February 2020
Massive Facial Recognition Hack Highlights Need to Call Pause
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: Superannuation Tax Concessions Big, Getting Bigger and Unfair
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
Child Classifications Must Include Gambling in Computer Games
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
January 2020
Survey Reveals: Bushfires Cost 1.8 million Work Days, Leave 5 Million Sick from Smoke
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
December 2019
‘It’s the Thought That Counts’ – $980m of Christmas gifts will go to waste: The Australia Institute
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
Digital Platforms Response Business as Usual for Big Tech
“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
The People vs Tech
There is a growing awareness globally that unregulated technological development is not delivering on its promise to transform the world for the better. The Australia Institute 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, on Wednesday 20 November 2019.
Kimberley Extreme Heat Forecast: Unprecedented Rise of Days Over 40°C
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
South Australians Overwhelmingly Reject Allowing Poker Machines to Accept Notes
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
November 2019
Public Supports Tighter Social Media Controls over Elections
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
Hydrogen Haste: Australia Institute Research Reveals Highly Inflated Figures
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
New Research Shows Public Concern Over Data Harvesting
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.
Australia Institute Launches New Responsible Tech Initiative
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
Majority of Tasmanians want Medevac Law to Stay: Polling
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
Poll: Land Tax Aggregation Supported by 4 in 5 South Australians
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 –
October 2019
If economics is a science, why isn’t it being more helpful?
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on Guardian Australia, 30 October 2019] The Government’s top two economic advisers are in stark disagreement about something straight forward: whether the Australian economy would benefit from a bigger budget deficit or not. The Governor of the Reserve Bank says he is running out of room to cut interest rates any
University-to-Job Pathways Key to Boosting Graduate Employment Outcomes
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
Morrison’s government is spinning its wheels
by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 21 October 2019] As the black sheep in a family of car enthusiasts, I know that if you brake and put your foot on the accelerator at the same time there’s a lot of noise and smoke, but you end up spinning your wheels. For some time
Nuclear Power Uninsurable and Uneconomic in Australia
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
Scott Morrison is a master at shifting responsibility. But even God can’t help him now
by Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 16 October 2019] When Barnaby Joyce starts making more sense about inequality than Scott Morrison, you know the Coalition is heading for choppy waters. In July, the former Nationals leader suggested that the unemployment benefit needed to rise significantly. “Certainly $555 or thereabouts a fortnight is difficult, especially
Aggregating Land Tax Good Policy but Cuts Go Too Far: Australia Institute
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
Attack of the clones: Australia’s reign by older white men is an offence on us all
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 02 October 2019] Teams full of similar people underperform. While sameness can create cohesion, cookie-cutter teams can’t successfully compete with diverse teams that can draw on a broad range of talents, perspectives and insights. At least that’s what empirical data from lefty organisations including McKinsey, Credit Suisse and the IMF have to
September 2019
See What You Made Me Do With Jess Hill
A new book, “See What you Made Me Do” by Walkley-award winning investigative journalist Jess Hill looks at the national emergency that is domestic violence or what Jess now calls domestic abuse. Trigger warning: some of the content we are going to discuss and the clips of various government anti-violence campaigns may be upsetting for
Can we have faith in the government’s religious discrimination agenda?
by Ebony Bennett[Originally Published in The Canberra Times, 07 September 2019] Australia has a government in search of an agenda and the religious discrimination bill is a poorly drafted solution in search of a problem. Following the passage of the income tax cuts package, the only policy discussed in any detail by the Coalition during
If Alan Jones is free to speak, in a free market his sponsors are too
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 04 September 2019] Are free markets more important than free speech? We aren’t supposed to ask such questions because each of those libertarian goals was supposed to reinforce the other. But they clearly don’t, so it’s time to take a closer look at what “freedom” really means
How we have sold ourselves short
by Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 02 September 2019] Neoliberalism has made Australia more fragile, fractious and open to foreign influence. We talk a lot about the rise of Chinese influence but there’s less discussion about the decline in our national self-confidence. Despite living in the world’s 14th largest economy with some
Paid Parental Leave for Fathers Advances Parental Equality
Rising pressure on individuals and families to meet their caring needs is the “human face” of decline in workplace protections and bargaining power that has gathered pace since 2013. Meanwhile, the need for fathers and male spouses to take on more caring and household labour is routinely discussed in the public domain. But how have Australia’s work/care policies worked to support a redistribution of caring and household labour to males and fathers?
August 2019
Iceland Shows the Way to Parental Equality with Fathers Leave
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
July 2019
New Figures Show Bottom 40% Going Backwards
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
Canberra shows Australia: Progressive policies nationally popular and proven to work
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
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