The evidence of a climate emergency is now undeniable. Any coherent response requires a rapid phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation. That also implies an immediate halt to new thermal coal mines and a gradual closure of existing thermal coal mines. Successful implementation of such a policy requires a strong and concrete commitment to facilitating employment

As the Adani mine proposal becomes a central issue in Australian politics, Prof John Quiggin looks in detail at the economic (non)viability of the mine, which has driven the company’s appeals for subsidies and government support. Prof Quiggin also suggests three reasons the unviable project is still being pursued by its supporters: The project is

A paper that argues that models projecting the cost of emissions abatement (including the IPCC’s own models) do not take adequate account of low- or zero-cost opportunities for abatement, technological changes or the impact of government policies, including a possible carbon tax.

This report evaluates the impact of the privatisation of ACTEW on the financial position of the ACT public sector. In so doing, it examines the structure of ACTEW and the impact of the competitive electricity market on ACTEW’s profitability. It also assesses the options for dealing with the government’s unfunded superannuation liability. It concludes that

This paper examines the role of economic models in the formulation of climate change policies in Australia. Particular emphasis is given to the MEGABARE model constructed by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The Government has drawn heavily on the results of MEGABARE to support its argument that uniform abatement targets would be

While there is firm public support for stronger environmental protection, action on these issues in the past has been seriously constrained by the belief by governments that protecting the environment will have large economic costs. Ecological tax reform shows this need not be the case by arguing that carefully devised measures can both protect the

This paper analyses the fiscal impact on the Commonwealth of the sale of Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) and relates this impact to the market environment in which CSL operates. It raises serious concerns about the returns to tax-payers from the sale.

This article shows that the public debt interest savings associated with privatisation are, on average, less than the profits foregone, implying that privatisation reduces public sector net worth. A copy is available on John Quiggin’s website.