Uber’s rapid growth in point-to-point transportation services has become the most potent symbol of the growth of the so-called “gig economy”: where people perform work on an irregular, on-demand basis, paid by the task, and without the stability or security of traditional paid employment. The expansion of this model has raised concerns regarding the erosion of labour standards and entitlements (including minimum wages, paid leave, and superannuation). This report simulates the net hourly incomes received by UberX drivers in six Australian cities, and finds that they almost certainly earn much less than would be required under relevant minimum wage standards.

State and Territory initiatives beat NEG target by 5 years The Australia Institute’s new Climate and Energy Program has released the Electricity Update of the National Energy Emissions Audit (The Audit*) for March 2018, authored by renowned energy expert Dr Hugh Saddler. Electricity demand and emissions in the National Energy Market continue to decline to

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program released the March 2018 quarter National Energy Emissions Audit, by renowned energy expert Hugh Saddler. Key points +  Australia’s energy emissions were almost unchanged over the three months from September to December 2017  Australia’s annual energy combustion emissions have now been hovering at or around their highest ever

As Australians face sea level rise, extreme weather and increasing heatwaves polling shows most want adaptation costs to be footed by fossil fuel companies, not ratepayers. The polling also found two third (67%) of Australians (east coast states) believe state and federal governments are not doing enough to prepare for the impacts of global warming.

FOI documents show Barnaby Joyce and Steve Ciobo’s “letter of support” for Adani’s coal project sent to the Chinese government was in response to Adani’s request “to help secure Chinese financing”. DFAT also met Korea’s Ex-Im Bank in 2016 to discuss the project, on Adani’s request. Despite an earlier FOI initially capturing “several hundreds of

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Department of the Environment and Energy as part of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Statutory Review. This submission makes five main points regarding the CEFC relating to the two key issues for consideration by the Department, being: the effectiveness of the CEFC in facilitating increased flows of

The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Senate Inquiry on Corporate Tax Avoidance. The issue of tax avoidance by multinational companies has been a research focus of the Institute for some time. While issues of declining PRRT payments and low company tax payments are becoming widely known, particularly due to

On behalf of The Australia Institute Tasmania, ReachTEL conducted a survey of 925 residents across households in the Tasmania during the evening of 14th February 2018. Questions: What impact do you think having pokies in hotels, pubs and clubs has on the community? Based on your general impressions, approximately what percentage of Tasmanian state governmentrevenues are

The Tasmanian Liberal Party’s new gambling policy would increase taxes for pubs and clubs by around $10 million per year, while cutting taxes for the state’s casinos by $9 million per year, if the gambling industry’s proposed benchmark is used. Taxpayers would also contribute an extra $1.7 million to counter the costs of problem gambling.

The Minister for Water, Barnaby Joyce approved the $17m purchase of water in the Warrego valley after criticising the Labor government for the same thing, but at less than half the price. This was a deal that required amendments to the Basin Plan to later adjust Basin Plan limits between valleys, outside the parliamentary process. 

Workers in all parts of the economy are confronting twin threats from accelerating changes in technology and automation, and the ongoing shift toward more precarious and irregular forms of work — including “gigs” on digital platforms.  The transportation sector is widely acknowledged to be one of the most susceptible to both of these trends.  The

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program has released the latest electricity update of its National Energy Emissions Audit. The February 2018 electricity update reviews the performance of the South Australian ‘big battery’. Written by respected energy analyst Hugh Saddler, the Audit shows that Australia’s energy system is in transition, regardless of the political turmoil

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Planning Assessment Commission on the United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project. We have previously made submissions on Wambo Mine – Modification 12 and also on the United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project economic assessment by Deloitte Access Economics (Deloitte assessment). There are a number of

The Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is proposing a major amendment to the Murray Darling Basin Plan based on its Northern Basin Review,1 conducted over four years. The amendment would reduce the water recovery targets for the Northern Basin from 390 GL to 320 GL per year, a reduction of 70 GL. This amendment is

In recent years, Tasmania has seen economic growth and development. However, the benefits have not been evenly distributed. Hobart has received the lion’s share with less going to the regions. This report focuses on the West & North West region of the state, an area that mostly overlaps with the electorate of Braddon. This electorate

The Australia Institute Tasmania has released a new report today which examines a proposal to fast-track the development of community-owned energy generators in Tasmania. “Community owned renewable energy will deliver financial benefits for Tasmanian communities at the same time as helping improve energy security, ” said Dan Cass, the report’s author. “Community owned energy is

New research released today by The Australia Institute shows that estimates of impacts on South Australia from proposed changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan have been changed multiple times by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). These changes appear to be based more on political convenience than best available science. “Initial versions of the

Tasmanian legislation provides for a single operator for electronic gambling machines (EGMs) located in hotel and club EGM venues in Tasmania, and for a monopoly operator of the state’s two casinos. Hotels and clubs wishing to operate EGMs must reach agreement with the monopoly operator, the Farrell Group, and be a licensed operator. There are 89 hotel EGM venues,

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program has released the latest electricity update of its National Energy Emissions Audit. Written by respected energy analyst Hugh Saddler, the Audit shows that Australia’s energy system is in transition, regardless of the political turmoil the change is creating.

The Australia Institute surveyed 1,417 Australians between 5th and 7th of December 2017 about cutting company tax for large companies.

The Draft Final Report of the Northern Territory Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturingeffectively recommends approval of unconventional gas development in the NorthernTerritory. It does this despite the huge potential climate change impacts of developing ashale gas industry, which this submission focuses on. Development of onshore shale oil and gas fields in the Northern Territory could

In October the Senate of Australia launched an important new inquiry into the Future of Work and the Future of Workers.  The terms of reference for the inquiry include: “The future earnings, job security, employment status and working patterns of Australians; The different impact of that change on Australians, particularly on regional Australians, depending on

The Tasmanian Integrity Commission (Tasmanian IC) has major design flaws that render it far less effective than the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (NSW ICAC) in exposing systemic corruption. The NSW ICAC makes more findings of corrupt conduct, refers more cases for prosecution, holds more public inquiries, and tackles systemic corruption cases of public significance. Over

The Fair Work Commission’s ruling to pre-emptively block industrial action (including restrictions on overtime and a one-day work stoppage) by Sydney-area train workers has brought renewed attention to the legal and administrative barriers which limit collective action by Australian workers.  The Sydney trains experience is a high-profile example of a much larger trend.  Across the

The number of members of Parliament and senators has not kept up with Australia’s population growth. Parliamentarians represent three times as many people as their counterparts did in 1901.  The last substantial increase in parliamentary numbers is now over thirty years old, meaning that federal representatives have never been spread as thinly as they are now. This lack of

The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has released the National Energy Emissions Audit for December 2017 which shows that Australia’s energy emissions hit another record peak in the year to July 2017, before slight reductions to September. The Audit, compiled by renowned energy specialist Dr Hugh Saddler, provides a comprehensive, up-to-date indication of key greenhouse gas

Transparency and accountability of politicians and the public service may be one of the sleeper issues of the upcoming state election.  A recent poll of 781 voters in Bass undertaken by ReachTEL on the night of January 16th for The Australia Institute found that 85% of respondents wanted more powers and resources available to Tasmania’s