Articles
August 2010
Money and Power: How much is too much for corporate Australia?
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at corporate behaviour, the influence of the resources sector on the climate change and RSPT debates, and corporate donations to political parties.
July 2010
Green jobs, dog-whistling and political donations
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the nature of green jobs and their creation; the return of dog whistling in political speech; donations to political parties.
June 2010
NL 62, June 2010
This edition of the Institute’s newsletter looks at the mining super profits tax, a charter of human rights, Australians missing out on government assistance, the war in Afghanistan, free trade agreements and the PBS, the Institute’s Measuring what Matters project, and peak oil.
May 2010
The Australia Institute’s ‘Budget in Reply’
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the Budget with regard to climate-change policy, child care and superannuation.
April 2010
Time for a carbon tax; more money for you; measuring what matters
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at a carbon tax; reforming the financial services industry and measuring what matters.
March 2010
Private health insurance; too much government debt?; measuring what matters; superannuation
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at subsidising Lycra at the expense of knee surgery””private health insurance premiums rise again; is Barnaby right? Is there too much government debt?; measuring what matters; shaking up the super industry.
NL 61, March 2010
This edition of the Institute’s newsletter looks at bank profits, loyalty cards, the government’s My School website, barriers to women’s employment, population policy and the role of carers.
Insulation; Telstra’s profits; banking on getting them while they’re young
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at insulation: the wrong kind of price signal; Telstra profits at the expense of low-income earners; and, banks and financial literacy programs.
Dick Smith talks population – Wednesday, 10 March
The Australia Institute and Sustainable Population Australia will host a speech by Dick Smith on Wednesday, 10 March. Dick will discuss ‘Population: the elephant in the room we have ignored for too long’. 5.30 for 6pm start Molonglo Room Canberra Club 45 West Row Canberra City More details are provided in the attached flyer.
February 2010
Measuring what matters
Is Australia getting better or worse? The economy is growing but our greenhouse gas emissions are rising. More money is being spent on health and education but are we healthier and wiser because of it? The Australia Institute wants to develop a new series of indicators of Australia’s social, environmental and genuine economic wellbeing. We
December 2009
NL 60, December 2009
This edition of the Institute’s newsletter looks at the CPRS, indigenous affairs, food waste, the Disability Discrimination Act, homelessness, congestion charging, superannuation, unpaid overtime and national Go Home On Time Day, and emerging issues for Australia’s youth.
Cooper Review; welfare paternalism; banks and bananas; Christmas leftovers
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at the Cooper Review into superannuation; the ‘quarantining’ of income support; the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme; bank profits and food waste.
November 2009
National Go Home On Time Day, submarines and climate change, telemarketing – the lifeblood of commerce
Between the lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition looks at national Go Home On Time Day; compares the government’s climate change rhetoric to that on purchasing new submarines; and, how the Do Not Call Register could be strengthened to better protect us from
October 2009
Buying power stations vs compensating them, bank profits out of this world, AID/WATCH
Between the Lines is the Institute’s selective analysis of the policies and politics affecting the wellbeing of Australians. This edition considers: the strange argument for carbon price compensation; buying power stations vs compensating them; an uncharitable act; and, bank profits.
ABC Life Matters and The Australia Institute discuss excessive superannuation fees
Research Fellow and co-author of The case for a universal default superannuation fund, Josh Fear, talks to Life Matters about superannuation fees and how the system could be improved.
September 2009
The case for a universal default superannuation fund
Since 2005, the great majority of Australian workers have been able to choose their own superannuation fund. While some people have taken advantage of greater choice in super, for many people choice is actually a burden. Widespread lack of engagement with superannuation means that competition in this sector is structured around intermediaries (like financial advisers)
Between the lines 15
1. Electricity and pricing signals ”¦ 2. ”¦ How is our behaviour affected? 3. The Australian home: a sacred site for tax policy? 4. The slippery slope of the war on terror
NL 59, August 2009
Richard Denniss examines the work of the Institute over his first year as the new executive director; Brian Walters looks at anomalies in the common law with regard to public and private interests; David Richardson dissects the benefits of the mining boom; Georgia Miller explains some of the problems inherent in the nanotechnology revolution.
August 2009
Between the lines 14
Denticare: making a mountain out of a molar. Dissent is a dirty word. A fair-weather friend: Australia’s relationship with a climate-changed Pacific. Extract from author Ben McNeil’s speech at the launch of ‘The Clean Industrial Revolution’.
July 2009
Between the lines 13
Edited extract from Senator Christine Milne’s address to the National Press Club. Poverty and sustainability in developing countries: the impact of international trade in carbon. Australia’s Government debt: how does it stack up? Five disease outbreaks that are worse than swine flu.
June 2009
Between the lines 12
The benefits of the mining boom: where did they go? Renewable energy: the more the merrier, but how would we know? Mutual obligation by any other name.
Between the lines 11
The 2009 Budget in clichés. The ghost of Keating past. How green is my Budget? The good, the bad and the ugly.
NL 58, May 2009
Dr Bill de Maria discusses the new whistleblowing proposals; David Ingles laments the exclusion of people on NewStart from either of the stimulus packages and explains the great superannuation tax concession rort; Reconciliation Australia looks at reconciliation a year after the Rudd apology; Tully Fletcher examines the current state of legal aid; Richard Denniss enumerates
April 2009
Between the lines 10
Paid parental leave. Increasing GDP. The measurement of unemployment.
March 2009
Between the lines 9
Senator Fielding and the alcopops debacle. The wisdom of tax cuts. Freedom of information becomes freer?
Between the lines 8
A Human Rights Act for Australia. Executive excess. Policy on the run; is policy underdone? Food security
February 2009
Between the lines 7
Does the market have all the answers? Index of wellbeing. K Rudd bank. Newstart and the fiscal stimulus package.
January 2009
Between the lines 6
Burying bad news in the media. The impact of climate change on new businesses. Cooperatives. The Government’s new human rights consultation.
NL 57, December 2008
Hugh Saddler and Helen King examine the difficulties implicit in applying emissions trading to agriculture; Josh Fear reclaims your time from the telemarketers and examines the superannuation industry in Australia; David Richardson explains how accelerated depreciation would help the renewable energy industry; Richard Denniss looks at a new top tax rate; John Langmore asks whether
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