Issue Analysis
Issue Analysis (IA) are shorter publications that deal with controversial and current issues.
Categories
Australia and the Asian Ascendancy: Why Upskilling is Not Necessary to Reap the Rewards
Government programs to upskill the Australian workforce for the Asian Century are a solution to a non-problem. With more than a million Asian-born Australians, millions of speakers of Asian languages,... Read More
After the Riot: the Meaning for Multicultural Australia
The riot on 15 September in the Sydney CBD by Muslim protestors has raised questions about the health of Australian multiculturalism. Are the values that have made Australia a successful ‘immigrant nation’... Read More
Faraway, So Close: How the Euro Crisis Affects Australia
Europe’s economic crisis has been shaking financial markets for the past three years. Countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and even Italy are in danger of defaulting on their debt. The continent’s... Read More
On the Right Track: Why NSW Needs Business Class Rail
Rail connections between Sydney and neighbouring cities need to improve substantially and business class carriages would be a good first step. Jennifer Buckingham and Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich look past... Read More
Diminishing Democracy: The Threat Posed by Political Expenditure Laws
Electoral law reforms nearing a Senate vote risk making political activists inadvertent lawbreakers, deterring financial supporters of Australia’s civil society, and creating unnecessary bureaucratic... Read More
Emissions Tax: The Least Worst Option
The New Zealand government’s emissions trading system, due to come into force in 2010 for energy and 2013 for agriculture, is the wrong approach. An emissions tax linked with other tax cuts would be... Read More
Beyond Symbolism: Finding a Place for Local Government in Australia's Constitution
Local governments could provide better services, like schools and fast development approvals if they received a higher proportion of tax revenue and a formal definition in the Constitution. Read More
Indigenous Governance At the Crossroads: The Way Forward
Under the current local government framework, there are too many layers of government in remote Indigenous communities, resulting in conflict between, and duplication of, administrative structures. It... Read More
The Economics of Indigenous Deprivation and Proposals for Reform
For remote Indigenous communities to have productive employment opportunities with mainstream earnings, decent health outcomes, decent housing, and the same security and standards of living that other... Read More
The Free Market Case Against Voluntary Student Unionism (But for Voluntary Student Representation)
The federal government plans to introduce ‘voluntary student unionism’ (VSU) into Australia’s universities by banning the current compulsory fee for non-academic services. However, market-based policies... Read More
Papua New Guinea’s Choice: A Tale of Two Nations
The recent withdrawal of the Australian police is disastrous for the people of Papua New Guinea. The police deployed under the Enhanced Cooperation Programme had only been in place for six months, but... Read More
Universities in a State: The Federal Case Against Commonwealth Control of Universities
The Commonwealth Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, has suggested that the federal government assume full legal responsibility for universities. However, tranferring power over universities from the... Read More
The Pacific is Viable!
Whilst all is relatively quiet in the Pacific, there is still no growth. With aid runing at more than $1.5 billion a year to cushion the effects of stagnation, Pacific governments continue to opt for inaction.... Read More
From Riches to Rags What Are Nauru’s Options and How Can Australia Help?
Thirty years after enjoying the world’s second highest per capita GDP after Saudi Arabia, Nauru is on the verge of insolvency, has appalling health problems and was declared one of the first ‘rogue’... Read More
Can Papua New Guinea Come Back From the Brink?
After seven months of wrangling, arrangements to deploy more than 260 Australian police and other officials to Papua New Guinea have finally been made. PNG, in addition to restoring law and order, needs... Read More
Sweet and Sour Pork Barrelling: The Case of Queensland Sugar
For nearly 100 years, pork barrelling has propped up a recalcitrant sugar industry that has refused to reform despite evidence that deregulation would lead to higher profits. Now the negative side effects... Read More
The Open Front Door Tourism, Border Control and National Security
Terrorists could easily exploit a serious weakness in Australia’s border protection regime, warns immigration expert Professor William Maley. While the Howard government has committed substantial resources... Read More
Poor Laws (3) How to Reform the Award System and Create More Jobs
Despite the hype about enterprise bargaining and the individualisation of employment arrangements since the early 1990s, the award system continues to play a significant role in Australia’s industrial... Read More
Whose Progress? A Response to the ABS Report Measuring Australia’s Progress
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ recent report, Measuring Australia’s Progress, threatens to compromise the political neutrality of the ABS, for it blurs the line dividing fact from opinion. Read More
Rear Vision on Trade Policy: Wrong Way, Go Forward
Policies affecting trade flows do not begin or end in the international arena: Decisions about reducing protection must be implemented at home. Without increasing our competitiveness through improved technology,... Read More
The Last Refuge: Hard and Soft Hansonism in Contemporary Australian Politics
Hard Hansonism includes a number of characteristic policies – on aboriginal affairs, protectionism, privatisation, competition policy, and so on. Soft Hansonism is powerfully manifested in two key spheres... Read More
