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The Australia Institute is a left-wing
public policy Public policy is an institutionalized proposal or a decided set of elements like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve or address relevant and real-world problems, guided by a conception and often implemented by programs. Public p ...
think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...
based in Canberra, Australia. Since its launch in 1994, it has carried out research on a broad range of
economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...
,
social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
, and
environmental A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
issues. The institute has offices in Canberra, Hobart, and
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
.


Research

The Australia Institute undertakes
economic analysis Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyz ...
with special emphasis on the role of the
public sector The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, inf ...
as well as issues such as
taxation A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, o ...
,
inequality Inequality may refer to: Economics * Attention inequality, unequal distribution of attention across users, groups of people, issues in etc. in attention economy * Economic inequality, difference in economic well-being between population groups * ...
, including
gender inequality Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which men and women are not treated equally. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in the society. Some of these distinctions are empi ...
, poverty, privatisation, foreign investment, and
corporate power In social science and economics, corporate capitalism is a capitalist marketplace characterized by the dominance of hierarchical and bureaucratic corporations. Overview A large proportion of the economy of the United States and its labour marke ...
. Some of the Australia Institute's contributions involve analysis of modelling exercises on the part of other groups. This includes assessing some of the pandemic modelling as well as the modelling behind the government's intergenerational report. The fiscal response has prompted attention to the tax base, and so the Australia Institute described the principles of a good tax and a report on how to make the budget less sexist. These are some of the topics among the hundreds of reports on economic issues generally.   The Australia Institute has been producing research in the climate and energy space since 1994. In 2017, The Australia Institute took over the work of the Climate Institute, including continuing the Climate of the Nation report, the longest continuous survey of community attitudes to
climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
in Australia. The Australia Institute also publishes the National Energy Emissions Audit. The Australia Institute's Democracy & Accountability Program was established to “research the solutions to our democratic deficit and develop the political strategies to put them into practice”. Issues pursued by the program include truth in political advertising laws, how state and federal governments have handled the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, and
freedom of information Freedom of information is freedom of a person or people to publish and consume information. Access to information is the ability for an individual to seek, receive and impart information effectively. This sometimes includes "scientific, Indigeno ...
laws. In October 2019, The Australia Institute established the International and Security Affairs Program to examine "the global connectivity that both underpins and impacts on Australia’s place in the world and the well-being of our citizens”. The program addresses a broad range of contemporary global issues, including new thinking on what security means, a contemporary Middle east policy, the proper use of the defence force, the ANZUS treaty, Australia's relations with China, and how Australia might improve its performance in the Pacific. The Australia Institute's researchers are prominent commentators on public policy issues, including work on
climate change and energy In the 21st century, the earth's climate and its energy policy interact and their relationship is studied and governed by a variety of national and international institutions. The relationships between energy-resource depletion, climate change, ...
,
emissions trading Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emission ...
, taxation policy, and inequality.


Centres


The Centre for Future Work

In 2016, the Australia Institute set up the Centre for Future of Work "to conduct and publish economic research on work, employment, and labour markets". Its founding director is Canadian economist Dr Jim Stanford. The Centre For Future Work also hosts the Carmichael Centre, which was established to honour the late Laurie Carmichael and publishes research on themes related to Carmichael's legacy, including industrial relations; social policy; manufacturing and industry policy; vocational education; and international labour solidarity.


The Nordic Policy Centre

The Nordic Policy Centre was established in 2019 to explore the policy lessons that Australia can learn from the Nordic nations. The Nordic Policy Centre is partnering with
Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia. Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...
on the first series of research papers. Professor Andrew Scott, Deakin University, is the Convenor. ''The Nordic Edge Possibilities for Australia'' was published by the Centre in 2021, to show how Nordic nations have secured progress across a range of public policy areas.


The Centre for Responsible Technology

The Centre for Responsible Technology was established in 2019 to examine the way network technology and digital platforms are impacting people and society.


History

Professor
Clive Hamilton Clive Charles Hamilton AM FRSA (born 12 March 1953) is an Australian public intellectual and Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE) and the Vice-Chancellor's Chair in Public Ethics at Charles ...
helped establish The Australia Institute in 1994 to generate public debate on building a better society. "I wondered, 'Where are the progressive think tanks making debate on the environment and broader public issues?'". The first directors of the institute also included Professor Max Neutze (inaugural Chair) and Professor Hugh Saddler. Hamilton was the Executive Director until his resignation in 2008. He was succeeded in the role by Dr Richard Denniss, who stepped down in 2015 to take up the role of Chief Economist. Ben Oquist was Executive Director from 2015 to 2022. He was succeeded by Dr Richard Denniss who returned to the role in 2022.


Climate change and energy

The Australia Institute is active in promoting global warming mitigation measures, and has been critical of the Australian federal government's perceived lack of action on climate change. The Australia Institute was critical of the Howard Government's decision to refuse to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. It claims that the former Prime Minister and some senior ministers deny the scientific evidence for
global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
and that the resources sector drives government energy policy. Leaked minutes of a meeting between the Energy Minister, the Prime Minister and fossil fuel lobbyists provide evidence for these claims. The Australia Institute has been active in promoting renewable energy development, and other mitigation measures, and it has campaigned strongly against developing a nuclear industry in Australia. The Australia Institute criticised the
Rudd ''Scardinius'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae commonly called rudds. Locally, the name "rudd" without any further qualifiers is also used for individual species, particularly the common rudd (''S. erythrophthalmus''). Th ...
Government's proposed Australian
emissions trading scheme Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emission t ...
(or
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (or CPRS) was a cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme for anthropogenic greenhouse gases proposed by the Rudd government, as part of its climate change policy, which had been due to commence in Australia in ...
), arguing that it failed to adequately take into account voluntary action and delivered excessive compensation to polluting industries. The Australia Institute spoke positively of the design of the carbon price mechanism implemented by the Gillard Government, arguing that beginning with a fixed price and transitioning to an
emissions trading scheme Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emission t ...
made sense given that there was no consensus about what the emissions reduction target should be. In 2014, Ben Oquist (then the Australia Institute's strategy director) was involved in the Palmer United Party's decision to vote against the abolition of the Renewable Energy Target, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and the Climate Change Authority. Oquist wrote that "The Australia Institute is disappointed that the carbon price is likely to be repealed" but that "The Palmer-Gore announcement has re-set climate policy and politics. Keeping the CCA, the RET and the CEFC is much more than most expected from the PUP. We have avoided a big step backwards." In 2017, the Australia Institute reported that Australia's greenhouse gas emissions were "rising rapidly" since the abolition of the carbon price, with economist Matt Grudnoff criticising the National Energy Guarantee proposed by the Turnbull Government, saying that it would be “likely to cause our emissions to rise even faster”. In 2017, The Australia Institute took over The Climate Institute's intellectual property after that institute closed, and subsequently launched a Climate and Energy Program to continue the work. The firs
Climate of the Nation report
produced by The Australia Institute was released in 2018.


Tax reform debate

The Australia Institute employs several economists who have published papers arguing for tax reform, particularly in the areas of superannuation tax concessions, negative gearing, capital gains tax and goods and services tax. During the 2016 Australian federal election, the Institute published a series of critiques of the Coalition's proposed policy of cutting the company tax rate. The Australia Institute has also criticised the final two stages of the Turnbull Government's three-stage income tax cut plan, releasing research into how the benefits from the tax cut are distributed by income and electorate.


Funding and Resourcing

The Australia Institute had a total gross income $7.75 Million (Australian dollars) in 2022 ($7M in 2021, and $4.46 Million in 2020) and is funded by donations from philanthropic trusts and individuals, as well as grants and commissioned research from business, unions and non-government organisations. The Australia Institute reports Full Time Equivalent staff (FTE) of 37 employees. In its first decade through to 2003, the Australia Institute was largely funded by the Poola Foundation and the Treepot Foundation—philanthropic organisations run by the Kantor's.Brad Norington, "Think Tank Secrets", The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 August 2003
/ref> Other significant funders include the McKinnon Family Foundation; David Morawetz's Social Justice Fund, a sub fund of the Australian Communities Foundation; Diana and Brian Snape AM and the Susan McKinnon Foundation. In recent years, the Australia Institute has reported the number of donations it has received from individuals, with 2,000 individual donors in financial year 2015 and 2,700 in the financial year 2017. The Australia Institute claims to not accept donations or commissioned work from political parties.


Directors

*Dr John McKinnon (Chair), NGO director and philanthropist *Ms Alex Sloan, award-winning journalist, interviewer and facilitator *Mr Andrew Dettmer, National President of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union *Professor Asmi Wood, Australian National University College of law. *Dr Elizabeth Cham, former CEO of Philanthropy Australia (96-06) *Dr Elizabeth Hill, Senior Lecturer, Political economy at the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's ...
*Mr Josh Bornstein, Head of National Employment and Industrial Law at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Former board members include: *
Lin Hatfield Dodds Lin Hatfield Dodds (born Linda Hatfield), Australian social policy expert and former Churchill Fellow, is the CEO of The Benevolent Society, Australia's first and oldest charity, and was the Deputy Secretary for Social Policy in the Department ...
, National Director,
UnitingCare Australia UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the UnitingCare network, made up of the Uniting Church in Australia's (UCA) community services agencies. It is a sister body to UnitingJustice Australia, and UnitingWorld. All are agencies of the Un ...
* Sarah Maddison (Chair), Senior Associate Dean, School of Politics and International Relations,
University of New South Wales The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensiv ...
*
Tony McMichael Professor Anthony John McMichael AO FTSE MBBS PhD (3 October 1942 – 26 September 2014) was an Australian epidemiologist who retired from the Australian National University in 2012. Background McMichael grew up in Adelaide, and graduated in medic ...
, Professor, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health,
Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies an ...
* Meredith Edwards, Emeritus Professor,
University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is within walking distance of Westfield Belconnen, and from Canberra's Civic Centre. U ...
*
Sharan Burrow Sharan Leslie Burrow (born 12 December 1954) was the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) (2010-2022) and a former president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) (2000–2010). She was the first wom ...
, President,
Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and l ...
* Mark Wootton, Principal and Manager of Jigsaw Farms and Director of the Poola Charitable Foundation * Hugh Saddler, Managing Director, Energy Strategies Limited * Gerardine (Ged) Kearney, President,
Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and l ...
* Ben Oquist, Executive Director, The Australia Institute * Richard Denniss, Chief Economist, The Australia Institute * Lee Thomas, Federal Secretary, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation * Max Neutze, Professor, Urban Research Program, Australian National University, inaugural chair *Dr David Morawetz, Clinical/Counseling Psychologist, Founder/Director of the Social Justice Fund *Professor
Barbara Pocock Barbara Ann Pocock AM (born 22 March 1955) is an Australian politician who was elected at the 2022 Australian federal election to become a Senator representing South Australia from July 2022. She was officially declared elected by the Australia ...
(Deputy Chair), Director, Centre for Work and Life,
University of South Australia The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Australi ...


References


External links


The Australia Institute website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australia Institute 1994 establishments in Australia Liberalism in Australia Research organisations in Australia Sustainability organizations Think tanks based in Australia Think tanks established in 1994