Research

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 year. However, Gorgon will face no penalties and is in line to receive $60m in taxpayer subsidy. Under the safeguard mech...

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 commissions do, which includes any behaviour that affects the ho...

Key Findings: High-income households and Liberal held electorates are the biggest beneficiaries of negative gearing.Key Findings:Negative gearing primarily benefits high income householdsYoung are the biggest losers from negative gearingLiberal held electorates the biggest winners fromnegative gearing[READ REPORT]

The Australia Institute apologises for the delay in publishing the October National Energy Emissions Audit, which was due to internal considerations. The November National Energy Emissions Audit is currently being prepared and will be released on time.The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program has released the latest National Energy Emissions Audit for the electricity sector (The Audit*) covering September 2018. The Audit shows tha...

The combination of the projected rise in extreme heat as a result of global warming and the high levels of humidity at the Gold Coast present a serious risk to the health and wellbeing of the region’s population.The Gold Coast has historically experienced a relatively pleasant climate with only around one day over 35 degrees per year. However, the amount of these extreme heat days could increase up to a projected 34 days by 2090. At temperatures...

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 NT Government when it lifted the gas moratorium. One of those rec...

Increasing extreme heat will have profound effects on people, industries and ecosystems in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast region.CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that the average number of days over 35 in the region could increase up to tenfold without strong climate policies from a current average of three to 32 days by 2090. More than half of summer nights are projected to remain above 25 degrees by 2090, a level considered dan...

The average number of days over 35 and 40 degrees in Roma has increased annually since the early 1990s. CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology projections estimate that, without climate action, days over 40 degrees could rise from five days per year to 58 days in 2070 and as many as 84 days by 2090. Half of the nights in summer are projected to remain above 25 degrees by 2070, a level considered dangerous to human...

Tasmania’s shellfish aquaculture and commercial wild-catch fisheries are responsible for 8,400 tonnes of production each year, with a gross value of $209 million. Between them, these sectors employ between 1,091 and 1,310 people across all four of Tasmania’s regions.The distribution of fishing and aquaculture jobs varies across Tasmania’s four regions. Offshore caged aquaculture (the main method of farming salmon) provides the majority of fishing...