In March 2007, The Australian newspaper carried several stories that suggested there had been a dramatic reversal of attitudes towards nuclear power in Australia and that more people now supported nuclear power than opposed it. However, The Australian compared the results of two different survey questions, and any conclusions are therefore invalid. To test the...

The debate over an emissions trading system in Australia periodically refers to the claimed benefits of the so-called hybrid model of emissions trading developed by McKibbin and Wilcoxen. This model has not been subject to critical scrutiny, a gap this paper seeks to fill. The hybrid model proposes a national system with two types of...

In a speech to the National Civil Society Dialogue, Clive Hamilton argues that like those who gather around Quadrant, John Howard is haunted by the ghost of past ideological conflict. Someone should tell our Prime Minister that the Cold War is over; and that he won. But an ideological warrior needs enemies and if there...

When it comes to retirement, most boomers are neither lucky nor confident about their future. Myra Hamilton and Clive Hamilton report that there is a sharp divide between the retirement prospects of rich and poor boomers, with the 'lucky generation' tag being reserved for a small affluent minority.

The fundamental challenge facing the global community on climate change is how to avoid increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere at a rate swift enough to avoid climate induced changes that would be catastrophic to human life. Based on the outcomes of the Sydney meeting, the AP6 initiative does not significantly contribute to...