This project aims to better understand the housing sector labour market and will answer the question: What are the principle constraints faced by the housing sector labour force in meeting the challenge of increasing housing supply? The research will assist in establishing greater certainty in policy aimed at ensuring adequate housing supply, good economic management...

The Australian Government has asked the Productivity Commission to identify regulatory and policy barriers to effective Climate Change adaptation, and to identify high priority reform options to address any identified barriers. The Commission is also required to report on: policy frameworks required to facilitate effective adaptation to climate change the costs and benefits of identified...

Water is a classic common pool resource, especially during drought. This paper studies the impact of changing storage levels on urban water usage in the context of a prolonged drought and an extensive public information campaign which emphasized communal responsibility for maintaining ‘dam levels’. We identify a substantial voluntary conservation response to changing storage levels...

To operate effectively, mining operations often need access to substantial volumes of water. While water consumption used by the mining industry is less than two per cent of the total estimated water use across Australia, the effect of operations on local groundwater resources can be significant and can impact on other water users. A key...

Cask wine produced from grapes grown along the Murray River is being sold for less than the cost of bottled water, this report reveals. With up to 960 litres of water used to make a single litre of cask wine, and bottled water retailing for up to $3.00 for 500ml, the Institute is concerned that...