This first edition of the Australia Institute's Senate Projections series finds that, on current polling, future elections are likely to return a crossbench that is about as large and divided as the current one.

This briefing paper shows the recently announced 23.9% tax-to-GDP cap is entirely arbitrary, and that a strict tax cap with no policy change will severely limit choices in government spending.

The Community Development Program (CDP) is remote Australia’s Work for the Dole (WFD) and 'job assistance' scheme. The CDP has been criticised by civil society groups, Indigenous groups, academics and even police, with allegations that it pays below minimum wage and its penalty system is punitive, entrenching poverty, causing housing stress and even hunger.

This reports suggest that Australia’s aid spending, already at record lows, could be cut further, making our aid contribution proportionately lower than that of Greece.

This discussion paper is based upon a national poll, conducted in April and May 2017, to assess levels of direct engagement between Australians and their parliamentarians, and opinions on whether the number of federal parliamentarians should be increased or decreased.