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August 2023
Get Your Skates On: Tasmania’s Next State of the Environment Report
Tasmania has not published a State of the Environment Report since 2009. Nationally, alarming declines of natural and cultural values are underway. Without a state-focused analysis, Tasmanians are in the dark about the scale and detail of concerns and government decision-makers are flying blind.
June 2023
Off the hook?
After decades of ignoring evidence of overfishing, the Tasmanian Government is finally playing catch-up on the state’s depleted fish stocks, resetting fishery rules in the context of out-of-date legislation and the absence of relevant policies.
May 2023
Submission: Tasmanian Waters, Commonwealth Problems
The South-east Commonwealth Marine Parks Network is a patchwork of poor protection that provides minimal conservation benefits.
Submission: Draft Harvest Strategy Policy for Tasmanian Wild Fisheries and Implementation Guidelines
The Draft Harvest Strategy Policy for Wild Fisheries is a significant step towards strengthening fisheries management in Tasmania. However, it does not commit to recover overfished stocks or prevent future overfishing.
April 2023
Submission: Tasmania’s Draft Climate Change Action Plan 2023–25
Tasmania’s Draft Climate Change Action Plan is a plan for inaction. Without radical improvement, this plan will do little to reduce emissions or mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Divided Nation: The Stage 3 Tax Cuts Broken Down by City and Country Electorates
The 20 electorates that will benefit the most from Stage 3 are all classified as metropolitan, with 10 in Sydney, five in Melbourne, three in Brisbane, and one in Perth and Canberra. Of the 20 electorates that benefit the least, 12 are classified as rural.
Tasmania Polling Research
uComms conducted a survey of 816 residents across Tasmania on behalf of The Australia Institute during the evening of 4th – 5th April 2023 using self-completed automated voice polling methodologies.
January 2023
Submission: Draft Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan
The Draft Tasmanian Salmon Industry Plan has been developed in the absence of a range of up-to-date Government policies and legislation. Relevant legislation is listed for near- and medium-term review and there is a complete absence of other key government policies.
November 2022
The case for truth in political advertising reform in Tasmania
With deceptive advertising already affecting the Tasmanian political landscape, the case for truth in political advertising laws is strong. A recent publication in a Tasmanian newspaper has further highlighted the need to stamp out misleading political advertising. Almost nine in 10 Tasmanians say Tasmania should pass truth in political advertising laws. This paper addresses the
September 2022
Submission: Giving Our Watchdog Teeth
Tasmania’s Integrity Commission is weak and is losing public trust. It has never held a public hearing. It cannot investigate politicians’ conduct during election campaigns, nor can it investigate corrupt conduct of third parties seeking to influence public administration. It has the second lowest per capita budget of a state/territory commission. It has only ever referred two people for prosecution, the lowest number for any state. Tasmania’s Commission needs public hearings, more publicly released reports and more funding. Its jurisdiction needs to expand to include Members of Parliament during election periods, corrupt conduct of third parties and matters covered by Parliamentary privilege.
August 2022
Submission: Towards a 10 year Salmon Plan
Tasmanian salmon companies have gone through a rapid period of growth that has outpaced regulation and science. Company profits have not led to commensurate growth in returns to the State Government or the community. Meanwhile communities bear the costs of the industry. The fast tracking of the salmon industry needs to end.
April 2022
Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022: Submission
The Tasmanian Government’s attempt to restrict citizens’ right to protest with the Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022 is unnecessary and anti-democratic.
Braddon Polling – March 2022
uComms conducted a survey of 829 residents in the federal electorate of Braddon on behalf of The Australia Institute during the evenings of 17 & 21 March 2022 using self-completed automated voice polling methodologies.
March 2022
Review of Tasmania’s Living Marine Resource Management Act 1995
Tasmania hosts some of the highest marine diversity and endemism on Earth, world’s best practice expertise in marine science and governance, and punches above its weight in economic contributions, thanks to our ocean.
Still toothless
Tasmania’s Integrity Commission is weak and is losing public trust. It has never held a public hearing. It has run fewer investigations than any other state’s integrity body. It has the second lowest per capita budget. It has only ever referred two people for prosecution, the lowest number of any state. Tasmania’s Commission needs broader
November 2021
Submission: Draft Climate Change (State Action) Amendment Bill 2021
The Tasmanian Government’s proposals to strengthen the response to the climate crisis are a step in the right direction, but the proposed new law does not go far enough. The legislation still leaves Tasmania with rising emissions, reliant on carbon accounting to continue to achieve net zero emissions. Given Tasmania’s success in already reaching net-zero and 100% renewable energy, far more ambitious emission reduction targets than net zero by 2030 are warranted and achievable.
October 2021
Submission: Electoral Act Review
The Tasmanian Government’s proposals to make political donations and election spending more transparent are a step in the right direction, but the new laws do not go far enough. The legislation still leaves Tasmania with the weakest regulation of third-party campaigners, such as industry lobby groups, of any state or territory in Australia.
September 2021
Submission: Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Amendment Bill 2021
The Tasmanian Government’s attempts to restrict citizens’ right to protest with the Workplaces (Protection from Protesters) Amendment Bill 2021, is unnecessary and problematic. The Amendment Bill 2021 continues to preference businesses’ ability to carry out work over the right of people to protest by making a broad range of peaceful protest activities illegal, with harsh
July 2021
Submission on the Draft Tasmanian Recreational Sea Fishing Strategy
In summary, our submission relates to the following aspects of the Strategy: Strengthening linkages with relevant legislation and policy, particularly in relation to outcomes 2, 4 and 5, and Strengthening inter-sectoral resource sharing through marine spatial planning The need for a State-wide Marine Plan for Tasmania
Polling: Salmon farming in Tasmania
The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,001 Australians about their attitudes towards salmon farming in Tasmania.
June 2021
Submission on Kunanyi-Mt Wellington cable car proposal
The proposal for a cableway to operate between a base station and the pinnacle of kunanyi/Mount Wellington includes a four-storey building at the summit, with viewing facilities, interpretation, café, restaurant and function space, amenities, office, and associated plant and infrastructure. The three towers, between 36m – 55m high, with two 80-person cable cars, will pass
Briefing Note: A Statewide Marine Plan for Tasmania
Tasmania’s coasts are in trouble: climate change, overfishing, impacts from aquaculture, land-based run-off and plastic are some of the pressures impacting Tasmania’s coasts. Developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated State-wide Marine Plan for Tasmania’s coasts is the best way to ensure healthy marine ecosystems long-term.
May 2021
Submission to Inquiry into the Australian aquaculture sector
Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing primary industry sectors in Australia. In 2017-18 aquaculture production was valued at $1.4 billion. This represents 44% of Australia’s total seafood production. The most valuable aquaculture species in 2017-18, at $855 million, was salmonids. Tasmania is Australia’s primary salmonid producer, accounting for 98% of Australia’s salmonid production and
Submission: Review of Tasmania’s Climate Change Act and developing the next Climate Action Plan
Tasmania should position itself as a climate change leader by setting a target of net-zero emissions by 2035, underpinned by 5-yearly interim targets and sectoral emissions targets. Electrifying transport, buildings, and industry, as well as reducing residential and industrial gas use, and offsetting agricultural emissions will be key to Tasmania’s climate transition. Conservation of Tasmania’s
April 2021
Polling: Good Government in Tasmania
New research from the Australia Institute Tasmania finds most Tasmanians (87%) want Truth in Political Advertising laws, and a ban on political donations by the gambling industry (73.3%). Four in five (80.1%) Tasmanians agree the Tasmanian Integrity Commission should undergo structural change so its design is improved and its existing powers, including holding full inquiries with public hearings, are utilised.
Polling: expansion of salmon farms in Tasmania
New research from the Australia Institute Tasmania finds most Tasmanians (63%) want to suspend the expansion of salmon farms in Tasmania, expressing widespread (63.5%) concern that the health of Tasmania’s coastal waters is declining. More than one in two (56.3%) Tasmanians agree the Tasmanian Government is not doing enough to protect the health of our oceans.
November 2020
Good government in Tasmania
Strengthened donations laws and Right to Information provisions, as well as a Tasmanian Integrity Commission with teeth and new truth in political advertising laws are needed to ensure good government in Tasmania.
September 2020
Towards a sustainable marine management regime: An update on Tasmanian progress
Tasmania is a unique and special place, wild in parts and populated in others, nestled inside a spectacular coastline. This little island provides a home for diverse marine ecosystems, supports regional economies, holds cultural significance for First Nations communities and provides recreation for hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors. The fishing industry is an
Reforming Tasmania’s state tax system – Some options
There hasn’t been any wide-ranging public discussion concerning the need for reform of the Tasmanian state taxation system, or what such reform might look like, since the State Tax Review Panel process initiated by then-Treasurer Michael Aird in 2010, and which was abruptly terminated in November 2011. Tasmania’s state tax system contributes a smaller proportion
June 2020
Tasmania can’t afford a bet on the pokies
The poker machine industry has been shut down in Tasmania since the 24th of March. The industry is set to re-open on Friday the 26th of June. Re-opening these venues will provide immediate employment to staff previously stood down. However, our research shows that, in broader terms, poker machines (“pokies”, “electronic gaming machines” or “EGMs”)