This paper argues that before Australia jumps into the golden age of gas as a way of combating climate change, it is essential to have a good understanding of the effect that this will have on emissions, which requires measuring the fugitive emissions that occur in the coal seam gas extraction process. With increasing awareness...

The Western Australian government together with Woodside proposes to build the Browse LNG precinct on James Price Point in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Australia Institute argues that such a development will negatively effect the region at both the financial and community level with changes to available employment and local infrastructure. The evidence...

The federal government gives just over $4 billion in direct subsidies to mining companies each year, mainly in the form of cheap fuel and tax breaks for building roads and railways, this policy brief reveals. This is at a time when the industry is earning record profits. Significantly, the subsidies and tax concessions set out...

The purpose of this paper is to consider a feature of the mining boom which has been barely considered in the Australian policy debate to date, namely, how fast should the mining construction boom be allowed to develop?

While it is easy for proponents to talk up the benefits of individual mines, when they are considered together, the overall impact is not as positive as the Australian public has been led to believe. On the back of record high commodity prices the mining industry in Australia is experiencing an unprecedented period of expansion...