An independent public policy think tank working to build a new vision for Australia based on fairness, shared prosperity, and social justice.
Per Capita — Fighting inequality in Australia
Our Latest Publications
View all publicationsProgressive Economics
July 28, 2025
Submission to the Economic Reform Roundtable
This submission from Per Capita to the Economic Reform Roundtable builds on the success of our Community Tax Summit and lays the groundwork for a broader tax reform paper to be released later this year.
Progressive Economics
June 11, 2025
Community Tax Summit 2025 – Summary Document
This document summarises the conversations at the Community Tax Summit 2025, held 20-21 February 2025.
Equitable Housing
April 9, 2025
Submission to the Inquiry into the Redevelopment of Melbourne’s Public Housing Towers
Per Capita joins many others in questioning the lack of transparency around the costs associated with retrofit or knock-down and rebuild of public housing towers in Melbourne. We also question the rationale that underpins the decision-making process.
Progressive Economics
March 31, 2025
The Lost Decade: How low wage growth stopped young Australians buying a home
This report examines the impact of a Lost Decade, during which real wages barely grew. It explores how this has affected young Australians setting out on their careers, trying to build the financial security needed to buy a home and start a family, and grasp the now elusive great Australian dream of home ownership.
Our Research
Areas
Our research is rigorous, evidence-based and long-term in its outlook. We consider the national challenges of the next decade rather than the next election cycle. We ask original questions and offer fresh solutions, drawing on new thinking in social science, economics and public policy.
Learn more about our research areas
Ageing
The extra 25 years of high-quality life expectancy over the last century constitute an unquestionably positive development for both individuals and society. Australia should embrace longer lives as a remarkable opportunity rather than a grave challenge. We seek solutions to issues resulting from Australia’s ageing population, aiming to increase the social and economic wellbeing of older Australians.
Education
In theory, education paves the road to a good job, which can lift people out of poverty and create a more equal society. In practice, however, the link between additional years of post-secondary education and increased income and employment opportunities has been eroded over recent decades. A good education should be accessible for all, not only for those who were born into a wealthy family.
Equitable Housing
Secure and appropriate housing is a fundamental human right, essential to household wellbeing and critical for communities and the economy. Housing policies at the national, state and local level are failing to adapt to changing social needs and economic conditions, and frequently entrench inequalities within and between generations. Per Capita’s Centre for Equitable Housing works toward a future where all Australians can be sure of a secure, appropriate, sustainable and affordable home, regardless of their personal circumstances.
Gender Equality
Women and other gender-diverse people continue to experience economic, material and social disadvantage. Australia has dropped from 15th in the world on the Global Gender Gap Index to 44th over the 14 years to 2020. From lower pay and less superannuation to a higher risk of experiencing family violence and homelessness and a disproportionate load of domestic labour and caring responsibilities, there is much work to be done still to achieve gender equality.
Post Carbon Economy
Per Capita’s Centre for New Industry delves into the practicalities of Australia’s inevitable shift to a post carbon economy and the effects this will have on workers. The Centre will build a vision of the future that provides greater employment opportunities for workers, greater stability and security for regional communities, and works with community, workers and industry for a successful shift to a zero carbon, full employment economy.
Progressive Economics
We challenge the belief that disadvantage arises from personal fault or failure and point out the policy choices that have deepened inequality in Australia over recent decades. Returns to capital have increased while returns to workers for their labour have stalled. We call out the negative effects of privatisation and the deliberate shrinking of essential public services.
Responsible Technology
Our public square has been transformed into a place of division, disinformation and diatribes, manipulated by global digital platforms that undermine trust in government, social cohesion and democracy. In order to combat this, we must build better ways of imagining what strong civic connections look like. We will advocate for responsible technology to mitigate against the harms of Big Tech and their influence in our public square. We will build better models of citizen engagement and civic collaboration.
Social Innovation
We examine the growing difficulty of accessing good jobs and adequate income support. We seek to understand and highlight the experiences of those who bear the brunt of the effects of policy choices that exacerbate inequality, including underpaid and exploited workers, people who can’t get a decent job, women, First Nations people, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disability and their carers, migrants and refugees, and others who are marginalised by our economic and social structures and denied their fair share of power and resources.
Work and Workers
A secure job with decent working conditions is a fundamental right for everyone and the means to build a better life for oneself and one’s family. In recent decades returns to capital have increased while returns to workers for their labour have stalled. Standing with workers enables individuals and the country to prosper and is the means by which we enable social mobility.
Current
Events
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Past
Events
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Past Events
June 18, 2025
No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia, with Dr Liam Byrne
Our Latest
Podcast Episodes
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JCL series
July 21, 2025
JCL Series: Looking forward and looking back: why do tax reform? with Prof. Miranda Stewart
The Federal Government recently announced a Productivity Roundtable, indicating that broad tax reform will be part of the discussion to tackle the economic pressures our country faces today, to boost national prosperity, to reduce growing inequality and to improve living standards for future generations. Following the popularity of her keynote speech at the Community Tax ... Read more
Burning Platforms
July 16, 2025
Poisoning AI with Prof Toby Walsh
The Large Language Models are powered by stolen data but there are new and innovative ways to make the thieves pay. Professor Toby Walsh explains the tech-driven resistance to Big AI from data poisoning to responsible cloud computing. With panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Editor of the Sizzle Cam Wilson, and Per Capita’s ... Read more
Burning Platforms
July 2, 2025
Scammed! With Alex Brooks
“I thought old people got scammed. And actually young people are at greater risk because they have more confidence in dealing [with things] online.” This week on Burning Platforms, the team learns how the financial scam industry has become an enthusiastic early adapter of AI and how the banks are working around the clock to ... Read more
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