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January 2019
The Costs of Market Experiments
HeatWatch – Extreme Heat in Adelaide
Increasing extreme heat will have profound impacts on people, industries and ecosystems in Adelaide. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 could increase by 180% without strong climate policies, from historical averages of 18–25 days per year up to 51–69 days per year by 2090.
Submission: Galilee Basin (Coal Prohibition) Bill 2018
There is a contradiction between Australian policy on climate change and on coal production. Australia is committed to the Paris Agreement, which requires reductions in global demand for coal. Yet Australian governments all promote growth in coal production. This bill is a step towards reconciling these policies.The Bill’s goal of limiting coal supply could be
Saved by the bench
The Australia Institute released new research showing the Senate crossbench safeguarded $23.4 billion worth of investment in renewable energy, from 2013–2018, when it prevented the Coalition Government from abolishing three renewable energy policies (The Clean Energy Finance Corporation, ARENA and the Renewable Energy Target). The ‘Saved by the bench’ report is being released in conjunction
South Australians Back EVs – Polling Brief
The Australia Institute asked 661 South Australians a series of questions about electric vehicles. The Australia Institute conducted a state wide survey of 661 South Australians people 3 August and 15 August 2018, online through Research Now. Results were post-weighted to match South Australian demographics by gender and age, according to 2016 census data.
December 2018
National Energy Emissions Audit – December
The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the December National Energy Emissions Audit, authored by renowned energy expert Dr Hugh Saddler, covering emissions in the electricity sector over the previous month of November. Key findings: Electricity sector emissions are trending downwards, however, these reductions have been swamped by rises in emissions in transport
Not Adani Deal: Queensland Government subsidies to Adani
The Queensland Labor Government has offered Adani a “beneficial” royalty deal that would loan hundreds of millions, on subsidised terms it is keeping secret, under a “transparent policy framework” that was a few dot points at the end of a press release. It has also offered Adani free road upgrades worth $100 million, despite Adani’s
Volatile gas: Economics and gas in Western Australia
Western Australia’s economy is heavily impacted by the resource sector. 22% of gross state production comes from resources, making it heavily exposed to the booms and busts of global resource markets. The established gas industry in Western Australia comprises large-scale offshore gas fields focussed on export markets and a number of smaller onshore gas producers
November 2018
The economic impacts of unconventional gas in Western Australia
WA’s moratorium on fracking has been overturned without consideration of economic impacts. Economic logic, and the lived experience of Queensland and the USA, shows the industry has an incentive to expand as much and as fast as possible. This has a negative impact on communities, provides few jobs, little revenue and could increase domestic gas
National Energy Emissions Audit – November
Renewable generation in the National Energy Market (NEM) has reached a new record high, with all new energy generation over the last two months due to eight new solar farms coming online in the NEM, latest findings from the National Energy Emissions Audit show. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the November
HeatWatch: Extreme heat in Western Sydney
Increasing extreme heat will have profound impacts on people, industries and ecosystems in Western Sydney. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 could increase by up to five times without strong climate policies from a historical average of 11 up to 52 days by 2090. Some parts
Will-o’-the-ISP – Estimating renewable energy employment under the Integrated System Plan
Between 18,000 and 59,000 construction and installation jobs could be created if the Energy Market Operator’s Integrated System Plan ‘fast scenario’ on renewable transition is adopted. It would see around 53% of capacity from renewable energy by 2030.
Sunk costs: Carbon capture and storage will miss every target set for it
Industry, government and international organisations have given CCS credibility by making predictions about its success and setting targets that give it a clear place in emissions reductions plans. The only institutional target that CCS has met concerns the number of CCS projects launched. All targets for number of projects actually built and operating or for
Renewable electricity policy for Australia
Australia has one of the highest per capita emissions of greenhouse gases in the world.If Australia is to stay within its share of the remaining, diminishing, global carbonbudget for stabilising Earth’s temperature increase at 2°C or less, a necessary (but notsufficient) requirement is to transition its electricity system rapidly to 100%renewables by 2030 or soon
Submission to the NSW Independent Planning Commission: Bylong Coal Project
In November 2018 The Australia Institute made a submission to the NSW Independent Planning Commission on the Bylong Coal Project. Based on its own figures, the Bylong Coal Project is a high-cost, low-quality proposal. It is unlikely to be competitive in a time when exports through Newcastle have stalled, with the port’s fourth coal terminal
Getting Offset: Submission re NT Climate Change Discussion Paper
The Australia Institute made a submission to the NT Government’s Climate Change Discussion Paper. Emissions from increased NT gas production would dwarf all other sources of NT emissions and threaten Australia’s national targets. Allowing fracking and offsetting its emissions, as promised, is an expensive way to keep emissions stable and could make it harder to
Frackmail?
Scott Morrison rushed through a $260 million payment to the Northern Territory in a matter of days at the same time the NT Government overturned the moratorium on gas fracking. Morrison committed to the funding just three days after the fracking decision, in a letter of offer to the NT that also refers to that
Gorgon-tuan Problem
Chevron’s Gorgon LNG project released millions of tonnes CO2 last year that were meant to be sequestered by its carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. This failure represents half of the national increase in emissions over the last year. If required to offset these emissions, Gorgon would need to pay more than $55 million a
Submission to Department of Environment and Energy: Underwriting New Generation Investments
The Australia Institute has considerable concerns about the proposed program tounderwrite new generation investments. In particular, the proposal seems to confusetwo separate issues. The first is that the reliability standard in the NEM is met. This ishighlighted in the consultation paper by reference to AEMO’s latest ElectricityStatement of Opportunities that the NEM will need an
Proposed amendments to the Climate Change (State Action) Act: Submission
The Australia Institute made a submission on the proposed amendments to the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008. The Australia Institute recommends that: 1) The title of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 be renamed to the Climate Change Emergency Response Act 2018 2) A preamble be added to the Act that includes: Tasmania recognises that,
National Energy Emissions Audit – October 2018
The Australia Institute apologises for the delay in publishing the October National Energy Emissions Audit, which was due to internal considerations. The November National Energy Emissions Audit is currently being prepared and will be released on time. The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit for the electricity
Heatwatch: Extreme heat in the Gold Coast
The combination of the projected rise in extreme heat as a result of global warming and the high levels of humidity at the Gold Coast present a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of the region’s population. The Gold Coast has historically experienced a relatively pleasant climate with only around one day over 35
October 2018
Options for the implementation of Recommendation 9.8 of NT Fracking Inquiry
Extracting gas from the Northern Territory through hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is one of the largest potential sources of carbon pollution in the world. The Fracking Inquiry that reported earlier this year recommended that unconventional gas extraction should only be permitted if the all 135 recommendations are accepted and implemented. All recommendations were accepted by the
HeatWatch: Extreme heat on the Sunshine Coast
Increasing extreme heat will have profound effects on people, industries and ecosystems in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast region. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 in the region could increase up to tenfold without strong climate policies from a current average of three to 32 days by 2090.
HeatWatch: Extreme heat in Roma
The average number of days over 35 and 40 degrees in Roma has increased annually since the early 1990s. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that, without climate action, days over 40 degrees could rise from five days per year to 58 days in 2070 and as many as 84 days by 2090. Half of the nights in summer are