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April 2019
Polling – SA Climate ambition
New research from The Australia Institute, released just weeks out from the Federal Election, shows that a majority of South Australian voters want the government to mobilise all of society, “like they mobilised everyone during the world wars”, to tackle global warming.
Polling – Great Australian Bight (March 2019)
New research from The Australia Institute shows that 60% of Australians are opposed to drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, while the rate of opposition amongst South Australians is even higher at 68%.
March 2019
Coal in Kingaroy
A coal project proposed near Kingaroy, Queensland, is unlikely to provide benefit in a local economy based on services and agriculture. It imposes uncertainty and costs on other industries and the community. Policy makers should rule the project out on economic grounds.
February 2019
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
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
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
December 2018
Not Adani Deal: Queensland Government subsidies to Adani
The Queensland Labor Government has offered Adani a “beneficial” royalty deal that would loan hundreds of millions, on subsidised terms it is keeping secret, under a “transparent policy framework” that was a few dot points at the end of a press release. It has also offered Adani free road upgrades worth $100 million, despite Adani’s
Volatile gas: Economics and gas in Western Australia
Western Australia’s economy is heavily impacted by the resource sector. 22% of gross state production comes from resources, making it heavily exposed to the booms and busts of global resource markets. The established gas industry in Western Australia comprises large-scale offshore gas fields focussed on export markets and a number of smaller onshore gas producers
November 2018
The economic impacts of unconventional gas in Western Australia
WA’s moratorium on fracking has been overturned without consideration of economic impacts. Economic logic, and the lived experience of Queensland and the USA, shows the industry has an incentive to expand as much and as fast as possible. This has a negative impact on communities, provides few jobs, little revenue and could increase domestic gas
Sunk costs: Carbon capture and storage will miss every target set for it
Industry, government and international organisations have given CCS credibility by making predictions about its success and setting targets that give it a clear place in emissions reductions plans. The only institutional target that CCS has met concerns the number of CCS projects launched. All targets for number of projects actually built and operating or for
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
Frackmail?
Scott Morrison rushed through a $260 million payment to the Northern Territory in a matter of days at the same time the NT Government overturned the moratorium on gas fracking. Morrison committed to the funding just three days after the fracking decision, in a letter of offer to the NT that also refers to that
Gorgon-tuan Problem
Chevron’s Gorgon LNG project released millions of tonnes CO2 last year that were meant to be sequestered by its carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. This failure represents half of the national increase in emissions over the last year. If required to offset these emissions, Gorgon would need to pay more than $55 million a
October 2018
Options for the implementation of Recommendation 9.8 of NT Fracking Inquiry
Extracting gas from the Northern Territory through hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is one of the largest potential sources of carbon pollution in the world. The Fracking Inquiry that reported earlier this year recommended that unconventional gas extraction should only be permitted if the all 135 recommendations are accepted and implemented. All recommendations were accepted by the
Gas and the Wide Bay Burnett Economy
Gas exploration is being undertaken in the Wide Bay Burnett region. Development of gasfields would present a risk to the region’s diverse services, tourism, agricultural, and manufacturing economy. Summary points include: Blue Energy is exploring for gas in the Wide Bay Burnett region, a region that features high-value horticulture and sugar cane crops and the
September 2018
GISERA and conflict of interest
GISERA and conflict of interest A fundamental conflict of interest underlies the Gas Industry Social and Environmental Alliance (GISERA), making it an inappropriate organisation to undertake research to evaluate the social and environmental impacts of unconventional gas development. What is GISERA? The Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA) is an alliance agreement between
July 2018
The impact of Galilee Basin development on employment in existing coal regions
Development of the Galilee Basin would displace production in other coal regions. Galilee mines would be more automated and less job-intensive than existing mines. Based on coal industry analysis, central estimates of employment reduction are 9,100 in the Hunter Valley, 2,000 in the Bowen Basin & 1,400 in the Surat Basin compared to a no-Galilee
June 2018
Deception on the Downs: Jobs and the New Acland mine
Queensland’s New Acland Coal mine, near Oakey on the Darling Downs, has been controversial due to its huge impacts on the town of Acland, which is now neardeserted, and its environmental effects and conflicts with agricultural land uses. The Queensland Land Court recommended rejection of New Hopes’ New Acland Coal (NAC) Stage 3 mine expansion
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’
May 2018
Just to fill you in… Jobs and mine rehabilitation in Queensland
Lock the Gate asked The Australia Institute for assistance in estimating the potential employment impacts of increased mine rehabilitation in Queensland. This relates to the Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill currently before the Queensland Parliament. Lock the Gate hope this bill, if passed and implemented, will reduce the mine rehabilitation ‘deficit’ in Queensland:
Exporting coal myths: How a coal mine that destroyed a town now claims it will save one
The decade-long fight over the controversial Stage 3 expansion of the New Acland Coal (NAC) mine looks set to continue with the Queensland Supreme Court disagreeing withan earlier Land Court decision that the mine should not be granted approval, a decision followed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science (DES). Prior to the latest
April 2018
Support for stronger emission reductions targets and coal phase out [POLL]
A large national poll of 1,557 Australians, conducted by The Australia Institute, has shown strong support for an increase in Australia’s emissions reduction target to at least 45% by 2030. When asked about the proposal to increase Australia’s emission reduction target from 26-28% up to 45% by 2030: In total, more than half (56%) thought