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Economics
- Banking & Finance
- Employment & Unemployment
- Future of Work
- Gender at Work
- Gig Economy
- Industry & Sector Policies
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- Labour Standards & Workers' Rights
- Macroeconomics
- Population & Migration
- Public Sector, Procurement & Privatisation
- Retirement
- Science & Technology
- Social Security & Welfare
- Tax, Spending & the Budget
- Unions & Collective Bargaining
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- Climate & Energy
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- Law, Society & Culture
February 2019
Joint Submission: Draft floodplain harvesting monitoring and auditing strategy
The NSW Draft Floodplain harvesting monitoring and auditing strategy (draft strategy) is entirely inadequate for managing floodplain harvesting in New South Wales. It is inconsistent with numerous legislative and other government commitments and is likely unlawful. It should be withdrawn and heavily revised. [Read the full submission]
Fair Dinkum Power Senate Submission
The Australia Institute has long argued that the decline of fossil fuels in the electricity sector presents great opportunities for consumers, in terms of affordability, reliability and sustainability. The traditional model of centralised generators with a monopoly on supply is dying. Information and computing technology is providing the capability for consumers to flip the switch
Submission to Independent Planning Commission: United Wambo Mine
In February 2019 The Australia Institute made a submission to the NSW Independent Planning Commission on the United Wambo coal mine proposal. The economic assessment of the United Wambo coal mine project (the Project) has not been adequate. Issues that have been raised repeatedly through the assessment process have not been addressed. In particular, the
Inquiry submission: Abolish the cashing out of franking credits
Dividend imputation was introduced by the then Treasurer Paul Keating in 1987 with the aim of eliminating the so-called double taxation of company income. Under dividend imputation the individual who receives dividend income is taxed but receives credit for company tax paid by the company. Company tax paid by the company is imputed to the
Mineral Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill 2018: Submission
The Australia Institute made a submission on Queensland’s Mineral Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill 2018. The Bill is a step towards reconciling the contradiction between Australian policy on climate change and on coal production. It should be supported in the absence of a more comprehensive policy, such as a nation-wide moratorium on new coal mines.
January 2019
Feedback on the Consultation Paper – A Commonwealth Integrity Commission – Proposed reform
The National Integrity Committee made a submission on the Consultation Paper for a Commonwealth Integrity Commission. The Committee is an independent group of retired judges assisted by the Australia Institute who have been involved over the last 18 months in advocating the need for a Federal Integrity Commission. Much of the Committee’s advocacy has been
Submission: Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct
The Australia Institute made a submission on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2018. Australia’s problems with electricity pricing are structural and the approach proposed in the bill to break up electricity companies will likely exacerbate the problem rather than fix it.
Submission on the National Integrity Bills 2018
The National Integrity Committee made a submission on the National Integrity Bills 2018. The Committee is an independent group of retired judges assisted by the Australia Institute who have been involved over the last 18 months in advocating the need for a Federal Integrity Commission. In this submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, the
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
November 2018
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
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
Inquiry into the allegations of political interference in the ABC
The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee Inquiry into the allegations of political interference in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Australia Institute has conducted research into the public broadcasters, especially the ABC, for many years. We have written three reports that are particularly relevant for the Inquiry. This briefing
Submission to Senate inquiry into the indicators of, and impact of, regional inequality in Australia
The Australia Institute made a submission to the Senate inquiry into the indicators of, and impact of, regional inequality in Australia.
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,
A Secret Weapon in the Fight Against Financial Misconduct
The Royal Commission into the financial services industry has heard tens of thousands of incidents of financial misconduct. The problem is clearly not just a “few bad apples”; the problem is clearly rooted in the core structure and practice of this industry.
September 2018
Review of the rate of return guideline for energy
This submission responds to the call for submissions on the draft rate of return guidelines as set out by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). The consumer groups have complained that the regulated entities are very profitable and attribute that to flawed methodology on the part of the regulator. We want to support that and follow
August 2018
Inquiry into trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn
The Australia Institute made a submission to the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement inquiry into trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn. The proposal to ban domestic trade in ivory and rhino horn would likely bring relatively large benefits and small costs. Benefits would reinforce domestic bans in countries such as China, Hong Kong and the
Select Committee on Electric Vehicles – General Submission
Electric vehicles are a very small segment of the Australian automobile market currently, with sales of just over 2000 vehicles last year, in a market with over 1 million annual sales. However technological and policy progress internationally is likely to see the global market grow significantly, with some predicting annual sales of 30 million electric
July 2018
Submission to the South Australia Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission to the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission. This submission is informed by research through The Australia Institute and as a former employee of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). I was employed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and its predecessor, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission from 2005
Derivation of Long Term Diversion Limit Extraction factors in NSW
The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the Long-Term Diversion Limit Extraction (LTDLE) factors. LTDLEs are required to determine how much water has been recovered to meet the government’s water recovery target under the Murray-Darling Basin reforms. LTDLE factors need to be resolved to bring certainty to communities and water licence
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into electric vehicles
While electric vehicles are associated with zero emissions it is often said that they are no “cleaner” than the electricity source. It is suggested that electric vehicles using high emissions-intense sources of electricity offer little improvement and may even be worse than internal combustion engine vehicles. This argument is widespread but we argue it is
June 2018
Inquiry into the competitive neutrality of the national broadcasters: Submission
Competitive neutrality policy aims to ensure that government business activities do not have unfair advantages over private sector competitors, particularly in relation to cost or pricing advantages. Price-setting and user-charging are necessary criteria for a competitive neutrality issue to arise. These are not relevant to the ABC or SBS which provide services by which, for
Submission: Inquiry into Water Amendment Bill 2018
Proposed changes to the Water Act reduce accountability, parliamentary oversight and facilitate changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan that are based on political convenience rather than science. The bill should not be passed.
Narrabri Gas Project: Comments on Response to Submissions
Santos’ response to submissions on its Narrabri Gas Project does not dispute most of the flaws identified in The Australia Institute’s initial submission. The economic assessment of the Narrabri Gas Project continues to be misleading and does not comply with NSW assessment guidelines. The benefit cost analysis by consultants GHD is contradicted by the proponents’
Submission: Personal Income Tax
This paper examines the government’s 2018 personal income tax proposals by presenting a distributional analysis of the tax cuts and then looking at some general tax principles and considerations that we can use to assess the present proposals. We begin in the next section by outlining exactly how the government intends the tax cuts to
May 2018
Submission on Clean Energy Finance Corporation Amendment (Carbon Capture and Storage) Bill 2017
The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (the “Committee”) regarding the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Amendment (Carbon Capture and Storage) Bill 2017. In our recent submission to the Department of the Environment and Energy as part of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Statutory Review, we
Implementing wholesale demand response: AEMC submisson
Australian Energy Market Commission is conducting a Reliability Frameworks Review, which is looking at how to improve reliability in the National Electricity Market. In our submission The Australia Institute argues that the best market reform under consideration by the Commission is wholesale demand response. Demand response allows energy consumers to reduce or delay their consumption
April 2018
Inquiry into the BCA Commitment to the Senate
The present submission questions the Business Council of Australia’s (BCA) Commitment to increasing investment, employment and wages in the event that the outstanding tax cuts are legislated. We looked specifically at the 10 corporate CEOs who made the commitment on behalf of their companies and found some half of those paid no tax. One wonders what their commitment could possibly mean.
March 2018
Submission: Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
The Australia Institute welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. We expect the Royal Commission to be swamped by submissions that relate to specific examples of misconduct. Our submission tries to take a step back and consider the extent to which