As fire ant numbers surge across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, new research shows Queensland households could be hit with an annual bill of $188 million, if they are not eradicated. The report, released by the Australia Institute, estimates that, if fire ants are allowed to spread, every year they could cause six deaths, trigger 116,000 medical visits and

A group of Australia’s leading climate and environment organisations have signed an open letter, coordinated by the Australia Institute and published today in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times, calling on the federal government to tell Australians when it will stop approving new coal, oil and gas projects. The open letter

The approval of three new coal mines in the Hunter Valley, during a rapidly escalating climate crisis, is shocking given the federal government’s stated commitment to climate action, the Australia Institute has said. Key Points: The federal government has approved three coal mines in the Hunter Valley Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri Underground Mine Stage 3 Extension

The Western Australian Government’s changes to the state’s domestic gas policy give companies more opportunities to export gas and further reduce domestic gas supply, said The Australia Institute. Key Findings: Exports of gas are threatening the stability of WA’s gas market. The policy changes announced today allow more of WA’s domestic onshore gas to be

The mining industry had a pre-election sook last week about government policy, but its claims about being the ‘backbone’ of the economy are more spin than substance.

The State of the Environment Report released today shows that Tasmania’s unique environmental assets have been severely impacted by years of neglect from the state government, the Australia Institute has said. Key Findings: The Tasmanian Government has released the first State of the Environment Report in 15 years. The report shows that the Government has

Barely a week goes by without another shrill headline about a supposed gas shortage and alarmist claims that the lights will go out unless multinational companies are allowed to extract more gas.

Whenever you see these headlines or hear scary claims from the gas lobby, there are two things you need to know.

Australia Institute research has shown that there is no shortage of gas in Australia, in either the short or medium term, and that it is gas exports that are putting pressure on domestic supply. Continued attempts by the gas industry to claim a domestic shortage while expanding gas exports show that there is no shortage of

Mining companies love to talk about how much they contribute to Australia’s economy. But really their biggest “contribution” is their profits – and they want to keep more of those.

The mining industry is now surely the biggest whinger in the Australian economy. This week it launched an all-out assault on the federal government at Minerals Week in Canberra, with chief executive of the mining industry’s chief lobby group the Minerals Council, Tania Constable, warning the government: “Undermine it at your peril.” Relative to its

This week, a private member’s bill to end native forest logging was up for debate. It sought to repeal legislation that exempts logging in much of Australia’s public forest estate from our national environment laws.

Claims from the mining industry that they are significant funders of public services in Australia are overblown, ignore the fact that their profits are made off the back of public resources, and are heavily publicly subsidised, the Australia Institute has said. Key Points: Taxes and royalties paid by the mining industry make up just 5 cents

The Fuel Tax Credits Scheme should be scrapped for the mining industry, not farmers, the Australia Institute has said in response to calls at today’s National Farmer Rally to keep the tax rebate for the agricultural industry. Key Findings: The Fuel Tax Credits Scheme, also called the Diesel Fuel Rebate, is a subsidy for fossil

Plans to import LNG to Australia reveal the extraordinary failure of consecutive Australian governments to stand up to multinational gas corporations, the Australia Institute has said. Key Points: Australia is one of the biggest exporters of gas in the world, alongside Qatar. Around 80% of Australia’s gas is exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Over

While the gas industry has been busy trying to tell you that we need more gas, we’ve been busy countering their spin with facts, especially in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. However, not everyone is as enthusiastic as we are for the message to get out. A billboard too far? We wanted to let

In the wake of the Reserve Bank’s latest forecasts, Treasurer Jim Chalmers is facing calls that government should cut back on infrastructure investment to relieve inflation pressures and free up workers and resources to build much-needed housing.

$41b of committed resource and energy infrastructure projects is soaking up construction capacity that could otherwise be used to build essential infrastructure, such as housing and roads.

Motorists pay almost 32 times more in vehicle registration than the gas industry pays in royalties in the Northern Territory, according to new Australia Institute research.

A tobacco-style ban on fossil fuel advertising would be a decisive win for Australia – and the climate.

Tasmania’s Government has failed to publish a State of the Environment Report since 2009,
despite having a legal obligation to do so every five years.

Canberra doesn’t really have a fossil fuel industry, which perhaps explains why we lead the country in decarbonising our economy.

The faux-debate over nuclear energy is a distraction from the main game – reducing our emissions to address the climate crisis, says Greg Jericho.

The Coalition’s nuclear ‘plan’ is a cynical, Trump-like distraction – so why does the media (and this podcast) fall for the trap?

The Minerals Council recently released an ad promoting the coal industry in Australia, which uses some figures that don’t stack up.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has just approved a new coal seam gas pipeline in Queensland.

Every single year in Australia over 200,000 tonnes of textile waste go to landfill, and more than 100,000 tonnes are shipped overseas. Australia must somehow scale this 300,000-tonne mountain of clothing if the nation is to make the textile industry circular by 2030.

Leading environment and policy groups are calling on the Tasmanian Government to make the decade-long-delayed State of the Environment Report public before several key financial and planning decisions are made by the government and the parliament later this year.

“We are recommending a tax on fast fashion to protect Australian businesses and also protect the environment.”