The Australia Institute made a submission to the discussion paper on Future reform – an integrated care at home program to support older Australians. The discussion paper includes no consideration of shared living programs. This is a serious oversight given the paper’s emphasis on reform and innovation in care-at-home services. The main shared living programs

Associate Professor Appleby has argued that a federal ICAC should have the discretion to conduct public hearings in ‘cases where public concern surrounding an allegation of corruption that it rises to a crisis of confidence in government’, demanding an immediate assurance that a robust investigation is underway. Recent survey research indicates that there is already

The informal work practices of the so-called “gig” economy are widening existing cracks in Australia’s system of labour regulations, and should be repaired through active measures to strengthen labour standards in digital businesses. That is the conclusion of newly-published research from a special symposium on “Work in the Gig Economy,” organised by the Centre for Future Work.

There is a strong need and broad public support for a federal anti-corruption commission with public hearings. Of the state commissions already established in Australia, NSW ICAC has been markedly successful in carrying out its legislated mission and provides a fair model for emulation, with refinement and adaptation, at the federal level. Premier Nick Greiner

There is a compelling case for a federal integrity commission: there is strong public support for such a body, and there is evidence that corruption is endemic in our federal public service, with 3000 cases being reported by the public service’s own survey. State-based anti-corruption bodies have found corruption in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth,

Corrupt conduct has always been part of human society, and has caused the downfall of empires and societies including the Romans and the Ottomans. It erodes public trust in government and encourages citizens to also act unethically. We must remain absolutely intolerant of public corruption. It is wishful thinking that corruption is endemic in New

Transparency International Australia’s position remains that a broad-based federal anti-corruption agency is needed, as part of an enhanced multi-agency strategy – especially to ensure a comprehensive approach to corruption risks beyond the criminal investigation system, and support stronger parliamentary integrity.

Queensland government will be “substantially involved” in any loan to Adani under the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), as outlined by the Department that helped design the NAIF, in its submission to the Senate NAIF inquiry. This account has been confirmed by the Queensland government’s own submission, which notes that Queensland’s “roles and responsibilities… through

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Economic Committee’s Inquiry into the governance and operation of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF). Over the past year The Australia Institute has investigated the governance and operations of the NAIF. NAIF is entrusted with $5 billion of public funds and has an important role in

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee regarding the inquiry into the Environment and Infrastructure Legislation Amendment (Stop Adani) Bill 2017 (the Bill). Our submission notes the merits of the Bill’s proposed amendments, in relation to the Adani coal mine but also more broadly, as the new tests would apply

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee regarding the Regional Investment Corporation Bill 2017. The Australia Institute acknowledges the merit of government financing, including on a concessional basis, to address areas of public good, promote sustainable economic development, to address market gaps, and to help with managing risk. However,

No federal agency has the investigative powers or jurisdiction to expose corrupt conduct in the federal government and public sector. A federal anti-corruption commission would fill the gaps in our integrity system and increase public trust in government. No federal agency has the investigative powers or jurisdiction to expose corrupt conduct in the federal government

The Palaszczuk government’s special royalty deal with Adani remains secret after Treasury blocked a Right to Information request. 2000 pages relating to the ‘clear’ and ‘transparent’ royalty framework were almost entirely redacted. Public servants expressed concerns about analysing the deal after it has been offered. The Queensland Treasury has refused to release the royalty subsidy

Australian governments have been trying to develop northern Australia for a long time, with the latest policy papers and Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility just the most recent in a long tradition of generally unsuccessful attempts to entice more people to the continent’s north with the promise of jobs and prosperity. The Ord River irrigation scheme

The Australia Institute released a report Electricity Costs which finds that electricity prices have increased at three times the rate of CPI. The report finds that companies have been ‘gold-plating’ financial assets and passing those costs onto consumers. Between December 1996 and December 2016 Australian electricity prices increased by 183 per cent—almost three times the overall increase

This report examines the effectiveness of a national integrity commission without the ability to hold public hearings. 80 per cent of Australians support establishing a national integrity commission, and 78 per cent support establishing one with public hearings. Evidence from Australian state based anti-corruption commissions show that the ability to hold public hearings have been

The Australia Institute released a report today that exposes the systemic failure of the ACT’s primary education system and offers recommendations on how to rejuvenate the sector. The Australia Institute report, released today compared the NAPLAN results of twenty-four high socio-economic primary schools in the ACT between 2008 and 2016 and found the government schools

A new report released today from The Australia Institute’s Senior Research Fellow, David Richardson shows that, according to ATO data, the equivalent of 21.6 per cent of Australia’s national income was run through a trust. The latest ATO figures show there are 823,448 trusts with assets of $3.1 trillion, and total business income of $349.2

The Australia Institute Tasmania commissioned a survey, conducted by ReachTEL, of 927 residents in the federal electorate of Lyons on the night of the 17th July 2017. Less than one in five (16.9%) voters saying the industry has a positive effect on other fishing industries, while around one third (33.5%) say it has a negative effect

The Tasmanian Joint Select Committee on Future Gaming Markets is currently considering the future of poker machines in Tasmania, including a possible reduction in the number of machines and whether to retain the monopoly position of Federal Group (set to expire in 2023). The Committee has received 148 submissions and held six days of public hearings. This paper looks

Australian governments are proposing to fund and build billions of dollars’ worth of new electricity generation capacity as the solution to our energy security crisis Regardless of whether investments like Snowy 2.0 or ideas for ‘clean’ coal power stations go ahead, these supply-side solutions will require many years to build and will have no impact on security of

The Australia Institute has released the Electricity Update of the National Energy Emissions Audit (The Audit*) for July 2017. The report, by renowned energy analyst Dr Hugh Saddler, reveals a stunning correlation between domestic electricity prices and gas prices, despite gas making up only 10 percent of electricity generation. Australian gas prices have risen significantly,

As Fiji prepares to chair climate talks in late 2017, Pacific leaders are gathering in Suva to consider what policies to push for. One should be a moratorium on new coal mines. Australian government ministers are actively promoting subsidies to the world’s largest new coal mine, Adani’s Carmichael project. When Pacific leaders have called for