New Research

The development of Australia's federal critical infrastructure policy, 1978 – 2010

30 January 2012Australia’s strategy for managing national security is set out in a number of complex and interrelated policy documents that span multiple agencies. This paper summarises key parts of the federal critical infrastructure protection policy trajectory in the period 1978 – 2010.

Murray Valley encephalitis: a review of clinical features, diagnosis and treatment

24 January 2012The aftermarth of Queensland and NSW floods are beginning to effect areas of Victoria and South East Australia, with numbers in mosquito prone diseases rapidly on the rise.

#qldfloods and @QPSMedia: crisis communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland floods

#qldfloods and @QPSMedia: crisis communication on Twitter in the 2011 South East Queensland floods

12 January 2012Social media sites Twitter and Facebook played a crucial role in disseminating information during the 2011 Queensland floods.

Wein, Paen, Ya Ang Gim: Victorian Aboriginal experiences of energy and water

Wein, Paen, Ya Ang Gim: Victorian Aboriginal experiences of energy and water

03 January 2012Proposing practical solutions, this report examines the challenges faced by Victorian Aboriginal energy and water consumers.

Maintaining the common pool: voluntary water conservation in response to increasing scarcity

20 December 2011This paper studies the impact of changing storage levels on urban water usage in the context of a prolonged drought and an extensive public information campaign which emphasized communal responsibility for maintaining ‘dam levels’.

National water planning report card 2011

15 December 2011Prepared for the Council of Australian Governments, the inaugural National water planning report card calls for Australia's states and territories to improve the way they monitor and report results.

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Climate change

No quick fix for Australia’s future energy challenge

06 February 2012This report sets out the findings of the technology assessments and reviews the implications for government policy in terms of developing and deploying low emissions electricity technology.

Carbon policy assistance reviews: the Commission's tasks

24 January 2012This consultation paper sets out the nature of each of the tasks assigned to the Commission for the Government's Clean Energy Future Package.

Fossil fuel taxes

10 January 2012This paper identifies the fuels that are taxed, the forms that the taxes take and, where possible, quantifies the amounts collected.

Urban planning

The role of informal community resources in supporting independent housing for young people recovering from mental illness

30 January 2012This project looks at the housing issues facing young independant people with mental illness.

What are the benefits and risks of home ownership for low-moderate income households?

30 January 2012The study emanated from a concern that popular and political support for home ownership is such that critical questions about the degree to which all home owners realise the projected financial and non-financial benefits of home ownership are rarely asked.

Exploring the use of residual measures of housing affordability in Australia: methodologies and concepts

30 January 2012This essay argues that new approaches to measuring housing affordability are needed and are possible in Australia.

Commentary

Stirring the sediment in the Murray Darling Basin

05 December 2011For APO, Annie Bolitho looks at more creative ways into the Murray Darling Basin quagmire.

Who should look after the cities?

06 June 2011The federal government is showing signs of getting back into the urban planning business, reports Margaret Simons in Inside Story

It never happens, but it did happen

17 January 2011We are in a situation in which unprecedented weather events are to be expected, but we still don’t expect them, writes Jane Goodall in Inside Story

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Topic Guides

Climate change science 'top ten' sources to build your personal knowledge

  • Stefanie Pillora
  • Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government

07 November 2011Acknowledging the importance of drawing from credible sources, this guide provides advice on ten reliable and easily accessible sources of research written for non-specialist readers.

The clean energy plan

  • Clean Energy Future

11 July 2011Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan, and Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Greg Combet announced the Australian Government’s comprehensive plan for tackling climate change, ‘Securing a clean energy future’.

Guideline on the application of the premises standards - 2011

  • Australian Human Rights Commission

04 April 2011This guide has been issued to help designers, architects, builders and clients to better understand the Disability (Access to Premises - buildings) Standards 2010  which will commence on 1 May 2011.

Audio

Turning the tide on reef water quality

Listen to audio
14 September 2011Evidence of coastal ecosystem degradation in the Great Barrier Reef has been linked with increased land-based runoff of suspended solids, nutrients and pesticides resulting from clearing and agricultural land use.

Social media in natural disasters – the Queensland experience

Listen to audio
15 August 2011Opening with a discussion about the best of journalism exposing the worst of journalism, Anna Bligh focuses on the role that social media, used by the police and state and local governments, played during the floods and cyclones in Queensland last summer.

Sustainability

Victorian Food and Fibre Export Performance: 2010-11 Financial Year

30 January 2012This report is prepared to provide information on the value of Victorian and Australian food and fibre exports.

How do we regenerate middle suburban ‘greyfield’ areas?

30 January 2012This bulletin reveals areas of the country which require major regeneration of residential, energy, water and communications infastructure, better known as 'grey fields'.

Video

Richard Denniss in conversation with Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown

Listen to audio
04 July 2011Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown joins The Australia Institute's Executive Director Dr Richard Denniss at Politics in the Pub to discuss 'Greening Government'.

Have we been conned on climate change?

Listen to audio
07 June 2010Four leading climate change thinkers address the devastating lack of political leadership on the issue of climate change in Australia.

Housing

Caring for country: Australian natural and cultural resource management

30 January 2012This issue presents work and ideas from a diverse range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners, researchers and collaborators who work in central and northern Australia in a range of environments, from local to regional scales.

Websites

Community Water Planner

04 November 2011Remote and Indigenous communities can look forward to cleaner, safer drinking water, thanks to an enhanced Community Water Planner tool, developed to help assess and manage the risks in remote Australian community water supplies.

Harden Up Queensland

20 October 2011Harden Up is a Green Cross Australia led partnership that aims to empower Queenslanders to become self-reliant during natural disasters.

Water Information

04 November 2010For the first time Australians can see clearly where and how much water is available across our nation and compare how various states, cities and basins are faring.

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Mining the truth: The rhetoric and reality of the commodities boom
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Coal seam gas royalties in Australian States and Territories

Books

Cold light

Cold light

  • Frank Moorhouse
  • Random House Australia
Cold Light is about power, secrecy, the mortal struggle between capitalism and communism, – and urban planning. This compelling story is set in the still largely empty spaces of Canberra, a mere 23 years after its founding.
The rational optimist

The rational optimist

  • Matt Ridley
  • Fourth Estate
Predicting disaster has always sold well. But, over the last 10,000 years, things have usually turned out much better than expected.

Noticeboard

Online conservation game wins communicator awards
17 June 2009

Mission H2o, an online game themed around water conservation and developed by Swinburne University students and staff, has received two prestigious design awards.

Topic Guides

Climate change science 'top ten' sources to build your personal knowledge

  • Stefanie Pillora
  • Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government

07 November 2011Acknowledging the importance of drawing from credible sources, this guide provides advice on ten reliable and easily accessible sources of research written for non-specialist readers.

Topics

APO