Existing mines in NSW’s Upper Hunter region are approved to mine 241 million tonnes per year, but mined just 150 million tonnes in 2019/20. The difference of 91.5 million tonnes shows that there is no need for new coal projects in the state. Filling in the Upper Hunter’s final voids would cost between $12 billion

In 2020-21, Australian Federal and state governments provided a total of $10.3 billion worth of spending and tax breaks to assist fossil fuel industries. The $7.8 billion cost of the fuel tax rebate alone is more than the budget of the Australian Army. Over the longer term, $8.3 billion is committed to subsidising gas extraction,

23 new coal projects are proposed in NSW, with total production capacity equivalent to 15 Adani-sized mines. Ten Adanis’ worth of these projects are proposed for the Upper Hunter. Local and international factors mean not all of these projects can proceed. A moratorium should be placed on new coal approvals while a coherent regional planning framework is developed for the Hunter. This framework should be based around a world with net zero emissions in 2050.

The Australia Institute made a submission objecting to the proposal to expand and extend the Mangoola coal mine in the Hunter Valley.

The Australia Institute made a submission objecting to the proposal to expand and extend the Mt Pleasant coal mine in the Hunter Valley.

The Australia Institute made a submission to the NSW Independent Planning Commission on the Tahmoor South Coal Project.

Gas companies operating in Australia have announced major job cuts through the pandemic. ABS Labour Force figures show that average employment in oil and gas extraction has declined by over 10% from 2019 to 2020, despite record production. If all Australian industries had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with equivalent job cuts, Australia would have

The Australia Institute made a submission to the “Rapid Assessment Framework” consultation, a process to reform parts of the NSW planning process.

The Australia Institute made a submission on the consultation paper for the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources’ Enhanced offshore oil and gas decommissioning framework.

A new study on the proposed Mulga Rock uranium mine in Western Australia relies on optimistic price and exchange rate forecasts. Details of claimed cost reductions have not been published, but costs still appear high relative to international competitors.

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade regarding the Defence Legislation Amendment (Enhancement of Defence Force Response to Emergencies) Bill 2020.

Budgets are a key part of Australia’s democratic system, with budget papers giving the public a valuable opportunity to see how much money is spent and on what. Some items in federal budgets are not made public, however, and are marked ‘not for publication’ or ‘nfp’. Often, items claimed as nfp are still being negotiated,

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Northern Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission, highlighting research on fiscal stimulus design and the minimal stimulus that would be created from government subsidisation or other assistance to the fossil gas industry.

Supply measure projects that purport to save water in the Yanco Creek System will lead to environmental damage and “greater diversions” for irrigation in the Murrumbidgee according to water agencies. They are likely to be unlawful, with no way of properly assessing environmental equivalence as defined in the Basin Plan.

Coal mined in NSW causes more emissions than the UK or France and nearly four times more than directly emitted from NSW itself. NSW climate policy aims for net zero emissions by 2050. Yet in the midst of a bushfire crisis, under coal lobby pressure, the NSW Government seeks to abolish the legal requirement to

Recently released documents show that the vendors in an $80 million water sale had repeatedly offered far lower prices to the Commonwealth but these offers were rejected as ‘not value for money’. The documents mention a company linked to Energy Minister Angus Taylor seven years after it says it ended work with the vendors. The

The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the South Australian Select Committee on the findings of the South Australian Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission and the Productivity Commission’s five-year assessment of the Plan. Public commentary frequently blames the Basin Plan for the economic, social and environmental demise of much of the

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into nationhood, national identity and democracy. The submission outlines how the Australia Institute’s existing research applies to each of the committee’s terms of reference.

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Economics References Committee’s inquiry into Australia’s oil and gas reserves. The submission highlights our existing research on Australia’s oil and gas and how they relate to the inquiry’s terms of reference.

If Norwegian company Equinor is given permission to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight, it will likely pay the Norwegian Government more than it will pay in Australian Government taxes and up to 27 times more than they will pay to the South Australian Government, a new report from The Australia Institute has

The Australian National Audit Office is investigating so-called strategic water purchases in the Murray Darling Basin. These purchases were counter to government policy on reducing consumptive use, have not brought balance to the Commonwealth’s water portfolio, were not value for money and did not meet guidelines on transparency, accountability and ethical procurement. The Australia Institute