Australia’s states and territories have taken the lead in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, supported by constitutional powers and popular mandates. With the states newly emboldened, further action on climate change, changes to federal-state financial arrangements, and reform of National Cabinet could all be on the agenda.

The latest Intergenerational Report (IGR 2021) reveals that the Treasury Department is more pessimistic about the medium-term outlook for productivity growth in 2021 than when they released the 2015 IGR. In fact, the IGR 2021 reveals Treasury currently believes that none of the Coalition Government’s major reforms introduced since 2015 have had any impact on

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1005 Australians about their thoughts on gender quotas for the Liberal Party and their confidence in the Prime Minister’s ability to address issues primarily affecting women. Results show that: More than half (53%) of Australians support the Liberal Party setting gender quotas to achieve a representative

One of the most extensive studies of Australians’ knowledge of and attitudes to the Senate finds that the Senate is a unique, powerful legislative body, but Australians are confused about key details of its powers and operation. The Senate provides accountability, representation and diversity to a greater extent than the House of Representatives.

This submission is made on behalf of the National Integrity Committee. We are an independent group of retired judges who have been involved in advocating the need for a National Integrity Commission. The Committee was formed with the assistance of The Australia Institute. However, we remain an entirely independent body acting in the public interest

The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Australians about how Prime Minister Scott Morrison should handle two current issues: a Liberal politician who posted misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic on social media and President Trump’s role in last week’s riots in the US Capitol.

The Australia Institute surveyed nationally representative samples of over 1,000 Australians each month from August about what they think the most important national political issue is right now. In every month, more Australians identified the economy as the most important national political issue than any other issue (between 37% and 48%). Health was second-most likely

New research from The Australia Institute has shown that a significant majority of Queensland voters want to see truth in political advertising laws introduced at a state level, following the 2020 state election. The Australia Institute surveyed 1,447 Queenslanders between 3 and 7 November 2020. Only people who voted in the 2020 state election were

New research from The Australia Institute shows three in five South Australians (58%) do not trust Members of State Parliament when it comes to claiming their salary and benefits.

Australia’s federal parliamentarians have never been so thinly spread. Whereas at Federation there were 51,000 Australians per House of Representatives MP, there are now 170,000 Australians per MP. That leaves MPs stretched and voters disengaged. It is bad enough that there are 170,000 Australians per MP, but it is even worse that rounding the NT’s

In the last week of March 2020, both the Tasmanian State Parliament and New Zealand’s Parliament voted to suspend sittings. New Zealand adjourned for about five weeks (till the 28th of April) and the Tasmanian parliament for about five months, until August. Before the Tasmanian Parliament adjourned, it granted extraordinary powers to the government through

The Australia Institute made a submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into nationhood, national identity and democracy. The submission outlines how the Australia Institute’s existing research applies to each of the committee’s terms of reference.

Truth in political advertising laws are supported by 84% of Australians. Successful models include industry self-regulation in New Zealand and making misleading advertising an offence in South Australia. Decisions about what constitutes “the truth” may be fraught, but they are routinely made by companies and regulators under consumer law. Australia can choose from a variety of models, but some form of truth in

New research from The Australia Institute has found that young voters and their strong interest in tackling global warming could be a significant factor at the next election in South Australia, across both the Lower House and the Senate.

New research from The Australia Institute dispels stereotypes around what Australians drink and their political leanings finding that café latte drinkers vote Liberal/National more than any other party.

The Australian public supports stronger gun control and stricter restrictions and laws on firearms. Despite this, there is a real danger of our firearm laws being watered down. Successive inquiries have found that no state or territory has ever fully complied with the National Firearms Agreement. The public will on firearms is being circumvented because

Voter turnout is at record lows in federal elections. A review of non-voting penalties should be undertaken and consideration given to Scandinavian-style progressive penalties. “Members of the Committee also regard compulsory voting as a corner-stone of Australia’s democratic system.” Joint Standing Committee into Electoral Matters (2018) Report on the conduct of the 2016 federal election