accused of communicating protected intelligence information after disclosing an

There are so many reasons for Australia to transition to electric vehicles, but despite warnings that Australia could be left behind without stronger policy direction regarding EVs, little progress has been made. In contrast, Norway is a world leader in EV policy.  Recorded live on 20 August as part of the Australia Institute’s Economics of

In this, our 100th episode of Follow the Money, we celebrate with a special look back at some of our special guests, some of our favourite highlights, worst jokes and some of the interesting topics we’ve covered in the past 99 episodes. Our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners – we’re looking forward to the

In this second of our two-part episode on gas, we explore the flaws in the cost benefit analysis of the Santos’ Narrabri gas project in NSW and why it doesn’t stack up economically, environmentally or to create jobs, with Rod Campbell, research director at the Australia Institute.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute

In this episode UN chief economist Elliott Harris talks about why it’s risky to withdraw fiscal stimulus too soon and why a clean green recovery makes sense for the long term, in conversation with Richie Merzian, director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program. Part of the Australia Institute’s Economics of a Pandemic webinar

In this first of a two-part episode on gas, we explore why subsidising the gas industry is a poor option for economic recovery and explore the issues related to Santos’ Narrabri gas project in NSW with Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor at the Australia Institute.www.tai.org.auHost: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennettGuests:Mark Ogge

As the pandemic interrupted global supply chains a lot of focus has shifted back onto Australia’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and what Australia has the capacity to make and manufacture onshore and research shows we’re lagging behind. In this episode we talk about the opportunities for manufacturing and why it’s vital to the economic success of

In this week’s episode we explain how two changes to the rules of the National Electricity Market (NEM) will help reduce electricity bills, cut emissions, pave the way for more renewable energy and storage in the grid AND improve grid stability. It’s win-win-win-win. Host: Ebony Bennett, deputy director of the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett // @theausinstitute Guests: Dan Cass, energy

The government has been talking as if it understood Keynesian economics, but its reaction to the $60 billion JobKeeper black hole shows they clearly do not think or act like Keynesians. Richard Denniss unpacks the spectacular failure of policy and accountability, as well as explaining what Keynesians economics actually means.Visit tai.org.au for our latest pandemic

In this episode we talk to Zali Steggall, the independent member for Warringah, about the role of climate action in rebuilding after the pandemic, with Richie Merzian the director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program. From the Australia Institute’s ‘Economics of a Pandemic’ webinar series.Visit tai.org.au for all our latest research and analysisHost: