Queensland spends less on social services than the rest of Australia in per capita terms, despite being a large state with a growing population. In the major areas of health and education, Queensland spends less per person than any other state except NSW and Victoria – both of which benefit from large populations in relatively

This report begins by outlining the fast growing campus divestment movement, globally and in Australia, and explores the debate about the ‘moral university’ and fossil fuels. It then explores the first national poll to assess public attitudes towards universities’ ethics and investments, conducted following the national controversy around the ANU divestment decision. The survey data

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Economics Committee inquiry into Corporations Legislation Amendment (Deregulatory and Other Measures) Bill 2014. Our key concern is that the repeal of the rule permitting 100 members to call an extraordinary general meeting . Repealing this rule would be an obstacle to civil society, which increasingly plays

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Select Committee inquiry into Certain Aspects of Queensland Government Administration related to Commonwealth Government Affairs. Our submission focused on the use of economics in major project assessment processes. Approval processes for major projects in Queensland have seen the misuse of various tools of economic assessment. In particular

The problems of energy poverty are real and large. Promising solutions are becoming available and many organisations are working to hasten their implementation. The coal industry is very vocal in promoting energy poverty and pushing coal as a solution to it. But coal companies are not, in general, major contributors to energy poverty alleviation efforts.

At first sight child labour may not appear to be a material issue for Australian companies and investors: Australia has labour laws that prescribe the minimum school-leaving and employment age. Australia also has a rich tradition in worker representation and a trade union movement active in advancing labour rights. However Australia is not an island

Australia post made a profit before tax of $402.8 million in 2012-13. In the last 4 years its combined profits were more than $1.25 billion. Australia Post is experiencing a trend decline in the volume of letters it delivers and a trend increase in the volume of small parcels it delivers. As described above, its

In May The Australia Institute conducted a survey of 1,100 people to determine people’s attitude to their bank funding coal port projects on the Great Barrier Reef. Following the Australian Government’s approval of several new coal ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, survey respondents were asked about the likelihood of changing from

State governments are more usually associated with the provision of health, education and law enforcement than industry assistance. So it might surprise taxpayers to learn that state government assistance for the mineral and fossil fuel industries consumes significant amounts of their money. Each state provides millions of dollars’ worth of assistance to mining industries every

The Australia Institute has made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications, References Committee Inquiry into environmental offsets. We argue that while offsets are often imperfect and need to be well managed, they have a place in environmental management. Our submission relates to the economics of environmental offsets and our experience

The Australia Institute has made a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment inquiry, Streamlining environmental regulation, ‘green tape’, and one stop shops. Our submission draws on earlier TAI research conducted jointly with the Minerals Council of Australia, which found that there is considerable room for improvement in environmental regulation.  A

The Australia Institute has published a number of papers on the finance industry. This submission examines various aspects of the financial services industry including banking, superannuation, cooperatives, the budget and consumer issues. 

Most Australians think that WA should go back to the polls. The result this time could be very different. To read the results of our most recent survey click on the link below:

Most Australians aren’t aware of a trade deal which could risk environmental laws, increase the cost of medicines and enable corporations to sue Australian governments, according to a new survey by The Australia Institute. Click the link below to read the survey results.

Most politicians claim that creating jobs is top of the agenda – but public sector jobs are a different matter. The Coalition has promised to cut at least 12,000 jobs in the public sector if it wins government, hoping to portray these jobs as superfluous and implying that getting rid of them will make everyone

Kevin Rudd’s return as Prime Minister is winning Labor the youth vote, but nearly a third of young Australians remain undecided, according to new research by The Australia Institute. The survey of more than 950 people aged 17-24 asked respondents about their voting intentions, whether they vote the same way as their friends and family,

Mining has always been an important part of the Australian economy. What has changed is the unprecedented scale and pace of its expansion. This is already irrevocably altering the Australian landscape and affecting food production, water security and communities across the nation. The coal seam gas fields approved to date in Queensland will cover tens

Jobs for young people, housing, marriage equality and university funding are the top issues for young Australians ahead of the federal election, according to new research by The Australia Institute. The survey of more than 800 people aged 17-25, released tonight, asked respondents to nominate the top five issues that would be likely to sway

More than half of Australians do not trust commercial media. The Australia Institute’s new survey of more than 1400 people asked respondents to rate their trust in the ABC and commercial media on a scale from ‘do not trust’ to ‘do trust’. The results show 53 per cent of Australians do not trust commercial media,

More than a million young Australians feel no political party best represents the needs of young people. The Australia Institute’s new survey of more than 800 respondents aged 17-25 found 47 per cent believe no party best represents them. 15 per cent of respondents said they were ‘disinterested’ in the upcoming election, while 30 per

The Climate Institute has been measuring the ebbs and flows of Australian attitudes to climate change and its solutions through its Climate of the Nation research and reports since 2007.

Young Australians rate trust as the most important factor influencing their vote in the federal election, but more than a third haven’t decided who to vote for, according to research by The Australia Institute. The new survey of more than 800 respondents aged 17-25 found 32 per cent didn’t know or wouldn’t say who they

Australia’s native forest sector has experienced a significant contraction over the past five years. This is reflected in log production from native forests: roundwood removals over the period 2009-2011 were 30 per cent below the average from the previous 18 years. Similarly, woodchip exports, a mainstay of the hardwood sector, fell by 33 per cent