Media Releases

Evidence backing Scott Morrison plan to expand Pension Loan Scheme

Reported moves to expanded the under-utilised Pension Loan Scheme (PLS) to allow pensioners access to the scheme would be a welcome budget breakthrough.

“This is sensible economic reform which will allow those on the aged pension to effectively access some of the value of their home without having to sell it,” said Ben Oquist, Australia Institute executive director.

“Congratulations to Scott Morrison for delivering this budget breakthrough.

“It never made sense to exclude pensioners from accessing the scheme while allowing wealthier Australians the right to use the mechanism,” said Mr Oquist.

Posted on:

8 May 2018

Murray Darling amendment referred to Auditor General and South Australian Royal Commission

The Australia Institute has written to the Australian Auditor General and to the South Australian Royal Commission on the proposed amendment to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. The amendment is scheduled to be voted in the Senate this coming Tuesday, 8 May 2018.

“The proposed amendment is based on 36 projects worth $1.6 billion dollars,” said Maryanne Slattery, Senior Water Researcher at The Australia Institute.

“But, the business cases and costings for the projects have not been made available to the public or the Senators who are to vote on the amendment. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority are now saying that is because the business cases have not been finalised.

Posted on:

7 May 2018

23.9 tax ‘speed limit’ arbitrary at best

A new report from the Australia Institute shows the recently announced 23.9 tax-to-GDP cap is entirely arbitrary, and that a strict tax cap with no policy change will severely limit choices in Government spending.

The report shows 23.9 per cent is the average tax-to-GDP ratio between the introduction of the GST and the Global Financial Crisis, a technical assumption.

The report also found implementing a strict tax ceiling of 23.9 per cent does not take into account that, in the absence of a policy change, average tax rates on personal income will constantly increase because of bracket creep.

Posted on:

7 May 2018

Don’t blame it on the deficit: WA

A report released today by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work shows Western Australia’s recent budget deficit is the result – not the cause – of deteriorating economic conditions.

Contrary to calls for fiscal austerity and public sector downsizing, being made in response to the emergence of fiscal deficits in WA, the report showed that budget deficits played a useful role in stabilizing the economy during times of economic downturn, and will automatically recede as the economy recovers.

Posted on:

3 May 2018

Desperate Measures: Murray Darling Basin amendment

The Senate is about to vote on an amendment to the Murray Darling Plan that would increase water use by irrigation. The amendment is likely to be unlawful, claimed water savings are unlikely to exist and threaten the value of water licences. The amendment should be disallowed.

Research released by The Australia Institute today shows that the latest proposal to amend the Murray Darling Basin Plan is flawed on legal, environmental and economic grounds.

“Senators are being asked to vote on an amendment that is likely to be unlawful,” said Maryanne Slattery, Senior Water Researcher at The Australia Institute.

Posted on:

2 May 2018

What do Australians think large companies would do with a tax cut

A new national poll has asked 1,557 Australians what they think large companies are likely to do with a company tax cut.

A majority (61%) of respondents think that increasing worker’s pay would be the very bottom of the list of priorities for large companies receiving a tax cut.

63% think increasing executive pay, and 56% thought dividends and share buybacks would be the top two priorities.

What will companies do

Posted on:

24 April 2018

Australia is a low tax country

Open letter calls for more tax, not less in order to address inequality and ensure ongoing prosperity as Australia Institute research shows Australia ranks 8th lowest of 35 OECD members in tax to GDP.

The open letter is signed by prominent economists and public figures including former PM&C Secretary Dr Michael Keating, Nobel laureate Peter Doherty, and Miles Franklin winner Anna Funder and ACTU Secretary Sally McManus.

Open Letter:

Posted on:

17 April 2018

Top scientists call for NT to keep gas in the ground

Twenty of Australia’s top scientists are calling to permanently ban fracking in the Northern Territory because of its impact on climate change.

The joint statement, written in response to the Final Report of the NT Fracking Inquiry, commends the Inquiry’s findings that the increase of greenhouse gases that would result from fracking is “unacceptable” and again urged the Government to ban fracking.

The scientists also firmly rejected the suggestion that if these emissions were “offset” it could result in an “acceptable outcome”.

Posted on:

10 April 2018

Victoria’s brown coal power plants undermining reliability of national grid

Over summer there were 16 major breakdowns at Victoria’s three brown coal plants, Loy Yang A, Loy Yang B and Yallourn. All of these breakdowns saw hundreds of megawatts of capacity withdrawn from the grid almost instantly. This made Victoria the standout state for power plant breakdowns.

breakdowns per station

Between the 15^thand 21^st of January, at the height of summer, there were six breakdowns, an average of one every day.

Posted on:

10 April 2018

Liddell unreliable, renewables cheaper

Research from The Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program has found the Liddell power station to be a major contributor to the unreliability of the NSW grid.

53 breakdowns & failures of gas and coal generation have been tracked by the Climate & Energy Program’s Gas and Coal Watch between December 2017 and March 2018.

This includes:

Posted on:

4 April 2018

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