by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in the Canberra Times, 02 November 2019] In his government’s latest free-speech crackdown, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has vowed to outlaw civil society groups campaigning against Australian businesses that work with companies with dubious environmental, human rights or ethical records. Morrison’s plan would criminalise, for example, the thousands of young people

by Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 16 October 2019] When Barnaby Joyce starts making more sense about inequality than Scott Morrison, you know the Coalition is heading for choppy waters. In July, the former Nationals leader suggested that the unemployment benefit needed to rise significantly. “Certainly $555 or thereabouts a fortnight is difficult, especially

by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 02 October 2019] Teams full of similar people underperform. While sameness can create cohesion, cookie-cutter teams can’t successfully compete with diverse teams that can draw on a broad range of talents, perspectives and insights. At least that’s what empirical data from lefty organisations including McKinsey, Credit Suisse and the IMF have to

Research released today by The Australia Institute shows that preparations have not begun on parts of the Adani royalty deal, which is due for completion on Monday 30 September. Key findings The Adani royalty deal allows Adani to defer royalty payments and pay them back at discount interest rates. Estimates for the value royalty-related subsidies to Adani range from

by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia, 04 September 2019] Are free markets more important than free speech? We aren’t supposed to ask such questions because each of those libertarian goals was supposed to reinforce the other. But they clearly don’t, so it’s time to take a closer look at what “freedom” really means

New research from The Australia Institute shows that the vast majority of Australians (84%) support the introduction of rigorous truth in political advertising laws, which could force untruthful claims to be removed or retracted during election campaigns or see political parties that breach the law hit with fines or reductions in their public funding. That

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

Crossbench MPs and Senators have joined with eminent retired Judges and corruption fighters to call for the Federal Government to legislate for a National Integrity Commission – but one that has real teeth. In particular, the Coalition Government’s proposed NIC model is deficient in two key areas: the inability to hold public hearings if the

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

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

What if money didn’t matter much in Australian politics? Clive Palmer just spent $53 million on ads for his United Australia Party and had zero candidates elected. The Greens spent about $320,000 and elected six senators and Adam Bandt in the lower house. Voices for Indi, after electing Cathy McGowan in 2013 and 2016, just

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 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

The Australia Institute has released new research showing that the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) caused ecological harm and reduced water to irrigators when it caused floods at the ‘Barmah choke’ and drained the Menindee Lakes. “While everyone else in the Basin was dealing with drought, the MDBA created a flood and lost large volumes

by Ebony Bennett[Originally published in The Canberra Times, 01 June 2019] I come not to bury polls, but to praise them. While everyone – including the polling companies it seems – was shocked by the election results, the media and the public are learning the same lessons that political parties have had to. And it’s

by Richard Denniss[Originally Published on Guardian Australia, 29 May 2019] While Australian political debate has never seemed more sharply divided, the philosophical lines between left and right have never seemed more blurred. The economy is always in transition, and people are always losing and finding jobs, but – after decades of the right being contemptuous

by Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 27 May 2019] There’s no doubt the Adani coal mine helped the Liberal National Party win votes in North Queensland but there’s also no doubt it helped them lose a lot of votes – and economic credibility – in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. And while the triumphalism of

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

The Liberal Party is losing grip on their ‘better economic manager’ brand recognition with young voters (18-34 year olds) overwhelmingly rating the Labor Party as the better economic manager in Government. Key Findings: o   Young people rated the Labor Party better economic managers in government than the Coalition. 44% aged 18-24 rated the Labor

Almost four in ten voters think that a re-elected Coalition Government would try to cut company tax for big business, even after being explicitly told the Coalition Government had announced they would no longer pursue big business company tax cuts. Respondents were told that last year then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the Coalition Government

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

The Australia Institute has released new analysis of the controversial $80 million water deal between the Department of Agriculture and Water under then-Minister Barnaby Joyce and a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands. The analysis shows the close collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and the company selling the water, Eastern Australia

by Ebony Bennett,[Originally published in The Canberra Times, 04 May 2019] Trust in politicians is at an all-time low, the national debate is coarse and toxic, and the bar for what is judged politically acceptable is so low now that it feels like a cockroach could clear it. It’s not unique to this election, but

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,426 Australians between April 11-18 April 2019, about which current and recent Ministers and Shadow Ministers they have heard of. Key Findings: Bill Shorten (77%) has pipped Scott Morrison (75%) as most recognised leader Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is recognised by 28% of voters, while