Miranda Stewart, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University and Teck Chi Wong, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
In it’s first inclusion in the Open Budget Index of 115 countries, Australia ranks 12th.
The Schapelle Corby media circus wasn’t reflected in Twitter stats and calls to boycott Fairfax during the staff strike show limited impact on this social media platform as well.
The Turnbull government’s schools funding proposal ‘should be embraced by all sides of politics’ provided some adjustments are made, a Grattan Institute submission says.
The fact that a university has a surplus doesn’t mean it has a profit to be either reinvested or returned to shareholders. Grants, for example, should be spent on the projects they’re intended for.
With its recent budget changes, the government is proposing a rise in marginal tax rates across a wide band of middle incomes and a marginal tax rate cut for the top.
The federal government has defunded a national research agency that looks at how best to adapt to climate-related impacts such as floods, droughts and heatwaves - a decision that could cost lives.
A push towards prescribing generic medications rather than their branded equivalents, as flagged in the budget, may have benefits beyond simple cost savings.
The federal budget will pump A$90 million into boosting domestic gas production, as well as investing in pumped hydro and measures to monitor energy prices.
When people do downsize, financial incentives are generally not the big things on their minds. And so most of the budget’s financial incentives will go to those who were going to downsize anyway.
When the public are deeply cynical and distrustful, and have turned their back on a government, can that government change its image and the voters’ view?