The Australian Government has announced its intention to introduce emissions trading in 2010 by establishing the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), which will set a ‘cap’ on greenhouse gas emissions. Permits equivalent to this cap will be auctioned or given away to the largest 1000 polluters. These permits will then be bought and sold between...

The top tax threshold has not kept pace with the astronomical increases in executive salaries writes Richard Denniss. Until recently, the idea that executive salaries might be ‘too high’ was dismissed as evidence that the proponent didn’t understand how the ‘global market for talent’ works. In the wake of the global financial crisis, however, limiting...

The Commonwealth Government could start injecting tens of millions of dollar into the economy each week by simply increasing the size of a payment such as the age pension. The current slowing in the world economy has raised a number of important issues about the way that the Australian government, and governments in all developed...

The Rudd Government has announced its intention to introduce an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), now being referred to as a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), by 2010. Central to the scheme will be the sale by the Federal Government of permits to industrial interests which emit carbon pollution as part of their commercial activities. Businesses...

Emission trading will begin in Australia from 2010. While the design features of the scheme are yet to be finalised, whatever scheme is introduced will lead to higher energy prices. This paper assesses the likely impact of higher energy prices on a range of different household types over time. It finds that while introducing emission...