Follow The Money

New research shows Australian workers are on average working 6 weeks unpaid overtime per year, costing over $92 billion dollars in unpaid wages across the economy.  2022 marks the fourteenth annual Go Home on Time Day (GHOTD), an initiative of the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute that shines a spotlight on overwork among Australians, including excessive overtime that is often unpa...

To combat persistently low wages growth, the Government has put forward its Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill, currently before the Senate. The most contentious reform within the Bill is ‘multi-employer bargaining'.  We’ve heard employer groups call it a ‘seismic shift that will increase strikes’. On the other hand, unions are calling the reforms moderate. What is certain is that the current system is n...

Climate is dominating headlines worldwide as COP27 – the United Nations annual climate conference — begins in Egypt. We've just released our benchmark Climate of the Nation report, giving an insight into what Australians are thinking and feeling about climate change, and the climate policies they support. This was recorded on Tuesday 8th November 2022 and things may have changed since recording.  ...

The October Budget delivers on a range of welcome bread & butter commitments, but has deferred solving Australia’s meat and potatoes revenue problems. So who are the winners and losers, and what are the missed opportunities? This was recorded on Thursday 27th October 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Direct...

Gas companies in Australia made up to $40 billion in windfall profits in the last year due to the war in Ukraine, and global price spikes. There are growing calls for a windfall profits tax to claw back some of these war profits, to fund essential services in Australia.  This was recorded on Tuesday 18th October 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausin...

As pressure builds for the Albanese government to scrap the promised Stage Three tax cuts, discussion has shifted around who would lose out. The Australian said it would mean “2.5 million middle income Australians will pay thousands of dollars in additional tax,” but describes middle income Australians as individuals earning between $120,000 and $160,000 a year. If that sounds wrong, it's because...

Pacific Island nations are on the front line of climate change, and as Australia celebrates the passage of the 43% climate bill, Pacific leaders want to know that the new Australian Government’s improved rhetoric on climate is matched by policy integrity when it comes to new gas and coal projects and exports. Join Their Excellencies Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati and Tommy E. Remengesau...

The Federal Government recently tabled legislation to establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), a long overdue measure to help restore trust in politics and democracy. The bill is not without criticism however, there are concerns that the threshold for holding public hearings is unreasonably high. This was recorded on Thursday 29th September 2022 and things may have changed since rec...

The $240 billion Stage 3 Tax Cuts, originally legislated by the Coalition government, have been described by the Labor government as an election promise they won't break. But calls are growing for the cuts to be scrapped, having been labelled tax cuts for the wealthy amid a cost of living crisis. This was recorded on Tuesday 27th September 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Aust...

Labor’s climate bill cleared the Senate last week. It’s a pretty modest bill, and doesn’t include any measures to actually reduce emissions in the private sector. That’s where the Safeguard Mechanism comes in – which is a voluntary scheme that affects the nation’s biggest industrial emitters, and is the Government’s main policy it will use to get to those emission reduction goals.   This was recor...

This week on Follow the Money Ebony is sitting down with Greg Jericho to discuss the Jobs Summit: what happened, why was it needed, and are we going to get any jobs out of it? This was recorded on Tuesday 6th September 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guest:...

In this episode we're unpacking something a little different, something a bit outside our usual discussion about the economy. As Defence Minister Richard Marles lifts Peter Dutton’s ban on some charity and diversity events in Defence, we dive into the term ‘woke’. What does it mean? Why is it dominating the culture wars? Dive in to the woke debate with Bill Browne, Director, Democracy & Accoun...

When you think about Australia's entire economy, what share of that pie do you think goes to workers (via wages) compared to business (via profits)? The Business Council of Australia is making some bold claims that the profit share of income has fallen, but does the data back that up? In this episode we unpack who is really winning and who is getting left behind in Australia's economy with Richard...

New research by the Australia Institute shows that $5.9 billion in fuel costs would have been saved and emissions equivalent to a year’s worth of domestic flights would have been avoided, if robust fuel efficiency standards were adopted in 2015. This was recorded on Wednesday 17th August 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Benne...

Join First Nations leaders Pat Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis for a conversation about the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its three objectives: a Voice to Parliament, Treaty, and Truth. A webinar in partnership with the Sydney Peace Foundation. This was recorded on Wednesday 3rd August 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Eb...

We are nearly at the end of the first sitting fortnight of the 47th Parliament, and it has been a packed agenda. This week we're unpacking quick recap of how much things have changed in this new Parliament, and what changes are likely on the horizon. This was recorded live on Wednesday 3rd August 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Eb...

Why is everything so expensive? And will a wage increase just make it worse? New research shows that only a trivial portion of Australia’s inflation has come from wages this year, while rising prices continue to drive not just inflation, but profits to record highs. This was recorded on Tuesday 26th July 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute...

For this special live episode of Follow the Money, the panel will be discussing: A New Agenda for a New Parliament: Climate Action, International Affairs & Integrity - Yes Please! bringing together diverse knowledge on all fronts of climate & energy, international & security affairs, and integrity issues. This was recorded on Wednesday 13th July 2022 and things may have changed since r...

Join Nobel Laureate, former World Bank Chief Economist, and best-selling author Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, in conversation with Australia Institute chief economist Dr Richard Denniss, about the need to expand the role of governments, unions, and civil society. Professor Stiglitz is visiting Australia as a guest of the Australia Institute. This was recorded on 11th July 2022 and things may have...

The Parliaments of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory have been banned from legislating voluntary assisted dying laws, but the new government and members of the new Parliament are seeking to restore Territory Rights as a matter of priority. This was recorded on Tuesday 5th July 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Ho...

The Tasmanian Government’s proposed law for a police crackdown on peaceful protest has been criticised as anti-democratic and a threat to civil society. The Bill creates disproportionate penalties for people who peacefully protest against business activities, equivalent to aggravated assault, possessing an implement with intent to commit a crime, or loitering near children. This was recorded on 28...

Last week, the Australian Energy Market Operator (or AEMO) suspended the National electricity spot market after it became ‘impossible to operate’ amid projected energy shortfalls. On today's episode, we're unpacking how we got here, and how to fix it. This was recorded on 21st June 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia Institute // @theausinstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, De...

This year was the Integrity Election. Prior to the election, we were joined by Independent MPs Helen Haines and Zali Steggall for a discussion about the potential for the 2022 federal election to grow the crossbench or result in another minority parliament, and what further reforms could be on the horizon. This was recorded on 11th May 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australi...

The big story of this election is the collapse of the Coalition vote, as voters around the country backed parties and candidates with strong climate and integrity policies. What happened at the election and what comes next in the Senate? Join the ACT Independent Senate candidate David Pocock, who looks set to secure the second Senate seat in the ACT. If he is successful, it would be the first time...

Australia cannot solve the climate crisis while we keep opening new gas fields and coal mines. In this episode we're listening back to our webinar with Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP for a discussion about how Australia can rapidly transition to a clean energy economy and move beyond fossil fuels. This was recorded on Thursday 19th May 2022 and things may have changed since recording. The Australia I...