It’s important to celebrate the wins | Between the Lines
The Wrap with Matt Grudnoff
The government’s changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax passed the parliament last week. This is a big moment in the fight to make housing more affordable.
For too long policies to make housing more affordable have done nothing to slow the rapid increase in house prices. In fact, many of them made prices rise faster.
While it is early days, it seems that the housing market is already slowing and there are predictions that there will be small falls in house prices. These falls in prices are mainly being driven by uncertainty in the market. Many people are waiting on the side lines to see how everything washes out.
Photo: AAP Image/Dean Lewins
— Matt Grudnoff is Senior Economist at The Australia Institute
The Big Stories
Introducing What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss
What’s the Point? with Richard Denniss cuts through the spin to explain the political and economic decisions shaping the lives of everyday Australians.
Richard connects the dots between policy and politics with sharp analysis. By getting straight to the point, Richard helps listeners understand how democracy works and why it matters.
72 billion reasons to hold a plebiscite on a gas export tax
The Australia Institute is calling on the federal government to hold a national plebiscite on a gas export tax.
Polling shows the vast majority of Australians want a fair return for their gas.
Unions, community groups, charities, crossbench MP’s and business leaders are calling for a gas export tax.
Research by The Australia Institute reveals that if the Albanese Government had introduced a gas export tax after it was first elected, it would have raised more than $70 billion by now.
Fire ants to kill thousands of pet cats and dogs: new report
If fire ants are allowed to spread across Australia, thousands of pets could be killed and households could be hit with costs of over $1 billion each year, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
The invasive species, originally from South America, has been detected in several states, with Queensland so far the worst affected. Almost all of Australia is suitable habitat for fire ants and the potential damage to agriculture, the environment and households is huge.
“Fire ants are a potential economic and environmental disaster for Australia,” said Rod Campbell, Research Director of The Australia Institute.
Safeguard mechanism failing to drive actual emission reductions – new research
Australia’s flagship climate policy, the Safeguard Mechanism, is failing miserably, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
With the government set to review the scheme this year, the research shows the Safeguard Mechanism’s biggest failure is its overwhelming reliance on carbon offsets which, in some cases, have enabled big polluters, including fossil fuel producers, to increase their actual pollution.
The report exposes the extraordinary lack of integrity in offsets as well as the accounting tricks which have enabled the government to keep approving new fossil fuel projects while falsely claiming its policies are reducing real emissions.
Slow, expensive and complicated. Regional SA women forced to travel to Adelaide for abortion care – new research
New research by The Australia Institute reveals South Australians living in rural and regional areas face poor access to abortion services, with just 2.7% of abortions conducted in country health facilities.
Few medical issues are as time sensitive as abortion. Delayed access to abortion services can be the difference between taking a pill or requiring surgery, especially for those living in regional South Australia.
The research also shows that fewer than 1% of abortions carried out in SA would be impacted by proposed new restrictions.
Rates on hold. Maybe the RBA finally gets it …
The Reserve Bank’s decision to keep interest rates on hold reveals that maybe, just maybe, the RBA finally understands the unnecessary pain it has inflicted on Australian families, according to economists.
Since the RBA raised the cash rate from 4.10% to 4.35% in May – the third straight rate hike – unemployment has risen to 4.5% and the March quarter National Accounts reveal household discretionary spending was already stalling before the rate rises, as households cut back in order to pay for essentials.
“The current level of inflation has not been driven by either wages or consumer spending,” said Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute.
Government’s $653 million KPMG splurge could hire an army of public servants
With scandal-prone consulting firm KPMG fronting a parliamentary inquiry, The Australia Institute has calculated that the government’s $653 million in contracts with KPMG could instead employ 2,200 public servants for two years.
The large, diversified firm has received a three-month ban from new government work after mishandling a whistleblower complaint, but the Albanese Government is yet to adopt recommendations from two parliamentary inquiries into misconduct by management consultant firms.
The Win
“We all belong in this world”. Star Socceroo and former refugee sends powerful message ahead of World Cup grudge match
A star Socceroo has delivered a powerful message to the world about multiculturalism, diversity and the contribution of refugees ahead of Australia’s clash with the United States at the World Cup.
Adelaide-based winger Awer Mabil, one of four Socceroos who came to Australia as refugees before earning places in the national team, spoke to journalists in the lead-up to Saturday’s match against the co-hosts.
“I have a story of there was war in my country, so my parents flee my country, and then Australia took us in through a humanitarian visa,” he said.
“It’s Refugee Week. I would like to say to anybody that is misplaced all over the world that we are with you.
“Everything is possible, so keep going.”
The Bin
Over $104 billion lost to gambling since Murphy Review
New research by The Australia Institute shows that Australians have lost over $104 billion to gambling in the three years since the Murphy Review released its final report into the harms of online gambling.
This week the Albanese Government introduced legislation in response to the Murphy Review. If passed, it will introduce certain restrictions on gambling advertising, but stop well short of the full ban on ads for online gambling recommended by the Review.
The Australia Institute has launched the National Gambling Toll, a real-time tracker of Australia’s estimated gambling losses since July 1, 2023, right after the release of the Murphy Report. The toll can be viewed here.
The Quote
“Saving women? Spare me. This is hatred of women at its heart.”
– Ebony Bennet, Deputy Director of The Australia Institute, argues that restricting access to abortion is rooted in opposition to women’s autonomy rather than concern for women’s wellbeing.
Podcasts
BREAKING: Housing slightly more affordable | Dollars & Sense
Some in the media are treating it like the beginning of a housing apocalypse, but a slight drop in house prices shows that the government’s housing investor tax reforms are doing their job, says Matt Grudnoff.
Listen now:
The Safeguard Mechanism is failing miserably | Follow the Money
Australia’s flagship climate policy, the Safeguard Mechanism, is failing to drive actual emission reductions, Dr Fergus Green and Frances Medlock tell Glenn Connley.
Listen now:
My Iran deal is better than yours [citation needed] | After America
Allan Behm joins Angus Blackman to discuss the negotiations between the United States and Iran, where it all went wrong for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and European views of Trump’s America.
Listen now:
What’s On
After the landslide: One year on from the historic 2025 election
Thursday 9 July | 11am AEST | Online
Last year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the Labor Party to a historic victory, winning a landslide for his second term. The Liberal Party suffered its worst result since World War 2. But with the rise of One Nation at home and crisis abroad, the world already looks very different to how it did in May last year.
Join The Australia Institute co-CEO Richard Denniss, Chief Political Analyst Amy Remeikis and Democracy Director Bill Browne as they discuss what’s changed in Australian politics since the last election and where it might go from here.
Rich Kid, Poor Kid: The Battle for Public Education
Thursday 30 July | 5:30pm AEST | Fullers Bookshop, Hobart
For decades, Australia has invested heavily in private education while public schools face underfunding, overcrowded classrooms, and cuts to programs like music and STEM. Rising private school enrolment and the marketisation of education have also increased parental anxiety, deepened inequality, reduced community integration, and even contributed to traffic congestion from longer school commutes.
So how did we get here?
In conversation with Leanne Minshull, co-CEO of The Australia Institute, Jane Caro examines the policy decisions that led to this situation. Drawing on her experience, she outlines how Australia arrived at an education crisis, and what’s needed to build a stronger, fairer public school system.
A Brief History of Climate Folly with Tim Flannery
Friday 31 July | 11am AEST | Online
Join Tim Flannery in conversation with Emma Flannery as they discuss his new book A Brief History of Climate Folly.
From ancient weather rituals to Cold War schemes like nuking the Arctic ice, this entertaining history explores humanity’s long obsession with controlling the climate.
Can science do better in the Anthropocene – or are we repeating old mistakes?
Between the Lines Newsletter
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