Government efforts to increase the supply of carbon credits in Australia suggest that proposed administrative changes to the Carbon Farming Initiative Regulations may be used as an opportunity to allow excluded projects to participate in the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).

Allowing carbon credit projects on land that has been recently or illegally cleared would both incentivise land clearing and undermine the purpose of the ERF in reducing emissions.

The proposed REDD+ project in Oro Province of PNG covers an area twice the size of London and is expected to generate a huge 800 million carbon credits over its lifetime.

However, the available evidence fails to provide any assurance that this project has integrity, raising broader concerns about the types of carbon credits that Australia, other countries, and the private sector may use to meet their emission reduction commitments.

New research from the Centre for Future Work shows that the rapid transformation of Australia’s aluminium facilities to sustainable sources of electricity would spark substantial economic benefits: for the aluminium industry, its supply chain, and for the burgeoning renewable energy sector (which would achieve greater critical mass from major new power supply contracts).

Tasmania’s Integrity Commission is weak and is losing public trust. It has never held a public hearing. It has run fewer investigations than any other state’s integrity body. It has the second lowest per capita budget. It has only ever referred two people for prosecution, the lowest number of any state. Tasmania’s Commission needs broader

Key results The Australia Institute surveyed nationally representative samples of 1,000 Australians for their views on the Australian Senate, and the principle of proportional representation. The results show that: Respondents were asked whether the Coalition Government has a majority in the Senate. Respondents are somewhat more likely to select the correct answer, that it does

Quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted on large samples of Twitter data collected following two points of tension in the Australia-China relationship in 2020 – Australia’s call for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19, and a Chinese Government representative’s retweet of an image of an Australian solidier killing an Afghan child. There was

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 602 South Australians, asking them which State Government Ministers and shadow (Opposition) Ministers they had heard of.

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 602 South Australians about their level of satisfaction regarding the job being done by the Premier, Steven Marshall, and the Leader of the Opposition, Pater Malinauskas. The results show that, while the Premier’s total satisfaction is slightly higher than the Opposition Leaders, dissatisfaction rates were also higher

The Australia Institute made a submission to the consultation process regarding Recommendation 14.1 of the NT Fracking Inquiry, “That prior to the granting of any further production approvals, the Government designs and implements a full cost-recovery system for the regulation of any onshore shale gas industry.”

The Department of Planning and Environment recommends approval of the project based on economic benefits, but finds these benefits reduce “significantly” if greenhouse emissions are properly accounted for. The Department did not quantify the significant reduction. Applying a carbon price of between $24.50/t and $73/t reduces the value of the project to zero. Such carbon

The Australia Institute surveyed a representative sample of 602 South Australians about the State Government’s handling of COVID-19 and the opening of the state borders on November 23, 2021. The results show that: One in two South Australians (51%) disagree with the State Government’s decision to open the borders in November. Two in five (42%)

The Australia Institute surveyed 602 adults living in South Australia, asking about state election voting intention, between the 1st and 14th of February 2022, online through Dynata’s panel, with representative samples by gender and age.

The stage 3 tax cuts will go mainly to male, high income taxpayers. Half will go to the top 10%, 72 per cent going to the top 20 per cent while the bottom half get only five per cent and the bottom 20 per cent get nothing. Men will get twice as much of the tax cut as women.

An electorate analysis of the Federal Government’s current plan to scrap the LMITO (Low and Middle Income Tax Offset) after 2021-22, shows most taxpayers will be worse off when the legislated Stage 3 tax cuts to high income earners comes into effect in 2024-25. Key Findings: Scrapping the LMITO will see 90% of taxpayers pay

The Australia Institute has been involved throughout the Energy Security Board’s (ESB) project to create a Post 2025 design for the National Electricity Market (NEM). In this submission we address the ESB’s proposal to design a capacity market mechanism as a way of managing energy reliability as coal power stations retire. The problem the ESB

Global automotive manufacturing is rapidly transitioning to the production of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in line with technological advancements and the global community’s commitment to addressing climate change. This transition presents an enormous opportunity for Australia to rebuild its vehicle manufacturing industry, taking advantage of our competitive strengths in renewable energy, extractive industries, manufacturing capabilities, and

Key results The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians about ABC funding and the importance of the ABC to a healthy democracy. The results show that Just over half (52%) of Australians support restoring $84 million in funding to the ABC, with 25% that oppose. Almost two in three (65%) Greens

The Low Emissions Technology Statement 2022 should measure progress based on achieved and potential emissions reductions for each priority technology, undertake proper consultation and elevate technologies that do not enable fossil fuels.

The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Justice and Community Safety Committee’s inquiry into the Electoral Amendment Bill 2021. The Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program was founded in 2021 to improve the quality of Australian governance and heighten public trust in politics and democracy. Although the program is new,

New Australia Institute polling in the federal seats of Wentworth and North Sydney show strong support for the ABC. The polling in the blue-ribbon Liberal seats in NSW shows overwhelming support for increasing ABC funding and for a more independent ABC board appointments process. 853 residents of NSW federal seat of Wentworth and 850 residents

The Australia Institute made a submission on Santos’ proposed Darwin Pipeline Duplication project that aims to facilitate carbon capture and storage in the oil and gas fields north of Darwin. Aside from the low likelihood of successful carbon capture and storage eventuating, the aim of the project appears to be to increase gas exports through

Investors in mining are backing electrification resources over fossil fuels. In the year to October 2021, just one fossil fuel company listed on the ASX, while 42 companies listed that target electrification minerals copper, nickel, lithium cobalt, graphite and rare earths. Over half the companies aim to mine in Western Australia, with another seven headquartered

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians about their views on how Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) should be made available to the public, and why some parts of Australia are experiencing problems like pressure on the public health system, supply chain issues and staffing shortages. The results show that: Over seven

The LNG industry portrays itself as essential to WA’s economy, a sentiment echoed by the WA Government. However, LNG industry contributes just 1% of the WA state budget and two thirds of Western Australia’s gas is effectively given away by the Western Australian and Australian Governments with almost no royalties or tax being paid. The

New research on international collective bargaining systems, released today in a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal, Labour and Industry, finds that Australia’s industrial relations system is rapidly losing its ability to support wages in the face of numerous challenges (now including the Omicron outbreak).

On the heels of new data showing further erosion of Australia’s collective bargaining system, researchers and practitioners from five countries have identified best practices from other countries that could strengthen collective bargaining and lift wages.

New Australia Institute Tasmania polling in critical Tasmanian seats shows strong support for key integrity and accountability measures. The polling in Liberal and Labor marginal seats in Tasmania shows overwhelming support for federal anti-corruption watchdog with teeth, and truth in political advertising laws for Australia. Over 800 people were polled in each of the seats

The Victorian Government’s policy of capping of local government rates revenue in Victoria is a regressive move on economic, social and democratic grounds. By arbitrarily tying the growth in total rates revenue in each local government area to price indexes, the state government restricts the ability of local governments to respond to the COVID-19 crisis

In the last parliamentary sitting weeks of 2021, the Morrison Government and Labor Opposition negotiated a deal to pass “political campaigner” legislation, although the legislation now refers to “significant third parties” instead. Charities, including the Australia Institute, have expressed serious concerns that the legislation is ill-considered, rushed and designed to quell legitimate charity advocacy ahead