New research from The Australia Institute has shown that South Australians consider the privatisation of their energy network to be the number one reason for the increasing cost of electricity. Price gouging from power companies was considered the second most likely cause of increasing energy costs, according to the survey. Key findings; –          40% of

The Australia Institute has welcomed NOPSEMA’s decision to knock-back Equinor’s plans to drill exploratory oil wells in the Great Australian Bight. “NOPSEMA have made the right decision in knocking-back this application. BP and Chevron have already been sent packing and now the other companies lining up to exploit the Bight should take the message and

The Marshall Government’s 2019-20 Budget, which doubles down on tax cuts for wealthy property investors while slugging regular South Australians with increased fees and charges, is a disappointing missed opportunity, independent think tank The Australia Institute says. “Increased fees and cuts to services are the price South Australians are being forced to pay because of

New research from The Australia Institute has found that two out of three voters want the State Government to make up the $517 million GST shortfall announced in the Federal Budget by increasing taxes on wealthier South Australians and property investors. The least popular way for the government to balance the books in its upcoming

New research from The Australia Institute highlights four steps governments can take to improve the management of the Murray Darling Basin: Emergency water allocation to the dairy industry Develop policies to ensure diversity in Basin agriculture A federal Royal Commission or federal ICAC investigation Pause the Basin Plan The Institute’s proposal has been backed by

New research from The Australia Institute has found that young voters and their strong interest in tackling global warming could be a significant factor at the next election in South Australia, across both the Lower House and the Senate. More than half (55%) of South Australians aged 18 to 24-years-old ranked policies around tackling climate

New research from The Australia Institute, released just weeks out from the Federal Election, shows that a majority of South Australian voters want the government to mobilise all of society, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”, to tackle global warming. The state-wide polling also found that a majority of South Australians support a

The much-hyped ‘North/South divide’ on climate action is a political misconception, according to new research from The Australia Institute. The research shows that the majority of Australian voters across states and poltical allegiance are concerned by climate change, and want the Government to mobilise on the issue, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”. Key

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians in 2018 and in 2019 about their views towards issues surrounding the health and management of the Murray Darling Basin (MDB). Key Findings: A majority of Australians (55%) now consider the health of the Murray Darling Basin poor or very poor, up 18 percentage points

New research from The Australia Institute shows that South Australians overwhelmingly want a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin Plan (73%) and believe that irrigation businesses in the Darling Basin should not be allowed to draw water when mass fish kills and drinking water shortages are occurring downstream (84%). The research also reveals

New research from The Australia Institute shows that 60% of Australians are opposed to drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, while the rate of opposition amongst South Australians is even higher at 68%. The first ever national poll on the issue found that only one in five Australians, and 16% of South Australians,

Australia Institute research shows that the Marshall Government should heed the call of the South Australian Council of Social Services and delay the introduction of their tax cut for property investors. “With the state facing a growing revenue shortfall, which puts the funding of public services like health and education under strain, the tax cut

New polling from The Australia Institute shows that more than two thirds of South Australian voters (69%) want to see the state transition to 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. A majority of voters for all parties listed, including the Coalition and One Nation, support the policy. “Renewable energy is extraordinarily popular in South

New polling from The Australia Institute shows South Australians overwhelmingly think increasing funding for public services is a far more effective policy for encouraging jobs and economic growth than the SA Government’s land tax cut for property investors. The government’s cuts to land tax, which take effect in 2020, will increase the tax-free threshold while

The number of extreme heat days over 35°c and 40°c will increase dramatically across the South East of South Australia unless more is done to tackle global warming, according to new research from The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative which uses BoM and CSIRO climate projections. HeatWatch – Extreme Heat in South East SA shows that

A new Environment Plan from international energy company Equinor, released today, shows that an oil spill in the Great Australian Bight could reach South Australian, Victorian and Tasmanian coastlines while also hitting Kangaroo Island. The modelling has been released after a leaked document from the same company on the same drilling site in November of

New legal advice, sought by The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program, suggests the Underwriting New Generation Investment Program is unconstitutional and lacks the legislative basis to proceed. Key points · Legal advice received from Fiona McLeod SC and Lindy Barrett on 15 February 2019 finds that Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor does not have constitutional authority

E&OE TRANSCRIPT – PRESS CONFERENCE 31 January 2019, Parliament House, 2.30PM Rod Campbell, Research Director, The Australia Institute Maryanne Slattery, Senior Water Researcher, The Australia Institute Rod Campbell: Three things are clear from the Royal Commission’s report today. The first is that we need more water in the Murray-Darling Basin. Our rivers need more water.

Adelaide could experience nearly three times as many extreme heat days over 35 degrees by 2090, as well as 600% more days over 40 degrees, unless comprehensive action is undertaken to tackle global warming, according to new analysis from The Australia Institute’s HeatWatch initiative. The report, from The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program, uses

New research from The Australia Institute shows that South Australians strongly support electric vehicles and want governments at all levels to implement a range of policies that would encourage more electric vehicles onto our state’s roads. “We South Australians are well and truly ready for more electric vehicles on our roads and it’s high time

Newly released documents show the Commonwealth faces “unique fraud risks” in relation to the management of environmental water in the Murray Darling Basin. An audit written by Ernst and Young (EY) found the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, and the near $3.2 billion worth of water it controls, was at risk of being defrauded by state

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to poll the federal seat of Boothby (722 respondents) on the evening of 11 December 2018. Key Findings: 51/49 TPP favouring Liberal Party MP Nicolle Flint 83.6% of Boothby resident support giving the Great Australian Bight World Heritage Protection, with more than half (54.2%) of Boothby residents strongly supporting the

New Analysis from The Australia Institute has predicted that South Australia will play a key role in the next Federal Election, with a range of parties and candidates vying for a handful of seats in the Senate that will likely hold significant weight in balance of power outcomes in the new Parliament. “When it comes

New analysis from The Australia Institute has shown that the different designs of various anti-corruption bodies at a State level yield significantly different results and has reinforced the need for a proposed Federal body to have adequate resourcing and powers. A panel of former judges that make up The Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee have

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 64% of Australians support bringing genuine refugees to Australia who arrive by boat, only a quarter support indefinite detention on Nauru and Manus

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

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

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

The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct a survey of 1,031 residents across the federal electorate of Mayo on the evening of 5 June 2018.  The poll included a question about funding for the ABC. The results are released today. Key results: 74% of respondents think funding for the ABC should be increased or stay the

New analysis from the Australia Institute shows that South Australians are amongst those to benefit least from income tax cuts outlined in the 2018 federal budget, compared to the average Australian household. The figures represent the change in household disposable income (after tax income) as a percentage of change in the national average. Modelling also