Research // South Australia
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Economics
- Banking & Finance
- Employment & Unemployment
- Future of Work
- Gender at Work
- Gig Economy
- Industry & Sector Policies
- Inequality
- Infrastructure & Construction
- Insecure & Precarious Work
- Labour Standards & Workers' Rights
- Macroeconomics
- Population & Migration
- Public Sector, Procurement & Privatisation
- Retirement
- Science & Technology
- Social Security & Welfare
- Tax, Spending & the Budget
- Unions & Collective Bargaining
- Wages & Entitlements
- Young Workers
- Climate & Energy
- Democracy & Accountability
- Environment
- International & Security Affairs
- Law, Society & Culture
February 2019
January 2019
HeatWatch – Extreme Heat in Adelaide
Increasing extreme heat will have profound impacts on people, industries and ecosystems in Adelaide. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 could increase by 180% without strong climate policies, from historical averages of 18–25 days per year up to 51–69 days per year by 2090.
South Australians Back EVs – Polling Brief
The Australia Institute asked 661 South Australians a series of questions about electric vehicles. The Australia Institute conducted a state wide survey of 661 South Australians people 3 August and 15 August 2018, online through Research Now. Results were post-weighted to match South Australian demographics by gender and age, according to 2016 census data.
December 2018
Coorongs don’t make a right
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) does not have the powers to deliver on its responsibilities. Instead it relies on verbal and other non-legally binding agreements in managing its near $3 billion worth of environmental water. An audit by EY found this presented “unique fraud risks”. South Australia’s substitution of Coorong environmental water for other
November 2018
Different Breeds of Watchdog
A National Integrity Commission is needed to investigate and expose corruption and misconduct in our federal government and public sector. Currently there are significant gaps in the jurisdiction and investigative powers of the federal agencies responsible for scrutinising the public sector and government. No federal agency has the power to investigate corrupt conduct as state-based
July 2018
The Basin Files: Maladministration of the MurrayDarling Basin Plan: Volume I
Since allegations of large-scale water theft were aired on Four Corners in 2017, a flood of media reports have shown that the $13bn Murray-Darling Basin Plan is not being well implemented: agency cover ups, political and regulatory capture, agencies with cultures of non-compliance, dodgy water deals, alleged fraud and unlawful amendments. [READ FULL REPORT]
June 2018
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.
February 2018
Northern Disclosure
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
December 2017
Submission to the Terms of Reference of the South Australian Royal Commission into the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Controversy has raged around Murray Darling Basin water issues since Four Corners aired allegations of large-scale water theft and the ability for irrigators to legally extract water purchased for the environment from the Barwon-Darling River. South Australia announced a Royal Commission in response to findings from multiple independent reviews, which highlighted serious issues with the implementation of
July 2017
Report: South Australia Bank Levy
A new report from The Australia Institute’s Senior Economist, Matt Grudnoff, reviews the economic impact of the South Australian government’s proposed bank levy. The research finds that the banks are not only very capable of paying the 0.0036% levy on the same liabilities that the federal government levy is based on, but also that the
September 2016
South Australians don’t believe the hype: Poll shows SA backs fracking ban
1,473 South Australians were asked if they supported a Victoria-style ban on gas fracking in their state. Twice as many (47%) support a ban than are opposed (23%). 30% were undecided. The polling was conducted on 30 August, as Victoria introduced its ban and in the weeks following the furore around energy prices in South
June 2016
Unemployment by Electorate – South Australia
While the national unemployment rate might be 5.7% this average unemployment hides important variations. The Australia Institute has assessed unemployment by regional variation by federal electorate using Department of Employment data. The average unemployment rate in South Australia is 6.8%, but the unemployment rate varies significantly across the state, from 5.0% in Boothby to 10.6%
April 2016
Oil in the Great Australian Bight
Multinational oil company BP is planning exploratory drilling for oil and gas in the Great Australian Bight. The Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications is conducting an inquiry into the proposal, including into social and economic impacts of potential oil and gas exploration and production. The economic benefits of oil and gas exploration are
From Start to Finnish
This discussion paper outlines two different possible implementations of the Finnish model. The first alternative is a direct translation of the Finnish system and would result in a loss of revenue for the state. The second alternative is a modification of the first to estimate a revenue neutral alternative.
South Australians remain opposed to nuclear waste dump: Poll
A ReachTEL poll of 1077 South Australian’s shows opposition to a nuclear waste dump at 48.5% and support at 37.2%. (Full results below) Final submissions to South Australia’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission closed on Friday. “A nuclear waste dump remains unpopular, despite some recent high profile support and renewed focus with the Royal Commission,”
Polling: High support for fixed term federal elections
Polling conducted by ReachTEL in South Australia, Queensland and the electorate of New England found very high support for fixed terms for Australian political elections. Reported on by Michelle Grattan on The Conversation – here.
March 2016
Digging for Answers
Digging for Answers is a response to the tentative findings of the South Australian Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and in particular to proposed radioactive waste storage and disposal facilities in South Australia This report finds that the business case for a nuclear waste storage facility in South Australia is exaggerated. The project
February 2016
The impossible dream: Free electricity sounds too good to be true. It is.
A new report from The Australia Institute shows that a proposal to establish a global nuclear waste industry in South Australia would fail to secure 90% of the imported waste, leaving an expensive and risky legacy for the state. The report was commissioned by the Conservation Council of South Australia to analyse the submission to
September 2015
Subsidise this
In 2015 the federal government gave $4b in subsidies to the mining and fossil fuel industry, in the previous six years the Australian government has spent $17.6b in support for these industries. Over 75% of the people agree that fossil fuel subsidies should be redirected to essential services.