The A$14 billion federal government proposal based on David Gonski’s call for a better school funding system has not been agreed to at this week’s COAG meeting. In fact, none of the states and territories…
Universities source around 60% of their funding from the government – down from 90% in the 1980s.
AAP
As state premiers meet to thrash out an agreement on funding the Gonski school reforms, universities have been gnashing their teeth at being the losers in the funding equation.
Earlier this week, Vice…
Tony Abbott has been quiet on the subject of federalism recently.
AAP/Alan Porritt
Suddenly, everyone seems to be unloading about the state of federal-state relations and the problems of the Council of Australian Governments.
COAG, where the prime minister, premiers and chief ministers…
For low-income households, energy saving usually means switching off. Will COAG’s reforms give them more options?
James Mooney
There is only so much that individuals can do. As energy prices keep climbing, in many households you will find a parent patrolling to check lights and appliances are turned off. Some poorer households…
The states have agreed to an initial agreement for the NDIS, but details of the first phase remain patchy.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has established an inter-governmental agreement that will form the framework for the initial phase of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). But as…
Weakening environmental protections would make it harder to do business in Australia.
Dave Hunt/AAP
Proposed changes to Australia’s national environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act (EPBC) 1999, appear to have been shelved. The politics have shifted rapidly. Ultimately, the…
Electricity prices have been rising rapidly during the past decade.
Sir Bennikins/Flickr
A few days ago, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard foreshadowed a “plan to make sure that families pay $250 less per year for electricity” to be discussed at this Friday’s meeting of the Council of Australian…
State premiers preparing to gather at COAG on Friday have been disappointed by the GST Review.
As Prime Minister Julia Gillard prepares to meet with state premiers at Friday’s COAG meeting, the elephant in the room will be the Independent GST Review, released by Treasurer Wayne Swan last week…
A smart meter alone isn’t enough. Customers also need in home displays or web portals.
Tom Raferty
Smart meters are in the news again with much discussion about what Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to propose to the COAG meeting on Friday.
Smart meters can perform various functions, from remote…
Prime minister Julia Gillard takes an electricity pricing reform package to COAG this week – but could the answer be in addressing congestion pricing for the network?
AAP
Electricity network pricing has been a hot topic in the last six months. The key issues have been regulation and demand side management. On regulation, Prime Minister Julia Gillard is taking a package…
Changes to Murray Darling policy are a big win for SA, but NSW and Victoria aren’t impressed.
Feral Arts
On Friday, the Prime Minister announced that the Commonwealth will spend $1.7 billion to increase water return to the Murray-Darling River by a further 450 gigalitres. The announcement is a big win for…
Campbell Newman, Barry O'Farrell and Julia Gillard enjoy a laugh at last week’s COAG meeting.
AAP/Lukas Coch
The rituals before a Council of Australian Governments meeting tend to outweigh the substance and outcomes from the meeting.
By playing the parochial card before the meeting, state premiers sell themselves…
Gillard may encounter some tough talk from Coalition MPs at today’s COAG meeting.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
The Coalition state premiers going to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting today smell blood.
The Gillard government is in a weak position with constant leadership speculation, the Craig…
Julia Gillard’s announcement of a federal small business commissioner indicates a welcome interest in the sector, but its role is still undefined.
AAP
Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s decision to appoint a Federal Small Business Commissioner is a welcome move that signals an increasing interest in small business.
But what exactly should a new commissioner…
A new national partnership agreement could allay a lot of CSG worries, if the states sign up.
kateausburn/Flickr
A new national agreement designed to protect water resources from coal seam gas extraction and coal mining could offer a level of protection so far unseen in Australian environmental legislation. Any states…
Don’t mention the F-word: the states are unenthusiastic about COAG’s brand of managerial federalism.
AAP
In our desire to “end the blame game”, do we expect too much from the various governments in Australia’s federal system? This is the question prompted by the release of the third report by the Council…
