Research
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Scott Morrison thinks cutting taxes is 'economics 101'. As an economist, I beg to differby Richard Denniss[Originally published on Guardian Australia, 6 Feb 2019]At a time when the number of people studying economics is at a record low, the number of politicians citing economics 101 seems to be at a record high. Take our current prime minister, Scott Morrison. When asked to provide evidence that closing tax loopholes and collecting more revenue would weaken the economy, our policy maker in chief declared, “I think it’s just fun... -
Intervention is the new blackby Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Financial Review, 4 Feb 2019]Few people think carbon pricing is as important as Tony Abbott does. Not only was repealing the carbon tax his biggest achievement as prime minister, nearly five years later, he still can't stop talking about it. Nothing would excite him more than the chance to repeal another carbon price one day.But unfortunately for the member for Warringah, the economics com...
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Australia, we have bigger issues to tackle than boardies and thongsby Ebony Bennett[Originally published in The Canberra Times, 26.01.19]Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and forcing 537 councils to conduct citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. And it’s stinking hot.What could be more Australian than a nationwide ban on shorts and thongs as we confer citizenship on our newest Aussies during an unprecedented heatwave? Nothing screams democracy more than stripping local councils of their ability...
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Job Creation Record Contradicts Tax-Cut IdeologyThe Australian Bureau of Statistics released its detailed biennial survey of employment arrangements this week (Catalogue 6306.0, "Employee Earnings and Hours"). Once every two years, it takes a deeper dive into various aspects of work life. Buried deep in the dozens of statistical tables was a very surprising breakdown of employment by size of workplace. It turns out, surprisingly, that Australia's biggest workplaces (both private firms an...
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The tide has turned on the tax debateby Richard Denniss[Originally published in the Australian Finacial Review] Some political parties are coping better with the social and technological transitions that are reshaping Australia than others. Just as Kodak couldn't adapt to the digital era and Nokia couldn't adapt to the smartphone era, it's not obvious that all of Australia's current political parties will survive the seismic shifts rocking the economy and the electorate.Take th...
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Will Bill Shorten's tax strategy make him a winner or cost him the election?by Richard Denniss[Originally published on The Guardian Australia]It’s time we talked about tax. Bill Shorten wants to close tax loopholes and spend more on schools and hospitals. Prime minister Scott Morrison wants to scare voters about the perils of a high-taxing Labor government. And the business community still want the Liberal’s big cut in the company tax rate, but they also want Labor’s proposed tax concessions for new invest...
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The REAL Diary of an Uber DriverABC recently announced plans for a new 6-part television drama called “Diary of an Uber Driver.” The Centre for Future Work's Director Jim Stanford wonders if this drama will truly constitute insightful drama - or whether it will serve to whitewash the labour practices of a controversial, exploitive industry. A version of this commentary originally appeared on the 10 Daily website. The REAL Diary of an Uber Driver by Jim Stanford ABC recent...
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The Year Past, and the Year to ComeWorkforce (a labour relations bulletin published by Thomson-Reuters) recently surveyed major IR figures in Australia on what they saw as the big issues in 2018, and what they expect as the major talking points for 2019. Jim Stanford, economist and Centre for Future Work director, was one of those surveyed, and here are his remarks. What was the most important issue or event in industrial relations this year?I would choose the union move...
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Industry-Wide Bargaining Good for Efficiency, as Well as EquityIn this commentary, Centre for Future Work Associate Dr. Anis Chowdhury discusses the economic benefits of industry-wide collective bargaining. In addition to supporting wage growth, industry-wide wage agreements generate significant efficiency benefits, by pressuring lagging firms to improve their innovation and productivity performance. The experience of other countries (such as Germany and Singapore) suggests that this system promotes greater...
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The Coalition is determined to spend from beyond the graveby Richard Denniss[This article was originally published in the Australian Financial Review]It's easier to develop long-run visions than solve short-term problems, which presumably explains why governments facing election defeat seem to care more about what future governments should do, than what their government isn't doing.Once upon a time treasurers were responsible for the current year's budget, but back in the late 1970s they started publish...