A missed opportunity | Between the Lines
The Wrap with Dr Emma Shortis
What a missed opportunity.
Last night, the Australian Prime Minister had the chance to face reality. His address to the nation was a recognition that Australians are deeply worried about the state of the world – as they should be. Our world is in real trouble, and there is every indication that the trouble is going to get worse.
What the prime minister did not say is that this trouble lies at the feet of the President of the United States.
Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch
— Dr Emma Shortis is Director of The Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program.
The Big Stories
Gas Giveaway Tracker reveals $350 million a week lost as pressure mounts for gas export tax
Pressure is mounting on the Albanese Government to introduce a 25 per cent gas export tax, with new figures revealing Australia misses out on almost $350 million in revenue every week.
Cross-party and independent MPs and senators have thrown their support behind the proposal, joining the Australia Institute to launch its new Gas Giveaway Tracker.
“The longer the Parliament dithers, the more opportunities we miss out on to help Australians dealing with a cost-of-living crisis,” said Dr Richard Denniss, co-CEO of The Australia Institute.
Midnight Oil and Missy Higgins Lead Push for Gas Export Tax
Midnight Oil, Missy Higgins and around 150 other prominent musicians have added their voices to the growing chorus of Australians calling on the Albanese Government to introduce a 25 per cent tax on gas exports.
The Prime Minister is now being lobbied by some of his favourite musicians, including Angie McMahon, Ruby Fields, Amyl and The Sniffers and Aussie rock band King Stingray, his most-played artist for 2025.
Ocean Alley’s Mitch Galbraith, whose song “Life in Love” was one of the PM’s personal picks for the triple j Hottest 100 for 2025, delivered a simple message.
“Come on mate, everyone wants that tax and it’s only going to make our communities greener and fairer,” he said.
ACOSS backs gas export tax as momentum builds across parliament
Australia’s peak council for community services ACOSS has joined the torrent of support including the Greens and independent members of parliament for a 25% levy on gas exports, originally proposed by the ACTU.
“We need a 25 per cent levy on gas exports, not a temporary windfall profit tax, to guarantee fair public returns now and into the future,” said ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie.
“It would generate up to $17 billion per year to invest in energy affordability and renewables, adequate income support payments, health, housing and community services. It’s time for gas companies to pay their fair share and use the funds to help the people doing it toughest.
“We urge all parliamentarians to listen to the people of Australia and back a 25% levy on gas exports.”
Fuel costs and RBA hikes equal to a 90 basis point rate rise: ‘this is brutal’
“Combined with the 50 basis points rise in February and March in less than 2 months households are paying the equivalent of a 90 basis point rise in interest rates.
“That. Is. Brutal,” writes Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute, in The Point.
A real wage increase in the Minimum Wage won’t cause inflation to rise
News came out last week that the Government’s submission to the Fair Work Commission for the annual wage review will recommend an “economically sustainable real wage increase” for the National Minimum Wage and the Modern Awards.
The Win
The Government and Greens working together to get a gas tax inquiry up
This week the Labor government has joined with the Greens in the Senate and voted to set up a Parliamentary inquiry into how gas is taxed (or to be more accurate – how it is not taxed) in Australia.
The inquiry will report before the Federal Budget in May and will provide an opportunity to investigate how our approach to taxing gas exports all went so wrong and what might be done to fix it.
This is good news because a proper, fair dinkum inquiry into gas taxes in this country is long overdue.
The Bin
PM reluctant to increase the size of Australia’s Parliament
New Australia Institute research warns that Australia’s democracy is being stretched thin, with each MP now representing almost four times as many people as at Federation.
While the Prime Minister says he is satisfied with the current size of Parliament, a new national poll of 1502 people, conducted by YouGov, shows voters are finding it harder than ever to reach their local MPs.
The Quote
“ANU spent $6k on a ‘non-significant’ meeting. Then why do they pay tutors even less for a semester?”
– Dr Alice Grundy, Research Manager at The Australia Institute and Managing Editor of Australia Institute Press, on the unfairness of ANU’s spending.
Podcasts
Prices skyrocket but major fuel shortages “very unlikely” | Follow the Money
Petrol and diesel prices are sky high due to the illegal US-Israel war on Iran, but major fuel shortages in Australia remain very unlikely, says Matt Grudnoff on this episode of Follow the Money.
Listen now:
The US has left itself with no good options in Iran | After America
Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the situation with the Strait of Hormuz, Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, why airport security workers in the US aren’t getting paid, and why, despite plenty of evidence suggesting it’s a terrible deal, some Australian policymakers remain committed to the bit with AUKUS.
Listen now:
Fuel price gouging is…legal?! | Dollars & Sense
Despite big talk from the government about punishing any fuel retailers profiteering from the global energy crisis, many forms of price gouging remain perfectly legal.
Listen now:
What’s On
Dr Richard Denniss at the Newcastle Institute
Wednesday 8 April | 6pm AEST | Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club & Online
The daily news is filled with stories about the cost of living crisis, the housing affordability crisis and unfair tax policy in Australia. The rich are getting richer whilst the poor and our young people are being left behind.
Where did the lucky country go wrong?
What do we need to do to fix it?
Hear a consideration of these questions, and more, at 6pm on Wednesday 8 April at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club featuring Dr Richard Denniss.
The event will also be live-streamed on the Newcastle Institute Facebook page. A copy of the livestream will be available soon after the event via https://newcastleinstitute.org.au/.
Politics in the Pub: Budget Preview – Gas, Tax, and Fairness
Wednesday 15 April | 6:30pm AEST | Verity Lane Market & Online
As the Federal Budget approaches, pressure is building on the government to rein in fossil fuel subsidies and ensure big gas companies pay their fair share.
Join Senator David Pocock and Dr Richard Denniss, hosted by Leanne Minshull, for an in-depth conversation about how gas and fossil fuel tax policy shape Australia’s economy, environment, and future.
They will cover your push for an inquiry, along with the PRRT and gas exports. We’ll also unpack who really benefits from Australia’s fossil fuel policies and what reform could mean for fairness, revenue, and the climate.
Gold Standard? with Frank Bongiorno, Carolyn Holbrook & Joshua Black
Friday 24 April | 11am AEST | Online
Join historians Frank Bongiorno, Carolyn Holbrook, and Joshua Black as they discuss their new book, Gold Standard?: Remembering the Hawke government.
Was the Hawke government ‘the gold standard’ for federal government in Australia? A stellar line-up of historians, social scientists, politicians and journalists shed valuable new light on the policies, politics and personalities of the Hawke government and ask: What lessons can it offer in the art of reformist government? How do its legacies continue to shape Australian society?
The Battle for Public Education
Friday 8 May | 11am AEST | Online
Australia is an outlier, the cost of high school is higher than other developed countries while our results are going down. As a wealthy country with a big education sector, how did we get here?
Join Jane Caro AM, Tom Greenwell and Skye Predavec as they share recent research on Australian education and discuss how to navigate a way out of this policy quagmire.
In conversation with Jane Caro – Sydney
Tuesday 12 May | 6pm AEST | Gleebooks, Glebe
Join Jane Caro in conversation with Helen Proctor as she discusses her latest essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education.
For decades, Australia has been pumping money into private education while public schools struggle. The current system contributes to greater inequity, decreased integration of different communities and even traffic jams as parents are more likely to drive their kids to a private school further from their house.
In Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education, Caro walks through the decades of policy decisions that have created this situation and identifies the choices that have created the current education crisis.
In conversation with Jane Caro – Melbourne
Wednesday 13 May | 6pm AEST | Cinema Nova, Carlton
The Australian Institute is delighted to partner with Readings to host an evening with Jane Caro as she discusses her latest essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education.
Politics in the Pub: Budget Wrap 2026
Wednesday 13 May | 6:30pm AEST | Verity Lane Market & Online
Join Greg Jericho and Matt Grudnoff in conversation with Ebony Bennett for their analysis of the 2026-2027 Federal Budget. Who wins? Who loses out? What’s hiding in the budget papers, and what do you need to know?
In conversation with Jane Caro – Brisbane
Wednesday 20 May | 6:30pm AEST | Avid Reader Bookshop, West End
The Australian Institute is delighted to partner with Avid Reader Bookshop to host an evening with Jane Caro as she discusses her latest essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education.
Politics in the Pub: Rich Kid Poor Kid
Wednesday 3 June | 6:30pm AEST | Verity Lane Market & Online
Join Jane Caro AM and Dr Richard Denniss, discussing Jane’s new Vantage Point Essay, Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education.
For decades, Australia has been pumping money into private education while public schools struggle. Whether it’s crumbling classrooms, overworked teachers or cuts to music and STEM programs, the system is reaching breaking point. At the same time, with higher rates of private school attendance and the marketisation of education, parents have increased anxiety when faced with the decision of where to send their child. The current system contributes to greater inequity, decreased integration of different communities and even traffic jams as parents are more likely to drive their kids to a private school further from their house.
Copies of Rich Kid Poor Kid: The battle for public education will also be available for purchase on the night, or can be purchased online on The Australia Institute website.
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