The Morisson Government has argued that Australia’s internationally low unemployment payments are needed, in part as an incentive to encourage the unemployed to look for and accept work. This report tests the government’s theory by comparing Australia’s unemployment payments and unemployment rate (pre-COVID) to that of other countries in the OECD.

The analysis in this report estimates that the oil and gas industry cut around 10 percent of its workforce in the 12 months to December last year. Despite this, the Australian Government is continuing to hand out large taxpayer subsidies to the industry as part of its “Gas-Fired Recovery JobMaker Plan.”

This paper examines claims by Google and its consultants that the company generates massive economic benefits for Australia—$39 billion for business and $14 billion for consumers. These claims are massively overstated and, as might be expected, negative aspects of Google’s practices are not acknowledged.

The swearing-in of Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States will signal a reset in the strategic relationship between Australia and its US partner. In this discussion paper, Allan Behm argues that Australia will need to do its own thinking, reinvesting in both regional institutions and regional coalition-building.

Rental properties are less likely to have solar PV installations than owner-occupied properties, resulting in higher electricity bills and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper suggests that government programs that coordinate and change the incentives faced by landlords, renters, property managers and solar installers can help address this imbalance.