June 2019
Income Tax Cuts: Largest Single Budget Measure Not to Face a Senate Inquiry
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
How Good Is The Economy?
Two months ago, the Treasurer delivered a budget with rosy economic figures – what the hell happened? Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at The Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Contributors: Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAI Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff Producer: Jennifer Macey // @jennifermacey // Additional editing by Lizzie Jack. Title Track: Jonathan
Modern conservatives don’t fear social change, they just oppose it when it undermines their friends
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 26 June 2019] The modern conservatives often seem afraid of new technology. They act as though renewable energy, battery storage and electric cars will take us down the path to blackouts, economic ruin and, of course, the end of weekends as we know them. But if recent
Men will get almost twice the benefit from later stages of unlegislated income tax cuts as women: new research
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 can Follow Finland to Reverse TAFE and Training Crisis
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
WTF2050 Episode 13 – Andrew McPhail – Independent Film Producer
Andrew introduces us to the term ‘weightless exports’ – think digital services and games rather than wood or food. Inspired Leanne and Anna sat down with Paris Buttfield-Addison, cofounder of Hobart based Secret Lab – Secret Lab builds video games and mobile apps, and teaches game and app development through books and online training. Secret
WTF2050 Episode 11 – Louise Morris – Insect Farmer, Rebel Foods, Derby Tasmania
Louise’s insects are on the standing menu at MONA Faros restaurant, as featured on many fine menu’s across Tasmania. Her Protein Plus Nut Butter blends stocked at East Coast Village Providore (St Helens) and newly opened Derby Providore. In this episode Anna & Leanne discover organic insect farming from inside a shipping container on a
WTF2050 Episode 10 – Rosie Martin – Speech Pathologist, Criminologist And Tasmanian Of The Year 2017
Rosie Martin – speech pathologist, criminologist and Tasmanian of The Year 2017, starred in our first series of WTF2050 where shared her big idea – no prison (as we know them in 2050), to emphasize rehabilitation not punishment. To expand on the theme we spent a morning at Risdon Prison with inmates taking part in
WTF2050 Episode 9 – Sally Warhaft – Broadcaster, Anthropologist And Host Of The Wheeler Centre’s Fifth Estate
As a close political watcher and mother of twins Sally has spent a lot of time thinking about how far #metoo has gotten us and she shares her bold idea for 2050, one that could transform the lives of little girls everywhere. Wheeler Centre
WTF2050 Episode 8 – Luke McGregor – Comedian And Writer
Renewables, podcast voices and the pitfalls of being a super hero. Star of ABC TV’s Rosehaven and Utopia, Luke has become one of Australia’s most sought after comedians. Leanne and Anna caught up with Luke in his second home, Melbourne. Rosehaven Trailer
May 2019
Health Costs Outpace Inflation
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
April 2019
Getting a go’ isn’t the same as getting a fair go
by Ebony Bennett[Originally published on The Canberra Times, 22 April 2019] Australia is having a huge national debate about taxes and tax reform that’s mostly missing the point. There’s too much focus on costings and not enough analysis of who is getting the biggest slice of pie – here’s a hint: it’s not those struggling
Politicians are like magicians, tricking us into looking at the wrong things
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on Guardian Australia, 17 April 2019] When a magician says you must look carefully at the cards that they’re shuffling, they don’t want you to see what their assistant is doing. And when a politician tells you to focus on one key economic issue, it’s a sure thing they don’t want
Women get half the benefit from tax cuts compared to men
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
Research: ‘latte sippers’ and ‘chardonnay drinkers’ vote Liberal/National
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
March 2019
Australia’s gun lobby and its political donations laid bare
The footage was shocking: One Nation figures meeting with the National Rifle Association in the US in search of political donations, media support and strategic advice. Australians may be surprised to discover the gun lobby in Australia rivals the NRA in size and spending, according to Australia Institute research commissioned by Gun Control Australia. Most people have
Australia: More Guns Now Than Before Port Arthur
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.
Australian Gun Lobby as Large as US Gun Lobby
New research from the Australia Institute finds the Australian gun lobby is as large and spends as much on political campaigns per capita as the National Rifle Association does in the USA. The new Australia Institute report, commissioned by Gun Control Australia, also find that these pro-gun lobby groups are also utilising alternative political strategies
The reason women were locked out of the budget
by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 23 March 2019] Australia has never had a federal treasurer who wasn’t a man and has had more finance ministers named John than female finance ministers. It doesn’t take an economics degree to know those numbers are a problem. With the federal budget near, we learned this
Stagnant pay is pulling us all down
Like a dog that doesn’t know what to do when it catches the car it’s been chasing, the business community doesn’t seem to know what to do now they’ve pushed wages growth to record lows and the profit share of GDP to all-time highs. While some might read the room, bank their gains and mouth some platitudes about sharing said gains, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and the Coalition are not for turning.
The world has changed but the agenda of Australia’s tribal right has not
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 6 March 2019] Interests ahead of ideas, friends before philosophy, denial instead of debate. The desperate rush by “law and order” conservatives to defend a child rapist has shown there is no principle that the right of Australian politics won’t abandon in order to protect one of their inner
February 2019
Cashed-up retirees getting a refund for tax they never paid? We’ve hit peak rort
by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 20 Feb 2019] It’s hard to believe that anyone who receives larges cheques from the government can call themselves a “self-funded” retiree, but hey, this is modern Australia and powerful groups get to call themselves whatever they want. Sure, the full age pension is only $23,823.80 per
January 2019
Online Harassment and Cyberhate costs Australians $3.7b
New research from The Australia Institute estimates the cost of online harassment and cyberhate to have cost Australians an estimated total of $3.7 billion dollars in health costs and lost income. Key findings: More than one in three of all internet users have experienced some form of online harassment or abuse. The most common were
Australia, we have bigger issues to tackle than boardies and thongs
by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in The Canberra Times, 26.01.19] Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and forcing 537 councils to conduct citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. And it’s stinking hot. What could be more Australian than a nationwide ban on shorts and thongs as we confer citizenship on our newest Aussies during
Rebuilding Vocational Training in Australia
Australia’s manufacturing sector has been experiencing an important and welcome rebound during the last two years. The turnaround has been documented and analysed in previous Centre for Future Work research (including studies published in 2017 and 2018 as part of the National Manufacturing Summit, co-sponsored by the Centre).
Coalition Facing Uphill Battle in Boothby
New analysis from The Australia Institute has found that nearly one in five Liberal voters in Boothby are now less likely to vote for the party after Malcolm Turnbull was dumped as Prime Minister. Furthermore, the majority of Boothby voters support increased spending on health and education over tax cuts and register overwhelming support for
December 2018
Dead Right With Richard Denniss
Welcome to Follow The Money’s summer special series! If you’re taking a break this summer, but still crave a political fix, settle in a listen to the ‘best of’ from the Australia Institute’s live politics in the pub events this year. In his Quarterly Essay, Dead Right, Richard Denniss talks about how neoliberalism ate itself,
10 Year Anniversary Of The Stimulus Package With Wayne Swan Tanya Plibersek And Jim Chalmers
Welcome to Follow The Money’s summer special series! If you’re taking a break this summer, but still crave a political fix, settle in a listen to the ‘best of’ from the Australia Institute’s live politics in the pub events this year. Ten years after the global financial crisis, Wayne Swan, Tanya Plibersek and Jim Chalmers
Professor Joseph Stiglitz Winner Of Sydney Peace Prize 2018
Welcome to Follow The Money’s summer special series! If you’re taking a break this summer, but still crave a political fix, settle in a listen to the ‘best of’ from the Australia Institute’s live politics in the pub events this year. In this episode you will hear from Nobel laureate economist and winner of the
Yes, Yes, Yes With Alex Greenwich MP, Dr Shirleen Robinson & Senator Sarah Hanson Young
Welcome to Follow The Money’s summer special series! If you’re taking a break this summer, but still crave a political fix, settle in a listen to the ‘best of’ from the Australia Institute’s live politics in the pub events this year. In this second episode of our summer series and one year on from the
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