UPDATED The interim results of an exit poll* of 1049 respondents in Wentworth, commissioned by the Australia Institute and undertaken by Lonergan Research, shows the Liberal primary vote collapsed primarily as a result of the community’s concern about the government’s support for coal and inaction on climate change.  “Prime Minister Scott Morrison once brought a

The repeated nature of the use of the Opera House sails to project night-time images that are potentially inconsistent with the design of the building or its values requires the matter to be referred to the Federal Environment Department under s68 of the EPBC Act, according to analysis by The Australia Institute. The Australia Institute

The Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee of retired judges and corruption fighters today welcomed Dr Kerryn Phelps announcement of her support for a National Integrity Commission. The National Integrity Committee published a design blueprint for a National Integrity Commission, which includes a broad jurisdiction and strong investigative powers, including public hearings. Former Victorian Court of

by Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute. [Published in the Australian Financial Review 02.10.18] Was the campaign by the banks to prevent a royal commission into their behaviour “political” in nature? Was the campaign by the Catholic Church to oppose same-sex marriage “political” in nature? And was the campaign by the mining industry to repeal

Community interests in the Lower Darling are being sacrificed for the profits of big corporations, according to new research by The Australia Institute. The report, Trickle Out Effect, shows the $13 billion dollar Murray Darling Basin Plan is facilitating the flow of money to powerful agribusiness at the expense of local communities, native title holders,graziers, downstream

The process for ABC Board appointments, including the appointment of the Chair, needs reform in order to depoliticise future appointments and protect the ABC’s independence. The Australia Institute has put forward five recommendations on how the appointment of the new Chair of the ABC Board and future Board appointments could be reformed. The report recommends

The Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee of former judges and corruption fighters is today meeting in Sydney to launch their Implementation Plan for a National Integrity Commission.  In the lead up to the Wentworth byelection, the committee has written to candidates calling for support from all parties of its plan to establish a federal corruption

A majority of Australians believe the Royal Commission into Banks and Financial Services has uncovered more wrong doing (70%) and is most important for Australians (65%) compared to the Royal Commission into Trade Unions, according to new polling from The Australia Institute.  Meanwhile, almost a third of Australians (31%) believe the Royal Commission into Trade

by Richard Denniss. [This article originally appeared on The Guardian Australia 19.09.2018] The royal commission Australia really needs is one into the spectacular – almost complete – failure of our regulators to protect the vulnerable from the greedy. While it is clear that many of our so-called watchdogs are little more than lap dogs, what

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seat of Hume (690 respondents) on the evening of 10 September. Key Findings: Liberal primary vote crashes to 39.7% (down from 53.83 at 2016 federal election) 47.8% think the National Energy Guarantee should include an emissions reduction target (39.3% No) 63.7% support a moratorium on building

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seat of Wentworth (886 respondents) on the evening of 27th August.  Key Findings: Liberal Party primary vote crashes to 39.6%, compared to 2016 election 62.3% primary vote (-22.7%) Liberal primary vote lower still (34.6%) when potential independent candidates named Majority of voters (62.5%) think Australia should move

by Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director of The Australia Institute. [This article originally appeard in The Canberra Times 24.08.18] I really enjoy the blood sport of Australian federal politics but I consider it a benign vice on my part, to be discussed only among consenting adults, mostly fellow Canberrans and people on Twitter. I confess I

The Australia Institute surveyed 1,557 Australians between 27 March and 7 April 2018 about which Commonwealth Ministers they recognised. Respondents could select any number of Ministers from a randomised list of the full cabinet, or “none of the above”. Download the polling brief for full details.  Nearly all Ministers are recognised by a third of respondents

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct a survey of 1,093 residents across Western Australian households on the evening of 13th August 2018. Key Findings: 2PP Liberal 55%, Labor 45% 28.6% of West Australians said they would consider voting for One Nation in the Senate, though One Nation primary vote stands at 7.5% (HoR) and

New analysis by The Australia Institute’s Revenue Watch initiative shows the company tax cut would represent a $39.5 billion gift to the big four banks over the first decade of the cut. Furthermore, new polling also released today shows a majority of voters (61%) think the Senate should block the company tax cuts for large

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Mayo (766 respondents) on the evening of Wednesday 25 July. Key Findings: 59/41 two-party preferred, favouring Centre Alliance candidate Rebekha Sharkie Only 27.7% support for cutting company tax rate for large business, while 65.8% want tax rate increased or kept same 63.5% oppose or

By Richard Denniss – Chief Economist at The Australia Institute.   [This article originally appeared in the Australian Financial Review on 24 September 2018] Wars are expensive and culture wars are no different. Indeed, the opportunity cost of Australia’s culture war is enormous as it comes at the expense of developing meaningful energy, broadband and tax

New polling shows Tony Abbott, Federal Member for Warringah, is out of touch with his electorate on issues of coal, renewable energy and climate change – and his electorate know it. The Australia Institute commissioned a ReachTEL poll of 615 people in the electorate of Warringah, which was conducted on 11 July 2018. Key results:

A majority of voters in Longman and Mayo oppose privatisation of the ABC. The Australia Institute commissioned a poll of 727 Longman and 736 Mayo residents conducted by ReachTEL on June 21st. Results:+ A majority of respondents in Mayo (74%) and Longman (58.7%) oppose selling off the ABC in Australia’s capital cities+ Opposition to privatisation

By Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute. [Read in The Australian Financial Reiew here] Confidence is silent and insecurities are loud. How else could you explain Sky TV commentator Rowan Dean’s need to credit “Western values” for the Thai junior soccer team’s successful rescue? In case you missed Dean’s comments – because, like most

By Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute. [View this article in the Australian Financial Review] Having abandoned the principles of small government, the right of Australian politics are now urging Australia to embrace Donald Trump’s attack on international agreements. Is there any institution these so-called “conservatives” aren’t willing to wreck in pursuit of

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Braddon (700 respondents) on the evening of Friday 6 July. Key Findings: A rise in the Labor primary vote to 36.3 (compared to 33% in a Sky ReachTel poll at the beginning of June) A fall in the Liberal primary vote to 42.9 (compared

Australians rate the ABC as increasingly important in an age of ‘fake news’ and social media new research shows. The Australia Institute commissioned a poll of 1,557 people which was conducted by Research Now between 27 March and 7 April 2018. Key results: Majority (68%) of respondents think the ABC is more important in an

By Richard Denniss, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute [Read in the Sydney Morning Herald here] Economic rationalism and neoliberalism are dead in Australia. In an unexpected twist, the idea that markets are good and governments are bad was killed by the right wing of Australian politics, who simply couldn’t resist the desire to shovel

A new national poll, conducted by The Australia Institute, has found a majority of Australians support placing a strict limit on the maximum salary for CEOs or executive staff, with four out of five saying CEOs are paid too much. The poll follows a report by The Australia Institute that showed ten years on from

The Victorian Government is attempting to pass a bill through the Legislative Council that will further weaken Victoria’s corruption watchdog IBAC. A briefing paper released today by the Australia Institute outlines the flaws in IBAC’s design and summarises the impact the bill will have on IBAC’s ability to hold public hearings. IBAC is one of

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seats of Mayo (736 respondents) and Longman (727 respondents) on the evening of Thursday June 21.  Key Findings: 50/50 TPP in Longman 62/38 TPP favouring Centre Alliance candidate Rebekah Sharkie in Mayo Mayo: 24.9% support for cutting company tax rate for large business (71% want tax