Incoming Feed Items

Report: 100,000 vacant homes in Melbourne

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 

Submission to the Inquiry into Local Government funding and services (Victoria)

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper Australia is an economic research organisation founded in the Georgist tradition of political philosophy. Our work centres on the monopolistic nature of land and how it shapes our economy and society. We have a long history of research into property taxation and local government rating systems.   We wish to raise five points in relation […]

Budget ’24: Australia Needs a Tax Shift

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper Australia condemns the latest Federal Budget as a missed opportunity for much-needed tax reform.

Helping families an empty promise for Victorians on public housing waiting lists – and Victorian businesses are paying the price.

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper Australia today declared its disappointment at the state budget inaction on housing and tax reform. “The Housing Statement declared a goal of 800,000 new homes over the next decade, yet this budget contains only minor announcements on an increased construction for public housing,” said spokesperson Rayna Fahey. “We need dollars for dwellings, not developers.” […]

Supply targets alone won’t solve the problem

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Supply targets alone won’t solve the problem – we need redistribution and tax reform Prosper Australia today condemned the punitive approach taken by the Allan government to address housing supply, calling the strategy a complete miss of the mark. “Our research shows that Melbourne does not have a supply issue, rather an issue with distribution […]

Buying better income taxes with better land taxes

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
3 million workers could benefit from tax shift Prosper Australia today released new research highlighting the economic benefits of shifting taxes off income and onto land.  Report highlights: Low and middle income earners face effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs) on extra income as high as 80%. High EMTRs are a disincentive to work. Reducing high […]

The Great Housing Hijack – a new book by Dr Cam Murray

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
The Great Housing Hijack is the latest book by Dr Cameron Murray. Here at Prosper Australia we have been following Cameron’s work for quite some time. Some of our supporters will remember his entertaining Henry George Commemorative Address in 2018. The Great Housing Hijack is a compelling read and explains the history of land prices […]

Changes to Stage 3 Not Enough: We Need a Tax Shift

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Tweaking individual policies will not deliver the change Australia needs: we must capture the consensus and commit to reforming our tax system away from earned and onto unearned income.

Why housing supply starts when speculation ends

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper’s Director of Research and Policy, Tim Helm, was interviewed by Cameron Murray for the Fresh Economic Thinking podcast on 9 November 2023.  Their conversation covered the relationship between the prices of land and housing, how to define and measure landbanking, incentives for landbanking, the relationship between landbanking and housing supply, and methodological issues in […]

How I learned to stop worrying and love land value uplift

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Presentation to the Planning Institute of Australia’s Victorian Conference, October 13, 2023 Today I want to take you on a rapid intellectual journey, a therapeutic crash-course, to convince you all to stop worrying about housing affordability – and instead, to learn to love high land values. Land takes the gains… Riddle me this: When planners […]

Landowners need to step up to the housing emergency – or get out of the way

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper Australia today welcomed the announcement that the Vacant Residential Land Tax (VRLT) will be expanded to include suburban undeveloped and regional sites.

Victoria’s Housing Statement – A promising start, the details will determine success

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Victoria's new Housing Partnership shows a lot of promise. The devil will be in the detail. Prosper Australia unpacks the issues.

Australia: Made for Free Trade and a Tax on Rent

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
132nd Henry George Address by Professor Ross Garnaut Australia: Made for Free Trade and a Tax on Rent (Transcript of speech recorded at the Kelvin Club, Melbourne, 7 September 2023. Lightly edited for clarity and brevity.) Thanks, Tim, and very good to be here with this group of people. Very good to know that such […]

Waleed Aly wins 2023 E.J. Craigie Writing Award

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Waleed Aly Wins E.J. Craigie Writing Award for best article reflecting the ideas of Henry George as a social and economic reformer.

In Australia, why do people who produce nothing get rewarded the most? – Waleed Aly

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
If we’re going to have to rethink our tax system, rent-seeking seems a good place to start. Perhaps if we taxed productive profit less than its unproductive counterpart, we’d have the seedlings of a system better designed to meet what the Intergenerational Report warns us is coming.

Prosper Australia welcomes Inquiry attention to Stamp Duty to Land Tax transition

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Prosper Australia welcomes Inquiry attention to Stamp Duty to Land Tax transition Prosper Australia today commended the Victorian Legislative Council’s Inquiry into Land transfer duty fees for their careful attention to the difficult issues involved in transitioning from stamp duty to a land tax. Prosper Australia Director of Research and Policy, Tim Helm, says: “We […]

Submission to the Inquiry into the Rental and Housing Affordability Crisis in Victoria

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee 7 July 2023 Thank you for the opportunity to submit to the Legal and Social Issues Committee’s inquiry into rental and housing affordability. Prosper Australia is an independent research institute formed over 100 years ago to further public knowledge of the teachings and principles of economist and land […]

In brief: Planning deregulation, Housing Supply and Affordability

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
Planning deregulation, especially rezoning, has been repeatedly touted as a key policy solution to Australia’s eye watering house prices. The story goes that prices remain high because the supply of new dwellings in accessible, desirable locations has not kept pace with demand due to zoning restrictions. Rezoning for higher uses will increase supply and make […]

Land Ownership Makes No Sense

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
by Jehan Azad & Uri Bram Wired Magazine (published May 4, 2023). Reprinted with permission. “There’s no such thing as a good landlord” is a rallying cry of angry renters. In the future, it might be conventional morality that it’s simply wrong to own land. In our times, owning land seems as natural as owning […]

Community Land Trusts can progress Georgist theory

 — Organisation: Prosper Australia — 
My belief is that Community Land Trusts (CLTs) can demonstrate the benefits of recycling land rents for the common good. This will support the larger Georgist agenda with a micro version of the macro vision. It’s been 12 months since we started Grounded Community Land Trust advocacy. Our job is to support the CLT movement […]

An American bin fire | Between the Lines

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The Wrap with Ebony Bennett

Watching the bin fire that is the American presidential race, Australian democracy is looking pretty good.

There are without doubt some key things to be grateful for.

Our system of compulsory preferential voting, for example, which ensures no vote is wasted – unlike in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Australia Electoral Commission, which ensures our elections are transparent and fair; free of the blatant gerrymandering we see in the States.

Even the secret ballot, an essential component of democracy worldwide, is an Australian invention.

But we cannot take our democracy for granted.

We need truth in political advertising laws that make it illegal to lie in political ads so public trust in our system doesn’t erode irreparably.

We need political finance reform exposes the undue influence of fossil fuel companies and others – and that doesn’t rig the system against independents and minor parties.

We also need to have a serious conversation about inequality, which undermines faith in democracy.

Superannuation tax concessions are making inequality worse

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The government is currently legislating to reduce the tax concessions available on superannuation balances of more than $3m. While this measure would affect only around 80,000 people out of the 17m holders of superannuation conservatives and lobbyists of the wealthiest are arguing this will hurt those who have saved for their own retirement.

In reality, the use of superannuation tax concessions has been completely abused. The purpose of superannuation is to reduce the burden on the pension system, but now we see in articles such as in the Financial Review today, people arguing that they are using superannuation to build up their inheritance for their children and grandchildren and that these measures to reduce tax concessions on super balances of over $3m are “stealing my children’s inheritance”.

Superannuation tax concessions for the wealthiest only serve to entrench inequality in our society, but worse, because the concessions allow the wealthy to reduce the tax they pay on their income before retirement, it means Australian taxpayers are in effect funding the retirement of the very wealthiest in the country.

The cost of these taxation concessions puts lie to the line that they are “self-funded” retirees.

New Preface to The Divide

 — Author: Jason Hickel — 
 

Look around and it is impossible to ignore the fact that our world is torn apart by brutal inequality.  Some countries enjoy unimaginable material affluence while others suffer mass deprivation, with billions lacking basic necessities like nutritious food and clean water. The injustice stares every sane observer in the face. But where does it come from?  This book shows that global inequality is not a natural phenomenon. It is not the inevitable feature of a normal economy.  It is the result of the particular kind of economy that dominates our world. Capitalism.

The word capitalism tends to cause immediate confusion. For most people it calls to mind things like businesses, markets and trade: the ability of people to produce and sell things to one another. Who could possibly be against this? But in fact businesses, markets and trade existed for thousands of years before capitalism. Capitalism is a relatively recent system, having emerged in Western Europe only about 500 years ago.  If one was to point to the single most important defining feature of this particular economic system, it would be that it is fundamentally anti-democratic. 

New Afterword for The Divide

 — Author: Jason Hickel — 
 

The Divide was first published in 2017.  In the years since, many people have written to me, or approached me during public events, to share the impact it had on them.  I am always grateful for this. And yet as a researcher, I look back on the text now and wish that it could include all that I have learned over the past seven years.  Knowledge moves quickly, and I want to make it available to readers.  My goal with The Divide was to serve as an accessible introduction. I hope it continues to do that for readers.  But - until Penguin is ready to produce a new edition - here are some resources that I encourage people to explore for more information and new knowledge.

 

1. On the rise of capitalism in Europe

The Divide briefly describes the violent processes of enclosure and dispossession that accompanied the rise of capitalism in Europe during the long 16th century. This description is improved with new information and references in the opening chapters of Less is More. It describes how worker revolutions brought down feudalism and improved human welfare, before elites responded with enclosure and other interventions to push wages back down and restore working-class subordination.

2. On the human toll of colonialism and capitalist integration

What would Trump 2.0 mean for the global economy?

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Greg Jericho discusses the latest International Monetary Fund Update on the global economy, the possible impact of American tariff hikes on global efforts to tackle inflation, and the real story behind Australia’s seemingly rosy unemployment data.

Greg Jericho is Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work and popular columnist of Grogonomics with Guardian Australia. Each week on Dollars & Sense, Greg dives into the latest economic figures to explain what they can tell us about what’s happening in the economy, how it will impact you and where things are headed.

Host: Greg Jericho, Chief Economist, the Australia Institute // @GrogsGamut

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @ElinorJ_L

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

Wage Insurance: A Potential Policy for Displaced Workers

 — Organisation: Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Publication: Liberty Street Economics — 

Why no seat is ‘safe’ anymore

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

It’s said that ‘disunity is death’ in Australian politics, but – as several major party politicians found out in the 2022 election – falling in behind an unpopular policy agenda can be pretty dangerous for your career as well. On this episode of Follow the Money, Australia Institute Executive Director Richard Denniss joins Ebony Bennett to discuss the big changes taking place in Australian politics and how they might influence the next election.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 16 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Guest: Richard Denniss, Executive Director, the Australia Institute // @RDNS_TAI

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Show notes:

Power sharing in Australian parliament by Bill Browne and Richard Denniss (July 2024)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

You can see Professor Joseph E Stiglitz speak live in several cities across Australia as part of the Australia Institute’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Tickets are available via our website.

Trump defiant after assassination attempt

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis speaks to Professor the Hon Bob Carr about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and what it could mean for the campaign, the emergence of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate, and the trajectory of American foreign policy.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 16 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Guest: Professor the Hon Bob Carr, former Australian Foreign Minister and former Premier of New South Wales // @bobjcarr

Host: Dr Emma Shortis, Senior Research for International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @EmmaShortis

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

You can see Professor Joseph E Stiglitz speak live in several cities across Australia as part of the Australia Institute’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Tickets are available via our website.

What Was Up with Grocery Prices?

 — Organisation: Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Publication: Liberty Street Economics — 

Should Australia ban fossil fuel advertising?

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for a global fossil fuel advertising ban. This is a policy idea that has been previously proposed by advocates in Australia, and that was quickly backed by the Greens and nine Independent MPs after the UNSG’s endorsement.

Fossil Ad Ban has been leading the charge in Australia to “stop fossil fuel companies and high greenhouse gas polluters using marketing and sponsorships to delay the inevitable and urgently required social transition to clean energy.”

Hope and hydrogen – Australia’s hydrogen export charade

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The Australian Government claims that green hydrogen is part of its vision for becoming a renewable energy ‘superpower’, but budget documents show this is not the case. Current industrial hydrogen use in Australia is 500,000 tonnes per year. The Commonwealth Government is budgeting for green hydrogen production of around 500,000 tonnes per year into the 2040s. Given the first users of green hydrogen will be existing industrial users of fossil hydrogen, this leaves no hydrogen for export from Australia.

This briefing note formed part of The Australia Institute’s submission to consultation on the Commonwealth Government’s Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive.

The post Hope and hydrogen – Australia’s hydrogen export charade appeared first on The Australia Institute.

Australia wastes billions making housing more expensive

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

How did Australia get itself into such a mess with housing? What impact is the crisis having on renters? And why does everyone seem to think investing in the property market is a good idea except the government? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Australia Institute Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff talks about what caused Australia’s housing crisis and what government can do to fix it.

Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @ElinorJ_L

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Webinar – FLOWER Immersive

 — Organisation: Multisolving Institute — 

This webinar introduces the FLOWER tool adapted in an online version with a focus on equity as a pillar of Multisolving. 

Viewers will learn:

Rex Patrick Loses FOI Delays Legal Battle, Pledges to Continue

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Former senator and transparency advocate Rex Patrick has lost his appeal to the Full Federal Court challenging the Australian Information Commissioner’s multi-year delays in handling FOI reviews.  Some of Patrick’s outstanding FOI reviews have been awaiting decision for almost four years.

In a longstanding legal battle, Patrick sought to draw a line in the sand on lengthy FOI delays plaguing the dysfunctional regime and inhibiting timely public access to government information. He argued that the FOI Act requires information to be made accessible in a prompt or timely manner, and that the delays he experienced in his FOI reviews were objectively unreasonable.

Late yesterday, the Court recognised that the delay in processing Patrick’s FOI application was “very lengthy” and “unfortunate”. But it ultimately determined that resourcing is relevant in whether a delay is unreasonable. This effectively gives governments a license to underfund the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and frustrate the FOI system without consequences.

The Court also noted that there was no ‘one size fits all’ time limit for Information Commissioner review decisions. This leaves little recourse for people waiting multiple years for FOI reviews to be finalised, often rendering information sought irrelevant and limiting scrutiny of government decision-making.

The Mysterious Slowdown in U.S. Manufacturing Productivity 

 — Organisation: Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Publication: Liberty Street Economics — 

The fight to free Jimmy Lai

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

After escaping mainland China in the bottom of a fishing boat at the age of 12, Jimmy Lai went on to become one of the most influential people in Hong Kong. But now the founder of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy newspaper is facing the possibility of life in prison under China’s repressive national security law. On this episode of Follow the Money, Sebastien Lai and Jennifer Robinson, legal counsel to Julian Assange, join Ebony Bennett to discuss the fight to free Mr Lai and the global threats to freedom of the press.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 2 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Guest: Sebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai // @SupportJimmyLai

Guest: Jennifer Robinson, legal counsel to Jimmy Lai and Julian Assange // @suigenerisjen

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

SA ICAC: Commissioner Resignation Must Trigger Rethink on Integrity Backslide

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

When those changes were passed with almost no scrutiny or debate, the Australia Institute’s National Integrity Committee of retired judges said that the changes raised a real concern that integrity had been set back considerably in South Australia.

“The South Australian Government cannot carry on with a business-as-usual approach when integrity has been so clearly compromised in the state,” said Bill Browne, Director of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program.

“Commissioner Vanstone has been unequivocal in her defence of the role of the anti-corruption commission in South Australia.

“That these complex reforms were rushed through the Parliament with almost no scrutiny or debate raised serious concerns for transparency in South Australia. Now, with the resignation of the Commissioner, South Australia has an opportunity to revisit these drastic changes and investigate the troubling impacts with the scrutiny they deserve.”

The post SA ICAC: Commissioner Resignation Must Trigger Rethink on Integrity Backslide appeared first on The Australia Institute.

Allies Against Democracy: Trump and Project 2025

 — Author: Thomas Zimmer — 

Power sharing in Australian parliaments

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Seen in this context, the growth in minor party and independent representation is just the latest example of power sharing.

The likelihood of shared power in the Commonwealth parliament has increased as the major party vote has declined significantly since the end of World War 2, and the 2022 election marked the lowest combined vote for the two largest parties since the Great Depression. It also yielded the largest House of Representatives crossbench ever.

Despite occasional fearmongering about ‘hung’ parliaments, minority government and “coalitions of chaos”, the reality is that power sharing governments are common in Australia. Governments often need to secure the support of other parliamentarians, whether through the formal, albeit secret, coalition agreements between the Liberal and National parties or various arrangements with independents and minor party MPs.

Independents and minor parties upend the old certainties of political life. Predictive tools like the Mackerras pendulum do not capture contests outside of the two major parties, and
what is a “safe” or “marginal” seat seems to be inverted for independents and crossbenchers.

This necessitates a more mature and nuanced analysis of both electoral outcomes and the contribution of crossbenchers and their roles, just as the electoral success of the Labor Party
in the 1890s and 1900s forced the political class to reckon with the political labour movement. Power sharing has always been a feature of parliamentary democracy, but the details are always changing.

Return of the king?

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis speaks to Allan Behm, Director of the Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs program, about the US Supreme Court and his new book, The Odd Couple: the Australia-America relationship.

This discussion was recorded on Friday 5 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Guest: Allan Behm, Director, International & Security Affairs program, the Australia Institute // @Mirandaprorsus

Host: Emma Shortis, Senior Research for International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @EmmaShortis

Show notes:

The Odd Couple: the Australia-America relationship by Allan Behm (2024)

No Enemies No Friends: Restoring Australia’s Global Relevance by Allan Behm (2022)

No, Minister: So You Want To Be A Chief Of Staff? by Allan Behm (2015)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

Why Queensland is Miles ahead of the game

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Too often other Australian governments kowtow to the gas and coal industry. But, heading into a tough state election, Queensland Premier Steven Miles is bucking the trend.

The Queensland Government’s decision to boost coal royalties and stand up to the inevitable industry scare campaign has already paid off big time for Queenslanders.

In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent commodity prices soaring and the Queensland Labor government changed its royalty scheme so a greater portion of the windfall was paid to the community. The Australia Institute estimates that the revised policy raised $4.3 billion in revenue in 2022-23.

This money, that would otherwise have gone to multinational shareholders, is mainly being spent on better public services. All Queenslanders will receive a $1,000 rebate on their power bills (on top of the $300 rebate the Commonwealth is giving) and, for the next six months, everyone in South East Queensland will enjoy a reduction of public transport fares to just 50 cents.

It has also pledged to pour $1 billion over five years into a health strategy for women and girls aimed at achieving gender equality. This will include Australia’s first publicly funded endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic, expanded access to IVF, and free period products in all state schools.

“Shocking” near-zero growth a sign that rates are hurting the economy: Jericho

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said “any growth is welcome” at his recent press conference on Australia’s March quarter economic performance.

But the Treasurer was surely hoping to welcome a little more than the 0.1 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth we got.

“It’s really hard to sugar coat this,” said Australia Institute Chief Economist Greg Jericho.

“It’s a rounding error away from nothing.”

The story gets worse when you exclude population growth, with GDP per capita falling 0.4 per cent in the March quarter.

“That was the fifth quarter in a row that our economy has contracted on a per capita basis,” Jericho said.

“The last time that happened? Ah, it’s never happened before…”

Treasurer Chalmers described the weak growth as “the inevitable consequence of these rate rises which are in the system.”

The Odd Couple | Between the Lines

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The Wrap with Ebony Bennett

Australia is a big country.

We’re the 12th largest economy in the world. We’re the third largest exporter of fossil fuels. We’re a country that’s also a continent.

But too often, we act small.

Some might argue that there’s not a great deal Australia can do about issues beyond our borders. But Australia matters.

Here at the Australia Institute, we have a 30-year track record of bringing big ideas and big thinkers into Australia’s public policy debate to help Australia think big.

That’s why we’re delighted to be hosting Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz for his ‘Economics and the Good Society’ national speaking tour, as part of our 30th anniversary celebrations.

It’s also why I was so proud this week to launch The Odd Couple: the Australia-America relationship, a new book by our International & Security Affairs Director, Allan Behm.

Supermarxist? Dutton and the duopoly

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Would the divestiture powers proposed by the Federal Opposition and supported by the Greens help keep inflation down? And what impact will the new and improved stage three tax cuts have in the economy? On this episode of Dollars & Sense, Australia Institute Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff talks about supermarket divestiture and the changes brought in with the new financial year.

Host: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @MattGrudnoff

Host: Elinor Johnston-Leek, Senior Content Producer, the Australia Institute // @ElinorJ_L

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

The post Supermarxist? Dutton and the duopoly appeared first on The Australia Institute.

Households are hurting. Savings are weak. The future’s uncertain. Is a rate cut near?

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Unsurprisingly, the RBA’s call to keep rates unchanged was met by some in the media and conservative commentariat as a failure to be tough. Some would prefer the RBA to be less concerned about the risk of a recession or rising unemployment than getting inflation from 3.6% to below 3%.

Such views are much easier to make when your own job is safe and your income is very comfortable.

It is worth remembering that in the past two years the share of household income spent on mortgage repayments has risen by the amount it did in five years during the mining boom, and by more than occurred in the run-up to the 1990s recession:

Democracy (handle with care)

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Will the government’s political finance reforms keep vested interests out of politics or ensure the major parties dominate Australia’s political landscape? Could South Australia’s proposed political donations ban become a model for the rest of the country? And what home-grown innovations have insulated Australia from some of the democratic backsliding seen in the United States? On this episode of Follow the Money, the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Director Bill Browne joins Ebony Bennett to discuss political finance reform.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 2 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Guest: Bill Browne, Director, Democracy & Accountability program, the Australia Institute // @Browne90

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett

Show notes:

Principles for fair political finance reform by Bill Browne, The Australia Institute (August 2023)

On the Distributional Consequences of Responding Aggressively to Inflation

 — Organisation: Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Publication: Liberty Street Economics — 

The oil and gas industry in South Australia

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

Oil and gas extraction in South Australia employs just 833 people, 0.1% of SA jobs. Petroleum royalties make up 0.4% of the state budget. On oil and gas production worth $1.7 billion in 2021-22, the industry paid at most $99 million in federal tax, of which Santos paid zero.

Despite this, the industry has significant influence in the state.

The post The oil and gas industry in South Australia appeared first on The Australia Institute.

Dutton’s divestiture plan would help with cost-of-living, keep lid on inflation

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

The Coalition’s proposed divestiture powers to break up major hardware and grocery retailers could help keep inflation down and assist with cost-of-living pressures.

“The introduction of divestiture laws is a sensible tool to stop large companies like Woolworths and Coles misusing their market power. It would be good for prices at the checkout and help keep inflation down,” said Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist at the Australia Institute.

Research from the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, released at the beginning of 2023, showed that corporate profits, not wages, were the major driver of the burst of inflation in Australia that followed the Covid lockdowns.

“The Australian economy has become less competitive over the last few decades and these laws would go some way to addressing that structural imbalance.

“Our current competition laws have few ways of making an already uncompetitive industry more competitive.

“Divestiture powers will enable the government to break up large businesses abusing their market power and force them to compete, leading to lower prices and better service for consumers.

“In other economies, including the UK and the US, broad ranging divestiture powers are already in place. If adopted in Australia, these new powers would just bring us into line with other OECD countries.”

America: at war with itself

 — Organisation: The Australia Institute — 

What does the release of Julian Assange reveal about the Australia-US relationship? And is Trump’s authoritarian behaviour really an outlier in American political history?

On the first episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis reflects on the first presidential debate performance and the release of Julian Assange, before former BBC United States correspondent Nick Bryant joins the show to discuss the country’s long history of authoritarianism.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 25 June and Monday 1 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute

Guest: Nick Bryant, former BBC correspondent and author of The Forever War: America’s Unending Conflict with Itself // @NickBryantNY

Host: Emma Shortis, Senior Research for International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @EmmaShortis

Show notes:

The Forever War: America’s Unending Conflict with Itself by Nick Bryant (June 2024)