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

“More than any other state, Tasmanians live in and on the edges of the bush,” said Leanne Minshull, Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania. “As the severity of fires increase, so does the impact on our homes, our communities and our economy, we need to look at this problem holistically to have any chance of

“The Business Council of Australia proposal for an Investment Allowance deserves support,” said Ben Oquist, Executive Director of the Australia Institute. “Given the weakness of the Australian economy, with interest rates heading towards zero and monetary policy effectively being exhausted, other measures to stimulate the economy deserve support. “The BCA proposal should be supported at

by Richard Denniss[Originally published on Guardian Australia, 08 August 2019] Australia needs more regulation of the banks, more regulation of the aged care sector, more regulation of property developers, more regulation of the mining industry and more regulation of the way we use the water in our rivers. But conservatives are still calling for a

The Commonwealth Treasury raised eyebrows recently with a new research report that seemed to pin the blame for record-weak wage increases on workers’ reluctance to quit their jobs in search of better-paying alternatives. The report was presented to the recent conference of the Economic Society of Australia, and elicited gleeful headlines in conservative newspapers blaming “stubborn” workers for their own poor wage results.

The Tasmanian government may have forgone millions of dollars in potential revenue from the rapid growth in the fish farming industry according to a new report from The Australia Institute. Key Findings: Annual lease and licence fees paid by the salmon industry to the State Government, represented 0.1% of the total farm-gate production of the

Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that coal mines in Queensland receive a discount on royalty payments of up to 17% relative to similar mines in NSW. This effective subsidy could be increased under a State Government deal with Adani currently being negotiated. “Mines like Adani’s effectively get 17% of their coal for

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

by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 10 July 2019] The only time the business community pretends to take economics seriously is when they want to slash their taxes – or other people’s wages. The economic evidence to support the case for multimillion CEO bonuses is as weak as the economic evidence that cutting

by Richard Denniss[Originally publioshed in the Australian Financial Review, 09 July 2019] We need to reform the way we talk about reform. Unless we urgently implement “reform reform”, it’s likely that hard-working mums and dads will lose their jobs and life savings and, obviously, that would be the fault of the Labor Party. And the unions. And

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

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

by Ebony Bennett[Originally Published in The Canberra Times, 29 June 2019] You have to hand it to the Coalition. It says it hates Labor’s style of “class war” politics, but the reality is the conservative side of politics is just better at it. The Coalition has so radically reshaped our tax debate that earlier this

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

by Richard Denniss[Originally Published in the Australian Financial Review, 26 June 2019]Imagine if the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) conducted monetary policy the way the Morrison government conducted fiscal policy. Step one: publish optimistic forecasts of GDP and wage growth to create “confidence”. Step two: set interest rates five years down the track, based on

New Australia Institute analysis of the long term impacts of bracket creep shows that taxpayers are being over compensated for bracket creep at all income levels. The government has used bracket creep as a key reason why it needs to implement its income tax cuts package as outlined in the 2019 Budget. Key Findings: The

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

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 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

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

by Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 11 June 2019] How good is the Australian economy? Not very. It’s as if months of prime ministerial promises that the economy was strong had absolutely no impact on employers’ desire to boost wages or consumers’ ability to spend. GDP growth is at its lowest levels

New income distributional analysis from The Australia Institute senior economist Matt Grudnoff shows the Morrison Government’s proposed Stage 3(a) income tax cuts announced in the 2019-20 Federal Budget, to come into effect 2024-25, will overwhelmingly benefit high-income earners with over 50% of the benefit going to the top 20% of taxpayers, while the bottom half

The unexpected results of the 2019 Commonwealth election have sparked many commentaries regarding what happened, and why. This article, reprinted with permission from Workplace Express, considers the role of the major #ChangeTheRules campaign mobilised by Australian unions in the lead-up to the election – and ponders the movement’s next steps in the continuing debate over labour market policies and industrial relations. It cites both our Economist Alison Pennington, and our Director Jim Stanford, as well as our previous research on the erosion of collective bargaining in Australia.

The Fair Work Commission has announced a 3% hike in Australia’s national Minimum Wage, effective July 1, taking it to $19.49 per hour. That increase is lower than the 3.5% increase implemented last year.

Centre for Future Work Economist Alison Pennington recently gave a keynote address to hundreds of delegates at the ATIA International Taxi Conference, held this year in Gold Coast, QLD.

by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 17 May 2019] Bob Hawke is perhaps credited most often for his economic reforms, but he also leaves a tremendous legacy of protecting Earth’s wilderness. Without Bob Hawke, Antarctica would be a quarry, Tasmania’s iconic Franklin River would be flooded and Queensland’s Daintree rainforest would be a