The international debate on climate change is heavily influenced by notions of fairness and justice. One of the most important principles referred to internationally is that of polluter pays. The most common interpretation of polluter pays is that national targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions should be based on the level of emissions

There is a widespread view that the middle class in Australia is doing it tough, that they are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a decent standard of living and are suffering from mortgage stress. Indeed, some media reports have announced the end of the middle class dream. This paper tests a number of these

This piece focuses on if the electorate believes that prominent politicians should go to heaven. Out of the six politicians John Howard scored the lowest with less than half of the population believing he should go to heaven, while Peter Garrett scored the highest at 74%. When split into political parties Howard was the most

In recent years, universities have been at the centre of a vigorous debate about the role of higher education in society. In particular, concerns have been raised about the effects of commercialisation of Australian universities on academic freedom and the quality of teaching. This paper explores the increasingly close relationships between Australian universities and the

This article critics the cold war mentality of John Howard’s speech at the 50th anniversary of the Quadrant. Howard attacked environmentalists, unions, public schools, teachers and indigenous rights activists. The ability to tap into anti-left fear is due to the perceived moral decay of society that the conservatives have dominated. This article recommends a closer connection

This new paper reports the results of an extensive study of the attitudes of baby boomers to retirement and shifting perceptions to the pension and self-funding.

There is a belief that Alan Jones can make or break elections. However on any given day Jones has 187,000 listeners, compared to 552,000 viewers of Nine National News, and nearly 1 million buyers of the Sydney newspapers. Those who do listen are disproportionately older, believe that the Coalition is doing a good job, and

This piece aims to map out the socio-economic, age, regional and gendered opinions on homosexuality. This piece found that 35% of Australians are homosexual, mostly older, rural, lower socio-economic males.

While many Australians are prosperous, few feel prosperous. Only 1 in 5 millionaires consider themselves prosperous¸ and only 1.6 of the entire Australian population. This piece claims that the pressure on growth of net worth and income forces people to perceive themselves as not prosperous.

The European Enlightenment through the Cartesian division and dualism split our inner and outer perceptions of knowledge. This made humanity view themselves as divisible from their environment. This has fostered an overreliance on technology and science, without the need to see ourselves as connected to materials.

The belief that Canberra should grow is not supported by 72% of Canberrans. The belief that Canberra does not have culture is also false, as Canberra has the more artists and intellectuals per hectare than any other city in Australia. Due to the false perception of Canberra’s cultural impoverishment, and the wide support for no

This report estimates that Australians spend more than $10.5 billion each year on goods and services from which they derive no benefit. The paper examines the phenomenon of wasteful consumption and explores its implications.

Proposes a new global plan for international action on climate change which would enable all countries to work together to achieve deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions over the next decades.

A speeding fine of $125 represent one third of the weekly pay for those who make $20,000 per annum, while it only makes up 6% for someone making $100,000 per annum. This applies to the cost of a parking ticket or any other flat fine. The recommendation of this piece is to make the fine

The disappointments of money and freedom must be seen as a profound challenge to liberalism, and especially its more dogmatic child, libertarianism.

WWF Australia describes itself as an independent, supporter-based and non-party political conservation organisation. This paper provides an analysis of this statement.

NGOs play an indispensable role in Australian public debate. This paper discusses the wide-spread alarm among NGOs about their lack of ability to speak out in support of those they represent without being denigrated and having their funding cut.