We don’t just work quietly at our desks. We’re vocal. Engaging with the media is one of the best ways to get our message about inequality in Australia out there, and we’re not afraid to be opinionated. Browse our media pieces and appearances below.
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Agitators and organisers: untold histories of Chinese migrant workers in Australia
Osmond Chiu in Peril Magazine
Emma Dawson on the #auspol live podcast - 9 August 2019
Listen to the full episode here
Scott Morrison’s 'work harder to earn more' nonsense shows how out of touch with workers he is
Emma Dawson in The Guardian
The imperative for progressives? Bold action on inequality, democracy and climate
Osmond Chiu in The Guardian
With Centrelink's gutting, we lose a little more of society's collective soul
John Falzon in The Canberra Times
Labor can't appear to ignore economic wellbeing over ideological values
David Hetherington in The Guardian
Full employment is the most urgent task for social democrats
Emma Dawson in The Guardian
Labor wants to pay childcare wages itself. A perfect storm makes it not such a bad idea
Warwick Smith in The Conversation
Most poor people in the world are women. Australia is no exception
Emma Dawson in The Guardian
Of course rich people think inequality doesn’t matter. They don’t see it
David Hetherington in The Guardian
Watch out Australia: There's a flood of dismal economic news on the horizon
Stephen Koukoulas in Yahoo Finance
The budget may not be vicious, but it entrenches neoliberal inequality
John Falzon in The Guardian
It’s time to reconfigure our social insecurity system
John Falzon in the Age/Sydney Morning Herald
Taxpayers should not be subsidising lifestyle of wealthy retirees
Emma Dawson and Tim Lyons in the Age/Sydney Morning Herald
How Labor’s plans to revamp negative gearing could put a floor on house prices and lower rents
Stephen Koukoulas in Business Insider
Superannuation: For women about to leave the workforce, the news isn't great
Emma Dawson in ABC News with Marianna O'Gorman from the McKell Institute
The new Treasurer has a real shot at making the RBA relevant again - and it starts with cutting interest rates
Stephen Koukoulas in Business Insider
Tackling inequality has the potential to drive the kind of economic growth Australia has been looking for
Stephen Koukoulas in Business Insider
The RBA seems to be running monetary policy on a hunch
Stephen Koukoulas in Business Insider
Australia's banks dodged the financial crisis. Then they got complacent
Stephen Koukoulas interviewed by Christopher Knaus in The Guardian
Replacing stamp duty with broad based land tax could increase revenue to $11.2 billion by 2047, new report shows
Warwick Smith interviewed for Domain
Call for the Government to increase Rent Assistance to pensioners by 25%
Per Capita featured in Your Life Choices
What’s the point of Scott Morrison’s ‘policy speed limit’?
Stephen Koukoulas in The Guardian
First home owner grants and the people's bank plan push house prices higher
Stephen Koukoulas in the Guardian
Celebrated by the tabloids, the welfare bill punishes those already doing it tough
Emma Dawson in The Guardian
#TheRichCostMore in the media
We released our report The Cost of Privilege, which detailed how subsidising the rich costs us significantly more than Newstart unemployment benefits, than disability allowances, and even more than the age pension. The report made quite a splash online, with #TheRichCostMore trending nationwide, and was also covered widely in the national media.
Labor v Liberal: who best runs the Australian economy?
Stephen Koukoulas in The Guardian
Governments haven’t always shirked responsibility for our low wages
Warwick Smith in The Conversation
Privatisation has failed. We need a moratorium on all new proposals
David Hetherington in The Guardian
Project aims to turn hobbies into cash businesses
Money for Jam featured in Your Life Choices
Turning your passion into cash: Money for Jam to keep older women out of poverty
Money for Jam featured on ABC News - 15 Sep 2017
Turnbull and Morrison don't talk about unemployment. It's a deliberate but dodgy cop-out
Stephen Koukoukas in The Guardian - 11 Sep 2017
Australia has given up on solving unemployment
Stephen Koukoukas in The New Daily - 16 Aug 2017
Emma Dawson on The Drum - 8 Aug 2017
Robots Don’t Dream Of Retirement, But People Do
Warwick Smith and Philip Taylor in The Huffington Post - 7 Aug 2017
Women's super: David Hetherington talks to Wendy Harmer on Mornings Institute
David Hetherington on ABC's Mornings Institute - 3 Aug 2017
Not So Super, for Women: Emma Dawson on 3RRR
Emma Dawson on 3RRR's The Grapevine - 24 Jul 2017
The superannuation system doesn't work for women. It's time to do better
24 July 2017. By David Hetherington. The superannuation system was designed for a male breadwinner in full-time work saving for his family. Government, employers, super funds and unions all have a role to play in addressing the imbalance.
Can Boomers and Millennials work together?
18 July 2017. By Philip Taylor. There is a need to challenge those who would have us view current economic and social transformation through the lens of generational conflict, writes Philip Taylor.
Channel Ten taken hostage as Parliament held to ransom on media reform
20 June 2017. by Emma Dawson. The Australian Government is currently being held to ransom by billionaire media moguls and the hostage is Channel Ten.
Australia is a high-tax country with a spending problem? Not so fast ...
14 June 2017. By Warwick Smith. Memo to the Coalition: Australians want the government to spend more, not less, on social services.
Budget 2017: We need full employment, not victim blaming
12 May 2017. by Warwick Smith. Unemployment benefits are kept intentionally low to motivate the unemployed to get jobs. Again, never mentioned is that there are far more job seekers than jobs; meaning hundreds of thousands of Australians are kept in poverty in order to motivate them to get jobs that don’t exist.
David Hetherington on The Drum, 15 August 2017
15 August 2017, The Drum on ABCTV. Senior Fellow David Hetherington joins Research Director at McCrindle Eliane Miles, journalist and commentator Cate McGregor and in Melbourne, ABC Health Report presenter Norman Swan, and host Ellen Fanning.
There is a fix for house prices - but Victoria has missed its opportunity again
3 May 2017. By Warwick Smith. The Victorian 2017/18 budget contains a handful of measures aimed at improving housing affordability, but they do nothing to address the broader problem
The great moral hazards at the heart of Victorian budget
2 May 2017, The New Daily. By Warwick Smith. This year's budget is a commendable effort with measures to tackle domestic violence, increases in health, education and transport spending, but impressive spending programs are undermined by how the revenue is raised.
ScoMo's ludicrous new budget slogan is stupid and unnecessary
2 May 2017. By Stephen Koukoukas. The good debt, bad debt slogan is cover for the need for a wider budget deficit, which is nothing to be ashamed of.
Is a collective future still possible?
26 April 2017. By Tim Lyons Speech to the Victorian Fabians event: "Is Neoliberalism killing social democracy?"
Warm words in budget barely disguise a story of fiscal failure
10 May 2017, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoukas. Judged by the promise set out in 2014 to balance the books, the Coalition has been a disaster. Australia’s triple-A rating must be in jeopardy.
Merger of conservative parties, Turnbull's meeting with Trump, our National Anthem
26 April 2017. The Drum Per Capita's David Hetherington joins Caroline Overington, Norman Swan and host Ellen Fanning to discuss the merger between Australian Conservatives and Family First; Turnbull's meeting with Trump; and does our National Anthem need updating?
The Australian budget is likely to confirm this is a big-spending, big-taxing government
19 April 2017, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoukas. With an ageing population, rises in health, aged care and education spending, the electorate may demand a bigger government than ever before.
The Shorter Working Week
4 April 2017, Uncommon Sense on 3RRR Per Capita's Emma Dawson talks to Amy Mullins on why we need to start taking seriously a shorter working week.
Super for housing, census results & pollies and the media, on The Drum
11 April 2017, The Drum ABCTV Per Capita's Emma Dawson joins Sharri Markson, Tony Wright and Bernard Salt, with host John Barron to discuss the day's issues.
Sunday Roundtable - The big three: Jobs, wages and taxes
3 April 2017, Radio National Sunday Extra. Per Capita's Tim Lyons joins the Sunday Roundtable to discuss penalty rates, minimum wage and company tax cuts, with Judith Sloan and Kate Carnell, with host Tom Switzer.
Banks make around 2% of every tap-and-go transaction
24 March 2017, 3AW. Warwick Smith talks to 3AW's Tom Elliott.
‘When I Was Your Age, We Used A Thing Called Cash’: And Other Ways to Fight Back Against The Banks
21 March 2017, New Matilda. By Warwick Smith. The banks are making a killing every time you swipe your card.
The shorter working week can work
17 March 2017, The Monthly. By Emma Dawson it’s time to begin a new conversation. Australians need to decide what the “good life” really means in one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
Why is Labor scared to run on the economy?
16 march 2017, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Labor has long been reluctant to argue on economic management. But if it doesn’t make a full-throated case, their poll lead could easily be whittled away.
To tackle housing affordability Scott Morrison must get more homes built
9 March 2017, The Guardian. by Stephen Koukoulas. The treasurer wants to do something in the budget to make homes more affordable but he has few levers to pull.
From public good to profit margin: how privatisation is failing our communities
6 March 2017, The Guardian. By David Hetherington. When institutions that fulfil a deeply human function – teaching, caring for people at their most vulnerable moments – are forced to behave like businesses, everyone loses.
Fair work commission decision anything but fair
24 February 2017. By Warwick Smith. The Fair Work Commission has cut Sunday penalty rates for hundreds of thousands of Australians who work in hospitality, retail and fast-food. The commission acknowledged the hardship that this decision would cause to many workers yet made the decision anyway.
Balanced budget needs higher tax take, but which taxes should be hiked?
16 February 2017, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Scott Morrison is acknowledging that, to keep voters happy with decent services, spending must remain above 25% of GDP.
Energy policy, One Nation preferences, TropFest
13 February 2017, The Drum ABCTV. Per Capita Senior Fellow David Hetherington is joined by the CEO of the Muslim Women's Association Maha Abdo, Associate Editor at The Australian Caroline Overington and host John Barron.
Three killer facts about corporate tax cuts you won't hear from Scott Morrison
The Guardian, 6 February 2017. By David Hetherington Does anybody really think ANZ, Coles, Qantas or your local hairdresser are about to move to another country because the company tax rate is better there?
Australia's housing affordability is more complex than the headlines
25 January 2017, The Guardian. by Stephen Koukoulas. There is no doubt that house prices in Sydney and other parts of Australia are expensive, but Demographia’s global report has several shortcomings.
Australia's economic malaise comes down to dreadful decisions
23 January 2017, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas The truth is that everyone from the Reserve Bank to treasurers have misread and mismanaged things.
Why I was wrong on house prices in 2016 – and why I might still be proved right
5 January 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. New rules for investor lending were ineffectual last year, but 2017 looks set to be the year of weaker house price growth – maybe even price falls.
Could Australia be left behind by the next industrial revolution?
29 December 2016: The Conversation. By Warwick Smith and Mitchell Eddy When the industrial revolution hit in the 1800s, countries with large disparities in wealth, low property ownership, deficient democracies and disparate education systems were left behind.
How ready is Australia for the robotics and artificial intelligence revolution?
ABCNews24, 24 December 2016 Per Capita's Warwick Smith interviewed on ABC News 24 discussing how ready Australia is for the robotics and artificial intelligence revolution.
Coalition's policy ineptitude exposed as Myefo points to multiple credit downgrades
19 December 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas Update shows Malcolm Turnbull’s government has neither supported growth nor repaired the budget.
Stop Skipping Class - Emma Dawson
8 December 2016, The Monthly. By Emma Dawson. To fight resurgent right-wing populism, the left must remember the importance of class
Coalition policy has gone badly wrong and the RBA needs to cut interest rates
7 December 2016; The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. The government is lucky it cannot get many of its growth-sapping measures through the Senate as success would take money out of the economy
The Road Back to the Rustbelt - Dennis Glover
24 November 2016: Writing for The Ethics Centre, Per Capita Research Fellow Dennis Glover argues that, without noticing it, and often with the very best of intentions, the progressive left in Australia has stopped thinking and talking about the working class.
What we can learn from the election of Donald Trump
16 November 2016: The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas It appears the US president-elect is about to trump the left on the issue of fiscal stimulus as a virtue for growth.
Solidarity and self-interest in the future of unionism
13 November 2016: Eureka Street. Tim Lyons The answer to the challenges of future work is to rebuild solidarity of purpose and action.
How the US elections could happen here
12 November 2016, The Age. By Dennis Glover Memo to Labor: What just happened to the US Democrats could happen to you.
Financial markets tell the world what they think of Trump as president
9 November 2016, The Guardian. by Stephen Koukoulas Extreme market volatility followed news that Donald Trump was likely to win. If markets are correct, he is bad for growth and trade.
House prices are surging because of low supply – it's Economics 101
28 October 2016, The Guardian. Stephen Koukoulas You can argue all you like about tax rules on capital gains and negative gearing, but basic rules still apply in the Australian market. Look at Perth
Exposed: Scomo's 'fix' on housing costs a sop to Libs' Big Developer donors
October 27, Independent Australia, by Warwick Smith: Exposed: Scomo's 'fix' on housing costs a sop to Libs' Big Developer donors
The impacts of privatisation on remote communities
18 October 2016, The Point on SBS Per Capita's David speaks to Stan Grant on NITV's The Point about the very powerful stories being shared at the public hearings.
Bob Day's resignation, Hanson Newspoll, sexual harassment figures
17 October 2016, ABCTV Per Capita's David Hetherington joins Nassim Khadem, Michael Jensen and Karen Middleton, with host John Barron.
The Labour Movement: My Part in its Downfall
Spring 2016: Meanjin. By Tim Lyons How to rebuild the power of working people.
Too old to work, too young to die
30 September 2016, The Monthly. by Warwick Smith Pension changes, age discrimination and workplace automation are driving older Australians into poverty.
How we can counter a system that shuts out women suffering economic hardship
18 September 2016, Women's Agenda. By Katelijne Lenaerts. Money for Jam - developing a program that stimulates and facilitates micro-enterprise development among women aged 50+ who are at risk of poverty.
What's the point of budget repair if so many Australians are unemployed and underemployed?
9 September 2016: It's unlikely anyone without a job cares at all if the budget deficit is $6bn or $16bn - they want a government that creates more jobs. By Stephen Koukoulas.
Privatisation Inquiry, David Hetherington talks to ABC Newcastle
5 September 2016, 1233 ABC Newcastle David Hetherington talks to Rosemarie Milsom about the People Inquiry into Privatisation.
Media Release: New Executive Director and Chair at Per Capita
5 September 2016: Per Capita announces New Executive Director and Chair.
The budget is the greatest moral challenge of our time? Bollocks
31 August 2016, The Guardian; by Warwick Smith All the assertions in Malcolm Turnbullâ's statement about the budget being a fundamental moral challenge are flawed. Let's look at them one at a time.
Blocking the sale of Ausgrid a poor decision & will cost Australia dear
19 August 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas Not only will NSW's coffers suffer in the short term, but investors will be deterred from pumping much-needed billions into our infrastructure.
Here's why the banks aren't passing on the full cash rate cut
15 August 2016, Yahoo 7 Finance. By Stephen Koukoulas The banks are being blasted for not passing on in full the 25 basis point interest rate cut from the RBA earlier this month.
Interest rate cut too little, too late by an RBA with flawed glass half full attitude
2 August 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas Interest rate cut too little, too late by an RBA with flawed glass half full attitude.
Why is Australia's inflation rate so stunningly low?
27 July 2016, Yahoo 7 Finance: Stephen Koukoulas Australia's inflation rate is stunningly low. At just 1.0 per cent in annual terms, it is well below the bottom of the RBA target band of 2 to 3 per cent and it is low for reasons that are not all that favourable.
Infrastructure spending should be based on need, not cheap money
22 July, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Japan used low interest rates for infrastructure spending over years, but its legacy is white elephants and huge debt.
RNC, Trump & Cruz + same-sex marriage plebiscite
20 July 2016: The Drum, ABCTV: David Hetherington joins Ticky Fullerton, Mustafa Rachwani, Amelia Lester and host Julia Baird, to discuss the RNC, Trump & Cruz, the reappearance of Hanson and same-sex marriage plebiscite.
Labor's Chris Bowen most valuable player of the 2016 election
4 July 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas Shadow treasurer and his economic team deserve credit for treating the electorate with respect and making difficult choices.
But what does it mean?
3 July 2016, The Guardian: Stephen Koukoulas joins The Guardian's Expert Panel to give his opinion on what the election results mean for the economy.
Australia must be ready to pump cash into the economy if Brexit bites
27 June 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas Policymakers should ignore the crazed obsession with the budget balance and consider fiscal stimulus if the worst-case scenarios come to pass.
The Coalition's approach to joblessness is merely treading water
21 June 2016, The Guardian. by Stephen Koukoulas. Policy is dogged with quibbles over trivial changes in the budget balance and government debt.
Money for Jam: financial wellbeing through micro-enterprise
8 June 2016, Golden Years Issue 125: profile of Money For Jam.
The anti-business Labor hyperbole is wrong. Just look at the facts
4 June 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. ABS data show private sector business investment and company profits boomed under Labor but have collapsed under the Coalition.
Election 2016: Will the war be won in the west?
27 May 2016, The Drum. By Stephen Koukoulas. Western Australia is in something akin to a domestic recession, so expect a lot of anger towards the state Liberal government that could flow on to the federal ballot box.
https://percapita.org.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=3698&action=edit
May 24 2016, Yahoo7 Finance. By Stephen Koukoulas. When it comes to government spending, Turnbull and Morrison need to be a little self reflective and less the attack dogs on Labor's alleged "big spending" plans.
Better schools will benefit the whole economy. Why can't the Coalition see that?
20 May 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Malcolm Turnbull's paring back of Gonski funding for Australia's education system is incomprehensible given the proven value of improving skills.
Melody Barnes on The World Today
18 February 2016: The World Today: Former Obama policy adviser, Melody Barnes, talks to Eleanor Hall about innovation and the extraordinary state of US politics.
How the Coalition has failed on three key economic promises
13 May 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Better growth, a smaller deficit and higher wages have failed to materialise, giving the lie to the Liberals' claim to be superior managers.
Money For Jam – Helping Older Women at Risk of Poverty
10 May 2016, Pro Bono News: The Money for Jam program follows months of in-depth conversations with 13 different women to gain an understanding of their life stories, current circumstances, needs and barriers.
David Hetherington on Lateline
6 May 2016, Lateline on ABCTV: David Hetherington talks about the upcoming election on Lateline.
Signs are not good for a budget based on 'jobs, growth and investment'
6 May 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. It is time for some more far-reaching policy thinking but Scott Morrison's budget has little to that effect.
What the government wants us to do and not do based on the budget
5 May 2016, The Conversation. By Warwick Smith. Budgets are a good opportunity to see through the spin to what the government really wants. Forget the Treasurer's speech and the budget overview, the truth is in the measures themselves.
Labor's economic record is better than the Coalition's and they must make it count
2 May 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Across more than 40 years, Labor has been stronger on most measures. If the party can get that message across to voters, the election will be a close thing.
Voters willing to endure higher taxes if it means better health services, report finds
29 April 2016, Radio National Breakfast: David talks to Alison Carabine about the Per Capita Tax Survey 2016.
You've been warned: The budget is credit rating crunch time for the government
20 April 2016, The Drum. By Stephen Koukoulas. The budget on May 3 is a wonderful opportunity for the Government to address its poor performance so far this term. We'll know it has failed if the credit agencies put it on negative credit watch.
Millennials should stop moaning. They've got degrees & low rates
4 April 2016, The Guardian: For Gen Xers and baby boomers, unemployment was rife, interest rates touched 17% and university access limited. Gen Yers might choke on their lattes if they had to make the same sort of sacrifices, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Brussels attacks, political donations, and cat food
24 March 2016, The Drum ABCTV: David Hetherington joins Nick Cater, Katherine McGrath, and host Julia Baird to discuss the Brussels attacks and refugees, illegal donations and corruption, and the ethics of cat food.
The doomsayers are wrong - our debt is well-regulated, and sound
18 March 2016, The Guardian. By Stephen Koukoulas. Provisions of bad debts and non-performing loans remain at near-historic lows, meaning Australia's debt market, at least for householders, is healthy, says .
The Coalition has boxed itself into a ridiculous corner on tax
18 March 2016, The Drum: According to the Coalition, we can't raise taxes nor introduce new taxes. And if cutting expenditure is off the table following the dire experience of the 2014 budget, what's left? Warwick Smith takes a look at one suggestion: tax deduction reform.
The Economy of Best Perceptions
March 2016: Polls show that voters overwhelmingly see the Liberal party as better economic managers, but Per Capita's Stephen Koukoulas has done the numbers across those years and found it's just a myth.
Time for a new consensus: fostering Australia's comparative advantages
March 2016, Griffith Review: Australia has emerged from a spectacular resources boom without any clear approach to achieving growth beyond it. The assumptions underpinning the current consensus no longer fit the circumstances. Jonathan West and Tom Bentley argue that it is time to question those assumptions and renew the consensus about what matters, what works, and what is possible.
Dutton's warning of economic armageddon under Labor is embarrassingly wrong
11 March 2016, The Guardian: Despite the immigration ministers extraordinary claims, all the persuasive evidence shows investors won’t flee if Labor wins the election, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
How about three-day weekends in exchange for working until 70?
10 March 2016, The Age: Most of us would be happy to work a few years longer if it meant a shorter working week, writes Warwick Smith.
Melody Barnes on Lateline
22 February 2016: Melody Barnes speaks to Emma Alberici on Lateline.
Labor's negative gearing reform proposal is economically responsible and fair
19 February 2016, The Guardian: Proposal to limit tax breaks to investors buying new properties will boost stock of new houses and improve chances of young people getting on housing ladder, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Privatising Medicare
12 February 2016, Radio Adelaide Breakfast: David Hetherington talks to Ian Newton about what the privatisation would mean.
Tax and tax reform in Australia
14 February 2016, Rear Vision, Radio National: Per Capita's Warwick Smith talks to Keri Phillips on Rear Vision about options for tax reform in Australia.
Negative interest rates? Deflation risks mean they could be here to stay
12 February 2016, The Guardian: Australia avoided quantitative easing thanks to Labor's stimulus, but for other countries it has become the norm and now more rate cuts are a possibility, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Privatising Medicare payments is a distraction from real reform
10 February 2016, The Drum: We have good reason to be sceptical that the privatisation of the Medicare payments system would save money, says Warwick Smith.
The key to Australia's economic success: locking in low inflation
2 February 2016, The Guardian: Paul Keating breaking the "stick" of inflation in the early 1990s has contributed to Australia having one of the highest standards of living in the world.
Risk is building for Australia's economy, but we need action not rhetoric
17 January 2016. The Guardian: The Coalition has promised a lot of change but Scott Morrison's reign as treasurer suggests that he is following the misguided settings of Joe Hockey, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
What a turn-up for the books: a big spending, big taxing Liberal party
16 December 2015, The Guardian: MYEFO shows that Malcolm Turnbull's party is delivering high government spending and high taxation and that's big government, not small, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Century of age pension guessing
10 December 2015, Online Opinion: Everald Compton calls for the government to establish an independent Age pension Authority to work out what the pension should actually be.
Rediscovering purpose: rebuilding the union movement
14 December 2015: Dennis Glover's speech to the Queensland Unions Growth Symposium
Digital disruption is slowing growth but it will make for better economies
8 December 2015, The Guardian: Uber does not need to buy cars and Airbnb does not need to build hotels and apartments, which means less growth-inducing investment, at least initially, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Organised Disruption
10 December: a roundup of the #uberization series we've been running on social media, leading up to our event, Organised Disruption.
Mal Brough, Hacking the BoM site & Clementine Ford
2 December 2015, The Drum, ABCTV: David Hetherington joins Kirsty Needham and Judith Sloan to discuss the issues of the day.
New report suggests retirement income predictions are significantly underestimated
30 November 2015, Radio National Breakfast: Sheryle Bagwell interviews David Hetherington about Per Capita's report, Getting the Measure of the Problem.
Budget deficit narrowing is manna from heaven for Scott Morrison
27 November 2015, The Guardian: Better than expected jobs growth, low inflation and an RBA dividend windfall point to a near-term surplus - unless reckless decisions are made, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Punitive approach to restraining welfare costs lazy and short-sighted
16 November 2015, The Guardian: Rather than making it harder to qualify for welfare support, the government should look at ways to limit the supply of people needing support in the future, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
The invisible world of low-wage work
13 November 2015: David Hetherington looks into a large, hidden slice of Australia where challenges seem endless and opportunities few and far between. This is the world of low-wage jobs.
The call for a national pay rise
11 Nov 2015, The Business: Phillip Lasker covers the Inclusive Prosperity Commission event with Stephen Koukoulas, David Hetherington, Cameron Clyne and Verity Firth.
Raising the GST is pointless if done to cut taxes on the rich
6 November 2015, The Guardian: By all means let's have a debate about tax, but if the revenue from a higher GST is allocated in a way that reduces equality, it will be a handbrake on growth, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Union movement needs to fix the hole in its roof to survive
Australian Financial Review: 30 October 2015: Australians think unions are important, but membership is falling. The union movement needs to change or die, says Tim Lyons.
Dear Scott Morrison: stop waffling and learn to master your brief, quickly
16 October 2015, The Guardian: The new treasurer shows signs of not having grasped key economic concepts. Unless he gets a grip he risks, like Joe Hockey, taking the wrong decisions, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
It's not just Malcolm Turnbull. Your super smells like the Caymans, too
16 October 2015, The Guardian :The prime minister deserves a bit of verballing over his use of the Caymans tax haven. Truth is though, most Australians are complicit through their super funds
Defending penalty rates does not require political bravery
7 October 2015, The Drum: Supporters of penalty rates should be encouraged by the fact that their stance is shared by most Australians and that employers have failed to make the economic case for this attack on incomes, writes Tim Lyons.
Climate Policy and TPP: David Hetherington on The Drum
6 October 2015, The Drum, ABCTV: Climate policy, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, paying for migration to Australia, and Turnbull and the US Ambassadorship.
Debate about how big government should be is the next political battlefield
30 September 2015, The Guardian: As the ideological debate builds, decisions have to be made about how to pay for increasingly expensive services like healthcare, education and pensions, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Turnbull's cabinet must include a minister for ageing
18 September 2015, The Drum: Tony Abbott made the extraordinary decision to not appoint a minister for ageing, but Malcolm Turnbull can fix this mistake. It is vital for government to properly address this growing sector, writes Everald Compton.
The economic horror show facing Australia's new prime minister
15 September 2015: Georgia McCafferty from Quartz.com interviews David Hetherington about Australia's economic prospects and the task ahead of our new PM.
Team Turnbull must reverse Abbott's economic damage or face same fate
15 September 2015, The Guardian: The new PM needs a grown-up approach to industrial policy, tax, housing and aged care in order to tackle the problems facing the Australian economy, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Economic management is now Tony Abbott's weakest claim to re-election
2 September 2015, The Guardian: The Coalition has failed to deliver on its election pledges including a return to budget surplus, cutting government debt and having a pro-business strategy, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Searching questions for Tony Abbott if turmoil on stock markets gets worse
25 August 2015, The Guardian: Australia's economy can survive these share shocks for now, but further falls in stock prices could challenge the Coalition's resistance to fiscal stimulus
David Hetherington on Lateline
25 August 2015: David Hetherington talks to Emma Alberici about the stock market and China on the eve of the National Reform Summit.
A fair tax to pay for hospitals and schools
18 August 2015, Life Matters: Stephen Koukoulas talks to Natasha Mitchell how government should raise the needed revenue for the services we want. What options are out there, and how do we ensure the tax burden is fairly distributed...?
Peering through parliamentary expenses
11 August 2015, Online Opinion: Simply holding a review of the parliamentary entitlements system is a predictable but inadequate response, writes Allison Orr.
Why penalty rates should not be scrapped
18 August 2015, The New Daily: Per Capita's David Hetherington looks at bank holiday to make a case for retaining weekend penalty rates.
As long as the economy stays sluggish fiddling around the edges will not help
12 August 2015, The Guardian: Until economic growth picks up, cutting wages - including penalty rates - is no panacea. It would actually be counterproductive, says Stephen Koukoulas.
We must speak up for Australia's 2.7 million unpaid carers
13 August 2015, The Drum: Our country depends on carers and it's going to do so more as Australia ages. We can't have a conversation about superannuation and older workers without acknowledging this fact, writes Emily Millane.
The new Speaker, Mabo anniversary: David Hetherington on The Drum
10 August 2015, The Drum, ABCTV: the new Speaker and what it means for Question Time, 23 years since Mabo and what has changed for indigenous Australians, and should workers protest their colleagues getting sacked by SMS? David joins Steve Canane, Marius Benson and Kate Carnell.
An Economy is Not a Society
8 August 2015, Saturday Extra on RN: Geraldine Doogue talks to Dennis Glover about An Economy is Not a Society.
There may be non-economic considerations
5 August 2015, The Monthly: The Productivity Commission's draft report on workplace relations is not WorkChoices, but it’s still full of bad ideas, says Tim Lyons.
https://percapita.org.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=2636&action=edit
5 August 2015, The Guardian: It's much easier to implement, but above all a flat increase in the Medicare levy is the most progressive way to provide a much-needed boost to federal revenues, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Unlucky Australians: Economic reform has failed the once-working classes
1 August 2015, The Age: Factory closures have turned sustained working class prosperity into lives of endless struggle, and created a new class of people: the 'non-working class', or perhaps more accurately the 'once-working class', writes Dennis Glover.
Lateline Interview with Dennis Glover
5 August 2015, Lateline: Ticky Fullerton interviews Dennis Glover about his book, An Economy is Not a Society.
An economy is not a society: Doveton author calls for fair go
4 August 2015, Herald Sun: Dennis Glover talks to the Herald Sun about his book An Economy is Not a Society.
The unmaking of the Australian working class - and their right to resist
3 August 2015, The Conversation: economic change can't be stopped, but we should at least try to make it work for everyone. If not, the losers have the moral right to resist - and they will, writes Dennis Glover.
Why the Labor Party is not ready for reform
28 July 2015, The Australian Financial Review: The ALP put on a big show of unity at its weekend conference. That seemed better than talking about the resuscitation that the party needs, says Dennis Glover.
All right for some
29 July 2015, The Monthly: There are many places like Doveton - many once-affluent public-housing suburbs that were built to support thriving industries, but that have been left behind by the revolution. An edited extract of Dennis Glover's book, An Economy is Not a Society.
Is Abbott the Crocodile Dundee of tax reform?
29 July 2015, The Drum: No matter how the Coalition tries to sell it, there are some striking similarities between the carbon tax and the bid to hike the GST. As Mick Dundee might say: "That's not a tax; THIS is a tax." David Hetherington writes.
The Australian dollar is 'smashed' and teetering over the US 70c precipice
23 July 2015, The Guardian: The dollar's fall of more than 35c from its recent peak is substantial and it's easier to make the case for further falls than for a quick recovery, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Turning big ideas about ageing into action
17 July 2015, Australian Ageing Agenda: There's no shortage of "big ideas" in ageing and aged care. But how many of these great ideas are ever realised? Think tank Per Capita has established a "do tank", the Centre for Applied Policy in Positive Ageing, to turn promising proposals into functioning programs.
Why a federal ICAC wouldn't work
18 July 23015, The Saturday Paper: The federal government writes the fundamental rules of the economic game - tax, trade and the finance sector, and a government decision can be entirely free of corruption but still not be an example of good governance. What we need is a royal commission into governance, says Tim Lyons.
After Hockey's big tax speech, all we know is he's the same old Joe
16 July 2105, The Guardian: Instead of setting the direction for tax reform, Joe Hockey has given us a confusion of motherhood statements and class warfare, says Tim Lyons.
Greece's bailout offer shows us what a real pension crisis looks like
14 July 2015, The Drum: Australia's pension system is ranked as the most sustainable in the world, but that doesn't stop politicians treating it as a Greek-style crisis in the making, writes Emily Millane.
Let's talk about growing foreign debt before it brings Australia undone
The Guardian, 10 July 2015: Australia's net foreign debt is on a unrelenting upward trajectory, leaving us vulnerable to the whims of foreign investors, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Josh Frydenberg's industry super change is either pointless politics or vandalism
The Guardian, 29 June 2015: Whatever is wrong with the superannuation system, the last thing we need is to hand more power to finance industry spivs at the expense of members, says Tim Lyons.
Abbott has given up on debt and deficit reduction, but few have noticed
The Guardian, 26 June 2015: The Abbott government has abjectly failed to act on its pre-election concerns to reduce the size of a debt problem that, in reality, was non-existent, says Stephen Koukoulas
I can trade my holidays for cash? Give me a break
The Drum, 17 June 2015: The Fair Work Commission has ruled workers can "cash out" their annual leave and take the money instead. But leisure time is essential - not just for fun, but for productivity too, writes Emily Millane.
No comment: citing 'security' to avoid questioning threatens democracy
16 June 2015, The Guardian: re are times when it's right for politicians to avoid comment on security and intelligence matters. Whether we paid people smugglers isn't one of them, writes Tim Lyons.
Australians no longer feeling over-taxed, according to new survey
Radio National Breakfast, 9 June 2015: Fran Kelly interviews David Hetherington about the Per Capita Tax Survey 2015.
Here's what a real infrastructure plan looks like
The Drum, 4 June 2015: Everald Compton puts forward a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan that will not only revive Australia's pioneer heritage but also future-proof our nation - and barely a cent will be spent on new roads.
Economic growth more likely when wealth distributed to poor instead of rich
The Guardian, 4 June 2015: The economic case for maintaining a progressive income tax structure and targeting welfare payments to those most in need is overwhelming, says Stephen Koukoulas.
CAPPA Launch: Speech by the Hon. Paul Keating
Launch of the Centre for Applied Policy in Positive Ageing with The Hon. Paul Keating on 21 May 2015 in Sydney. Listen to the speeches here.
Budget 2015: surplus could be sooner than we think
12 May 2015, The Drum: The budget's prediction of a surplus in 2019-20 is based on some rather conservative estimates. If the economy performs just a bit better then this time next year the Treasurer may have some good news to share, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Budget 2015: Growth needed to achieve Government's projected surplus
13 May 2015, The World Today, ABC Radio: David Hetherington talks to Eleanor Hall about the growth projections in Budget 2015.
Big-spending Joe Hockey delivers a federal budget that will please no one
12 May 2015: Stephen Koukoulas finds It is likely to be a budget that pleases no one - not the fiscal hard heads who wish for smaller government and low debt, nor will it please the government interventionists who reckon fiscal policy can deliver full employment and on-going prosperity.
The 2015 budget confirms the Abbott government will never pay off its debt
12 May 2015: Stephen Koukoulas has been in the Budget Lock-Up and gives his opinion on the government's second Budget.
Australian Budget 2015: The Guardian panel verdict
12 May 2015: The Guardian Budget Panel: How committed is the Abbott government to "budget repair", or to the challenges of a changing population? Emily MIllane gives her verdict.
Cheer up, the budget might fare better than we think
The Drum, 29 April 2015: Despite the doom and gloom, Joe Hockey could well deliver a budget deficit profile significantly below what was predicted, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Pension reform: this is a lick of paint for a much more serious problem
The Drum, 8 May 2015: Scott Morrison's changes to the age pension are certainly welcome, but cast against the greater problems facing our retirement income and superannuation systems, they look like a paint job, writes Emily Millane.
Nothing to see here
State of the Left, 30 April 2015: After its controversial first budget, Tony Abbott's government is expected to opt for something duller. In doing so, it will do little to tackle rising unemployment and stagnant wages, says David Hetherington.
Joe Hockey's unemployment strategy will be test of second budget
The Guardian, 23 April 2015: In the lead up to the Budget, Stephen Koukoulas looks at whether the government will use policy settings to address rising unemployment.
The future of women's ageing is crisis and cat food
The Guardian, 27 April 2015: The system is stacked against women as they age. Despite working hard and saving for their superannuation, without a political voice the future looks grim, says Emily Millane.
Reserve Bank carries the weight of monetary policy while Coalition dithers
The Guardian, 13 April, 2015: There is only so much the RBA can do to manage the patchwork economy created by the Abbott government, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Per Capita joins team to develop framework for addressing rising inequality
21 April 2015: Launch of the Commission for Inclusive Prosperity: Per Capita joins team to develop framework for addressing rising inequality.
Freedom of Speech
Radio National Sunday Extra, 12 April 2015: David Hetherington joins Miranda Devine from the Daily Telegraph with host Jonathan Green to discuss freedom of speech.
Laffing all the way with voodoo economics
Online Opinion, 2 April 2015: The visit to Australia of one of the chief shamans of "voodoo economics", Arthur Laffer, raises questions about policies that further concentrate income and wealth, says David Hetherington.
Pension deal an offer hard to refuse
The Drum, 2 April 2015: Scott Morrison would probably have never foreseen that he would be openly touting the welfare proposal of a social services organisation. But it is hard to argue with a savings measure which is also fair, writes Emily Millane.
Ignore the intergenerational report scaremongering - the news is good
The Guardian, 19 March 2015: A few tweaks are needed, yes, but the report shows there is no urgency for budget settings to change dramatically in the near term, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Emily Millane talks to Jon Faine about housing and ageing
Revolutions with Jon Faine on ABC 774 Melbourne, 11 March 2015: Emily Millane talks to Jon Faine about her report The Head, The Heart & The House.
The Intergenerational Report, The Drum, ABCTV, 5 March 2015
The Drum, ABCTV, 5 March 2015: Stephen Koukoulas joins Fran Kelly, David Miles and host Julia Baird to discuss the Intergenerational Report.
The war on waged labour
The Monthly, 9 March 2015. By Warwick Smith. Penalty rates are under threat as the government supports the top end of town at the expense of the rest.
Emily Millane on the Intergenerational Report on ABC Radio
ABC Mid North Coast, 5 March 2015: Emily MIllane talks to Fiona Wyllie on ABC Mid North Coast about the Intergenerational Report on the day of the report's release.
Everald Compton on ABC Brisbane on the Intergenerational Report
ABC 612 Brisbane, 5 March 2015: Everald Compton joins Tim Kariotis and host Rebecca Livingstone to discuss the Intergenerational Report.
Intergenerational report points to pressure from ageing population
The Guardian, 5 March 2015: Fiddling with the numbers in the IGR masks some of the important issues ahead for the economy, in particular tax levels, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Bali 9, domestic violence and referees' T-shirts
The Drum, ABCTV, 4 March 2015: Discussion of today's news, with David Hetherington, Sarrah Le Marquand, Chris Berg and host Julia Baird.
Intergenerational report: give us ideas, not politics
The Drum, 5 March 2015: People just want an honest conversation about the Intergenerational Report and what it means for their grandchildren. No talking points. No zingers, says Emily Millane.
Is the party over for Australia's Greens?
Policy Network, 26 February 2015: Australia's Green party fulfilled its dream of becoming part of the political establishment at precisely the wrong time but its fortunes may yet revive, says David Hetherington.
Emily Millane talks to Rev Bill Crews on 2GB about The Head, The Heart and The House
Sunday NIghts with Rev Bill Crews on 2GB, 1 February 2015: Emily MIllane talks to Rev Bill Crews about The Head, The Heart & The House.
Unemployment rate of 6.4% means it's time to spend money to create jobs
The Guardian, 20 February 2015: Highest jobless rate in 12 years is because there is simply not enough economic activity in the economy to stimulate job creation.
Why Australia must beware a new era for China's changing economy
The Guardian, 13 February 2015: As China's rate of economic growth slows, Australia must hope that services exports will have a greater share of trade, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Children in Detention, it's just bad policy
12 February 2015: putting children in mandatory immigration detention isn't just harmful, it's not effective policy says Allison Orr.
Abbott's legacy is a hairball in the throat of the body politic. Can Turnbull dislodge it?
The Guardian 9 February 2015: Tony Abbott has managed to hang on as PM, but he's a spent force. The leader that follows him will have a messy task ahead of them, says Tom Bentley.
Higher wages, fewer jobs? It's not that simple
The Drum, 29 January 2015: To suggest that minimum wages are a path to poverty is emotive and arrogantly assumes workers will work for whatever pay is offered to them, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Peta Credlin has become a lightning rod for discontent driven by fear
The Guardian, 28 January 2015: Those attacking Peta Credlin for the Prince Philip debacle are either opportunists, or worry that her link with Abbott risks the Coalition's project, says Tom Bentley.
If the government wants a budget surplus, why is it increasing spending?
The Guardian, 27 January 2015: The government clearly does not want to take the tough decisions needed to reduce the budget deficit and lower government debt, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Triple J bias just right
Online Opinion, 23 January 2015: As we celebrate Australia Day, let's also celebrate a station that supports Australian music. By Allison Orr.
GP co-payment, Indonesia, violent extremism: David Hetherington on The Drum
19 January 2015, The Drum ABCTV: GP co-payment, the government's continuing lobbying efforts to stop the execution of Australians in Indonesia, and the ANU's Dr Clarke Jones will speak about the threat posed by violent extremism.
Labor needs to find a new big idea
The Australian Financial Review, 8 January 2015: If Labor is going to win government, it needs more than clever campaigning, says Dennis Glover.
Class, not generation, is the real dividing line
The Drum, 18 December 2014: Class, not generation, is the real dividing line, says Emily Millane in The Drum today, in response to Grattan's "The Wealth of Generations" report.
The Coalition's addiction to cuts ignores Australia's growing economic problems
The Guardian, 15 December 2015: Joe Hockey's budget update in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (Myefo) statement shows unthinking and inflexible economic policy, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Beware conservative complacency
State of the Left, 11 December 2014: Unemployment has been creeping upwards; export commodity prices have plummeted; and this week's national accounts showed that nominal national income is falling - the good times look to be fading, says David Hetherington.
The moral case on asylum seekers doesn't resonate. We must begin to talk about self-interest
The Guardian 10 December 2014: It's time to turn this argument on its head: it's not about the government's obligations to asylum seekers. It's about their obligations to us, say Graeme Innes and Allison Orr.
A Nation All At Sea: seeking leadership on asylum seekers
Radio National Breakfast, 10 December 2014: Since the Tampa Affair in 2001, Australia's approach to asylum seekers has been defined by tough policies. Graeme Innes talks to Fran Kelly about Per Capita's report, A Nation All At Sea.
Budget surplus a distant dream as Coalition presides over spending surge
The Guardian 2 December 2015: In its 15 months in power the the Abbott government has not acted like an administration dedicated to reducing public debt, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Freedom when it suits me
30 October 2014: David Hetherington calls out politicians who champion the market for deregulation and tax cuts, but stray from this when their interests are jeopardised.
Raise the GST? No thanks. Here's five better ways to fix Australia's finances
The Guardian, 1 November 2014: Like the arrival of the jacaranda bloom, the GST hike made its annual appearance in Australia this week. This is the hardy perennial of Australian public policy, and the usual arguments were on hand to welcome its arrival, states David Hetherington.
Our economic policies are stuck in old Australia
The Drum Unleashed, 31 October 2014: Our national policy architecture is caught in an earlier epoch of steady jobs and home ownership, which could be devastating when our younger generation reaches retirement, writes Emily Millane.
Why is Abbott considering a GST hike?
The Drum Unleashed, 28 October 2014: Tony Abbott's recent consideration of GST hikes is more about covering his costly policy priorities than plugging a revenue hole in the budget over the next decade, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
A quiet room, a desk and a lamp
The Financial Review, 23 October 2014: Dennis Glover on the late Gough Whitlam.
Per Capita Shifts the Debate on Ageing and Longevity in Australia
Per Capita’s work in the area of ageing and longevity has shifted the debate in Australia so that this demographic change is being recognised for the opportunity it is.
Per Capita Launches Longevity Forum
Australia's Blueprint for Ageing takes on a new and exciting phase with the launch of the Longevity Forum, an initiative housed within Per Capita.
Clueless Coalition floundering while budget bottom line worsens
The Guardian 18 August 2014: The Coalition came to government last year with no substantive plan for the economy, says Stephen Koukoulas.
The ABS data fiasco is the least of our worries on unemployment
The Guardian, 14 October 2014: The big story in labour force data is the trend of deterioration in unemployment , says Stephen Koukoulas.
There's a price to be paid for GP co-payment and higher uni fees
The Guardian, 23 September 2014: Higher university fees will mean less use of health services and fewer people going to university, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Australian Labor needs to set its house in order
State of the Left, 16 September 2014: Labor needs to embrace internal reform to win back the trust of the Australian people before it can again claim to be fit for office, says David Hetherington.
Australian Labor needs to set its house in order
State of the Left, 16 September 2014: David Hetherington reflects on the state of Labour at the one-year anniversary of the Coalition government.
Australian private debt is the big issue, not government debt
The Guardian, 9 September 2014: The Australian government has, in the past five years or so, accumulated a very modest level of net debt , says Stephen Koukoulas.
Foreign conflicts and the Abbott government's first anniversary
The Drum ABCTV 4 September 2014: David Hetherington joins Miranda Devine, Tom Allard, and Julia Baird.
Everald Compton on the Blueprint
ABC Radio 612, 3 September 2014: Rebecca Livingstone interviews Everald Compton about the Blueprint for an Ageing Australia.
Equality and the entitlement of age
The Drum Unleashed, 2 September 2014: Our retirement income system is now skewed towards the wealthy that we're at risk of going backwards, says Emily MIllane.
Retirement Incomes
Radio National Breakfast, 22 August 2014: Emily Millane talks to Fran Kelly about her report, The Entitlement of Age, on Radio National Breakfast.
Clueless Coalition floundering while budget bottom line worsens
The Guardian Australia, 18 August 2014: The Coalition came to government last year with no substantive plan for the economy, claims Stephen Koukoulas.
Trade on our terms looks a long way off, as does a budget surplus
The Guardian, 6 August 2014: The prices the rest of the world is prepared to pay for Australia's export items are falling, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Surrogacy, Asylum Seekers, PPL and WWI
The Drum, ABCTV, 4 August 2014: David Hetherington joins Simon Cowan from the Centre for Independent Studies, and Victorian Editor of The Australian, Patricia Karvelas, with host Ellen Fanning.
Four killer facts that show why the carbon tax has not damaged Australia
The Guardian, 25 July 2014: Stephen Koukoulas takes a close look at the carbon tax.
Why the Abbott budget was the perfect political poison
The Guardian, 11 July 2014: The Abbott government's first budget offended just about every sector , while doing little to return the budget to surplus, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Carbon tax, unemployment and our relationship with China
The Drum, ABCTV, 10 July 2014: Per Capita's David Hetherington joins John Hewson, Lyndal Curtis and host Steve Cannane to discuss the carbon tax in the Senate, the increase in Australia's unemployment rate, and China's response to the recent visit to Australia by Japan's Prime Minister.
Stiglitz broadens the horizon
Online Opinion, 8 July 2014: Economists are in the business of looking at numbers and making sense from them. But numbers can't tell a story or inspire people; they will only ever be part of the picture. A grander narrative is required, says Allison Orr.
Joseph Stiglitz points the way to Labor's future
Australian Financial Review, 8 July 2014: It's not Stiglitz's numbers that are compelling, but his purpose and message, says Dennis Glover.
Howard's battlers back to bite the government
The Drum, 20 June 2014: the Howard government created certain expectations around living standards that are unsustainable, says Emily Millane.
We can't rely on experts and mandarins to reform our politics
The Guardian Australia, 15 June 2014: In our divided political culture, there is one thing that most people seem to agree strongly about. The quality of our political debate, and by extension our politicians, is a cause for frustration, disappointment and cynicism, says Tom Bentley.
Nostalgia for the Hawke-Keating years is holding Labor back
The Guardian, 8 June 2014: We must develop a broader, more resilient economy, in which market value is tempered and enhanced by the quality of public and social institutions. But the methods through which this can be done are not the same as those of a generation ago, says Tom Bentley.
The wealthy will get a cheaper education
Online Opinion, 6 June 2014: Restructuring higher education is not just a Budget item, but has far wider implications, says Allison Orr.
Speechwriters are go! Why the Speechmaker cuts close to the bone
The Daily Review, 6 June 2014: There's a moment in the writing of every big political speech when the speechwriter just knows the outcome of the speech will be the exact opposite of what it intends, says Dennis Glover.
Discussion of the Per Capita Tax Survey
The Drum, ABC1, 6 June 2014: Per Capita's David Hetherington talks about the Per Capita Tax Survey 2014 on the Drum with James Valentine, Tara Moss, Samantha Maiden and host Julia Baird.
Australians happy with taxation levels
Radio National Breakfast, 6 June 2014: Per Capita's David Hetherington talks to Ellen Fanning about the Per Capita Tax Survey 2014.
Abbott deserves to be punished relentlessly for his broken promises
The Guardian, 2 June 2014: The public reaction to Australia's 2014 budget has been like a compound fracture to the government's backbone, says Tom Bentley.
The joy of tax: why payment should be a pleasure
The Guardian, 2 June 2014: If economics was sexy, life would be very different, claims Josh Bornstein.
Will Abbott's economic negativity become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
The Guardian, 28 May 2014: Some two weeks after the budget and more than eight months after being sworn in to office, the Abbott government continues to trash talk the economy, seemingly unaware of the damage it is inflicting on consumer sentiment and business conditions, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Bringing fairness to education funding
27 May 2014: Australian education is characterised by concentrations of both advantage and disadvantage, and funding does matter in the choices parents make says Allison Orr. Increasingly, the Australian education system is stratified along socio-economic lines.
This isn't a plan for an ageing Australia
The Drum, 15 May 2014. Of course we should celebrate the fact that we are all living longer. It is good news but...
Left given new weapon to wield
14 May 2014, Australian Financial Review. By Dennis Glover. The contradictions of capitalism are becoming obvious and occasionally embarrassing, and Pitetty's book shows why.
Coalition has delivered a budget for higher unemployment
The Guardian, 14 May 2014: Having been in government for eight months and with plenty of advice flowing and time to think about policy priorities, the Abbott government has presented a budget which forecasts a significant rise in unemployment, says Stephen Koukoulas.
A budget for higher unemployment
The Guardian, 13 May 2014. Having been in government for eight months and with plenty of advice flowing...
The Drum: Budget Special
The Drum: Budget Special, 13 May 2014: A great panel discussion with David Hetherington, Steve Cannane, Jessica Irvine and John Hewson.
Abbott's Fiscal Churn
13 May 2014. The macroeconomic end point of the Abbott government's first budget is remarkably uninspiring...
Hockey has us tracking towards surplus
The Drum Unleashed, 7 May 2014. Joe Hockey's policy prescriptions along with stronger economic parameters could have...
Tony Abbott is right. Australia really is open for business
The Guardian, 7 May 2014: We live in an era in which the private sector enjoys enormous political influence and frequently uses that influence to increasingly blur the line between public and private interests, says Josh Bornstein.
Hardly the wages blowout of an inflexible market
The Drum Unleashed, 7 March 2014: Treasurer Joe Hockey and Employment Minister Eric Abetz must be delighted with the current structure of the industrial relations system and the degree of flexibility in labour market conditions, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Beware blunt response to age pension debate
The Drum Unleashed, 17 April 2014. The proposed increase to the pension eligibility age makes...
It's time to set an unemployment target
The Drum Unleashed, 16 April 2014: One yawning gap in the economic debate in Australia is the lack of a target for the unemployment rate, says Stephen Koukoulas.
PM's trade trip, homeopathy
The Drum, ABCNews24, 9 April 2014: Per Capita's David Hetherington joins the broadcaster Sarah McDonald, Chris Berg from the IPA and host Chris Berg to discuss the government's rejection of the PM's trade tour of NOth Asia, the NHMCR's review into homeopathy, the Royal Commission into union corruption, and the Commonwealth Games team.
Bullying investigations: unfair and brutal
The Australian Financial Review, 9 April 2014: Employees can be left with a distinct impression that processes and outcomes of investigations have been manipulated by the employer. New bullying laws may bring some overdue reform, says Josh Bornstein
Big Brother is still watching you across here
The Age, 5 April 2014. In a low-ceilinged cafe deep underground, the lunchtime food queue jerked slowly forward...
Our Rolls-Royce budget can handle a flat tyre
The Drum Unleashed, 3 April 2014: Australia should embrace a target for the unemployment rate and return to the policies that will see a sustainable move to, let's say, 4 per cent as a first step, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Who's Afraid of a Public School? on Big Ideas
Big Ideas, ABC Radio National, 2 April 2014: David Hetherington is in conversation with the authors of the report, Verity Firth and Rebecca Huntley.
How is Labor positioning against Abbott's conservative government?
State of the Left, March 27 2014: Despite a series of missteps by the new government, the Labor opposition have been laying uncharacteristically low. The party is trying to absorb the lessons of its election defeat. The question is whether a rebuilt Labor will be willing to take meaningful political risks in support of its values. By David Hetherington.
Paul Howes a product of the Hawke-Keating system
The Australian Financial Review, 25 March 2014: Paul Howes leaves the union movement for a job in the corporate sector. The inevitability has been apparent for some time, measured in the rapidly widening distance between his personal political beliefs and those of everyone around him, says Dennis Glover
Labor needs to go back to roots
The Australian Financial Review, 18 March 2014: Dennis Glover asks, What does social democracy mean today?
Media Release: National Seniors Joins Blueprint for Ageing Australia
Per Capita, 13 March 2014: Per Capita is delighted to announce that the peak memberhsip body National Seniors has joined Per Capita's Advisory Panel on the Blueprint for an Ageing Australia.
Choosing to send children to public schools will improve outcomes for all
The Guardian, 11 March 2014: when parents commit to public education, the benefits flow to the entire community, say Rebecca Huntley and Verity Firth.
Who's afraid of a public school? Life Matters
11 March 2015, Life Matters: Verity Firth talks to Natasha MItchell about Per Capita's Report, Who's Afraid of a Public School?
Immigration policy, G20 and cabinet records
The Drum, ABC News, 24 February 2014: Per Capita's David Hetherington joins the Sue Cato, from the Cato Council, former Liberal Senator Helen Coonan and host Steve Cannane to discuss the affairs of the day, including the government's immigration policy, the G20 summit, the release of cabinet records, and NSW liquor laws.
Value in making things
The Australian Financial Review, 18 February 2014: One of the most interesting aspects of the debate on Australia's automotive industries is the renewed enthusiasm for industrial work, says Dennis Glover.
Ageing blueprint back on track - panel re-formed outside govt
Crikey, 12 February 2014: The government's inclination might be towards taking the "business as usual approach" but the national interest demands more. By Everald Compton and Emily Millane.
The grand compact we ought to have
The decision by Toyota to close its Australian operations will undoubtedly catalyse the odd industrial relations Ayatollah to declare another jihad on the Fair Work Act, says Josh Bernstein.
The creeping barrage of political language
Over the course of the summer, we have seen the ground prepared for a broad political offensive, says David Hetherington.
The age pension is no con job, though super concessions may well be
The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 February 2014: Try seeing a heart specialist with $39 to spend on health a week. Or paying for all your week's groceries with $76. The age pension won't let you do that, says Emily Millane.
Working class dreams fade as jobs dry up
The Age, 8 February 2014: If you were asked to journey back to a different time and place, when and where would you choose? By Dennis Glover
Anything more than a trim could hurt the economy
The Drum, 4 February 2014: The budget is in a manageable position; some policy tightening is necessary, but Treasurer Joe Hockey need not be as extreme as foreshadowed in recent media debate, says Stephen Koukoulas.
The politics of class warfare: from Sydney to Washington, the gulf is deepening
The Guardian, 4 February 2014: When I became a partner in a law firm, something strange happened at the bank. Our relationship deepened. I became a premium client with premium needs, says Josh Bernstein.
SPC, ABC and Ahmed's citizenship
Labor needs philosophy, not focus groups
Beyond the sound bite
Australian Ageing Agenda, 21 January 2014. It's the old adage about electoral politics. Governments don't really put the national interest first...
Beyond the sound bite, Australian Ageing Agenda
Australian Ageing Agenda, 21 January 2014: We need contributions to the ageing debate that that take the conversation further, says Emily Millane.
Why Labor should have its own Cori Bernardi
Taking Australia's decency for granted
The Drum Unleashed, 30 December 2013: We need to be vocal about the kind of decent society we aspire to, rather than sleepwalking into a society we don't recognise as ours, says Emily Millane.
The opportunistic embrace of free speech
The Drum, 19 December 2013: It appears that George Brandis's campaign to protect freedom of speech at the expense of freedom from discrimination is about redressing a symbolic injury to the Right, writes David Hetherington.
Hockey is saving the good news for May
The Drum, 18 December 2013: The unrealistically pessimistic view of the economy as presented in MYEFO is designed to make Joe Hockey look like a fiscal hero come the May Budget, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Newman the dinosaur has some prehistoric ideas on labour market
Crikey, 10 December 2013: Maurice Newman, Tony Abbott's hand-picked business adviser, is misguided on Australia's labour markets, says Stephen Koukoulas.
Five ways our ageing population will help the economy
The Crikey, 4 December 2013: Our ageing population will present challenges. But the demographic shift presents plenty of positive opportunities if you know where to look, says Everald Compton.
Four ways to cope with Australia's ageing population
Crikey, 29 November 2013: Australians are living longer, which presents a significant financial problem for the current pension system. Emily Millane looks at four things the government could do to cope.
Managing the challenges of Australia's ageing population
Radio National Breakfast, 21 November 2013: Per Capita's Emily Millane talks to Jonathan Green about her report, Still Kicking.
Rudd lacked the purpose Labor needed
For a while Rudd seemed to be just the thing Labor needed, but it proved too thin a veneer to give Labor the purpose and unity it needed, says Dennis Glover.
The Coalition's Big Lie
The Coalition's characterisation of Labor's economic management as "reckless" and "wasteful" is a big lie that is going to be hard to revise, writes David Hetherington.
Ignoring the problem of our age
Australia is in the midst of a massive demographic shift with dramatic repercussions for public policy, but the Coalition seems uninterested, writes Emily Millane.
Closing the chapter on personality politics
Since its catastrophic election loss the ALP rebuilding effort has already begun, with a more democratic leadership contest leading to membership exceeding 50,000 for the first time in years, says David Hetherington.
Workforce casualisation: the discussion we have been avoiding
BRW's Fiona Smith interviews Per Capita's Stephen Koukoulas.
Ageing population missed by Abbott's ministry
As Australia faces the challenges of an ageing population, Tony Abbott's decision to lump aged care and ageing into the Social Services portfolio could spell trouble for the future of older Australians, writes Emily Millane.
Self-harm: Labor's fall from power in Australia
Despite a highly commendable record in government, the Australian Labor Party's tendency to rely on "professional politics", while simultaneously destroying itself with ill-discipline, proved to be a gift to a weak Conservative opposition , says David Hetherington.
Big budget bucks down the property drainpipe
No one doubts the budget needs to be rebuilt over the economic cycle, but let’s assume for now we need urgent, drastic action to fix the crisis. Where to start?
Rudd's launch speech lacking
Kevin Rudd's campaign launch speech is unlikely to save his government from defeat, says Dennis Glover.
A finer tune for manufacturing
Manufacturing policy has an enduring resonance, and in this election, the similarities between the two parties' offerings are more revealing than their differences, says David Hetherington
A harbinger of conservative battles to come
If his paid parental leave scheme is any guide, Tony Abbott is a 'big government' interventionist who is on course for an ongoing battle with his conservative base, writes David Hetherington.
Better aged care is all in the detail
Neither Tony Abbott nor Kevin Rudd seem to recognise the massive social and economic ramifications of Australia's ageing population, writes Emily Millane.
Simple formula to cut debt served us badly, The Age
The Coalition trumpets its economic credentials on the Howard government's zero debt legacy - not a smart move, says Stephen Koukoulas.
The Kouk Writes: the issues with Mr Hockey's methodology
If the Labor government collected tax at the same level of the Howard government, we would already be swimming in budget surpluses, says Stephen Koukoulas.
No moral limits to what Rudd will do to win
Josh Bornstein asks if there is a limit on political affiliation. Is there a "least worst" principle on the asylum seeker issue?
Emily Millane talks ageing stereotypes on ABC News Breakfast
Emily Millane joins Michael Rowland & Virginia Trioli to discuss the Human Rights Commission's report on ageing stereotypes.
Our wealth has only grown since the carbon tax
Despite the dire warnings about the carbon tax, Australia's economy is still growing, creating jobs and registering a quite stunning lift in wealth, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Labor Party reforms could be just the beginning
Dennis Glover is interviewed by Simon Santow. He applauds Kevin Rudd's moves to change the rules about unseating a Federal leader, but says they could have gone further.
Why Abbott is scared to debate the economy
Tony Abbott might be wise to refuse a debate on the economy, because there is little substance behind his claims on the budget and debt, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
You'll be older too: why we need to rethink ageing
Older Australians are increasingly active in social, political and economic life, but the media portrayal of them is of doddering grumps. This needs to change says Emily Millane.
Living by the sword
Australian Labor have taken a last ditch gamble in disposing Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opting for her bitter rival Kevin Rudd, says David Hetherington.
Labor politics better played with heart than with abacus
Policies need to be described in terms of human values not economic calculation, says Dennis Glover.
Australia's labour market needs no reform
There is nothing inherently wrong with the current structure of labour market conditions and it is worth looking at the statistics to confirm this, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Trending politics is damaging our democracy
Our collective desire to consume, devour and discard has spilled over into our political culture and is having a detrimental effect on our public institutions and democracy itself, writes Emily Millane.
Labor's future is not back in the past
Labor has to look ahead to a fresh formulation of ideas capable of giving new life to its philosophy and aims. That job it is going to need some smart and tough-minded new thinkers in its leadership ranks, says Dennis Glover.
What's (also) wrong with the Left
Helen Razer would have all aspiring lefties undertake an education in Keynsian economics, but are modern-day Keynsians really leading the campaigns Razer would support? By Josh Bornstein.
A surplus for its own sake is a dangerous thing
Just as you shouldn't run a deficit if the economy is overheating, there's nothing to be gained from running a surplus if the economy is then kneecapped, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Higher taxes could fund a better Australia
Tim Soutphommasane asks, how much are we prepared to pay to avoid the social brutality of Thatcherism?
Labor's asking the wrong questions
The pursuit of justice sometimes means having to speak for the losers as well as the potential winners from economic change, says Dennis Glover.
Interest rate cuts are saving us billions
Each percentage point reduction in interest rates has saved Australian borrowers about $25 billion a year. The Gillard Government might like to point this out to voters, writes Stephen Koukoulas.
Young against old: the real inequality gap
While the rise of the super-rich raises legitimate concerns over political influence, the "one per cent" debate also masks the real inequality story of our time: the growing gap between young and old, writes David Hetherington.
Time to challenge conventional wisdom on taxation, The State of the Left
A commitment to lift the tax-to-GDP ratio would challenge conventional wisdom and give Labor a sorely needed point of differentiation.
Slaves to naked populism
We're the envy of the world, but you'd never know it from the tenor of political debate.
Gangnam points to our future, The Age
We like to think we are a leading force in Asia, culturally and diplomatically. We might just be kidding ourselves.
Loosen the comrades' hold and reform Labor
What's Labor's story? How can it make it the nation's story? Labor needs to answer questions like these, not just to satisfy its members, but to satisfy the electorate, too.
Muslim unrest doesn't denote cultural crisis, The Age
The recent protests by Muslim youths in Sydney have rightly shocked just about all of us.
Labor is working well but it is easy to imagine this relief might be short-lived
The party's spirits have been buoyed by recent successes, but the sense of economic unease will not help the government's fortunes.
If Australia is egalitarian, its schools funding plan is wrong, The Age
Class was traditionally one of the great dividing lines in Australian society.
While you're down there: a chance to bury the power lines, The Drum Unleashed
As the Government rolls out the NBN across the country, they should use the opportunity to move powerlines underground
In quiet praise of introverts in a loud world, The Age
Most people I know have taken at some stage the Myers-Briggs personality test.
Stop playing on schools funding fears and get on with Gonski, The Conversation
How's this for a radical thought to start the week - a robust contest of ideas around how we educate Australian students to an internationally
Paxtons have gone but dole trap remains, The Australian
Every political memoir is based on a simple dichotomy: the outsider v the insiders (Barack Obama), the bleeding heart v the calculating machines
Are both the left and right of politics failing?, ABC RN Drive
Per Capita's Tim Soutphommasane and ResPublica's Phillip Blond join Waleed Aly to discuss the relevance of the political left and right.
Britain shines in Olympic glow, but what about Australia?, The Age
The post-Olympic withdrawal symptoms that Australians usually experience may well be less pronounced this year.
Sight of a young face shouldn't raise ugly issue of discrimination
We allow 18-year-olds to vote, pay tax, marry, and go to war. If 18 is the measure of adulthood for these things, why not for the minimum wage as well? Equal pay for equal work is not too much to ask.
Australia under Abbott
The Coalition under Abbott has a long way to go before it can offer fiscal credibility.
Labor adrift without intellectual firepower
The ALP needs to grasp the value of ideological renewal.
Is there a way back from here?
It is time to end the cycle of cynical manipulation in which a modest number of asylum seekers is converted into a supposed flotilla of illegal immigrants invading Australia, writes Tim Soutphommasane.
Liberal patriotism - the Australian way
Shifting Grounds blog: Rather than treating a love of country as crass nationalism, social democrats should reclaim patriotism - as a sentiment of solidarity and as an instrument of progress, writes Tim Soutphommasane.
Maxine McKew pens tome on Rudd-era innards, Crikey
Ex-MP Maxine McKew is preparing a tell-all book on her rollercoaster ride in federal parliament that is expected to include an in-depth account of...
When wealth becomes king, democracy is a poor subject
Since when did we see ourselves as consumers more than citizens.
Left should learn that workers love the monarch, The Australian
Here's a fact everyone in the Labor Party knows but probably doesn't want to explore too deeply in this the week of the Queen's diamond jubilee:...
The crown and anchor, The Age
By Tim Soutphommasane Here in Australia, we are holding no equivalent river pageant to that in London to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee. There is no bunting in our city...
Windfall from the resources boom, Radio National Breakfast
For the past decade, Australia rode high on the mining boom. The revenue that flowed from that has delivered Federal coffers an unprecedented bounty, which helped Australia avoid the global recession that engulfed much of the developed world after the GFC. But with commodity prices now falling and tax revenue slumping again, it's time to ask where that mining windfall really went, and how well was it spent?
Modern Citizenship, TEDxSydney
The role of citizen is a concept Tim Soutphommasane wants us to re-consider in the light of the Asian century ahead of us. Sharing food and holiday...
A moderate lament for the imminent passing of privacy, The Age
By Tim Soutphommasane Our constant connection through Facebook and its like may have a downside. I don't remember exactly when I signed up to Facebook but it was...
Reason and rationality alone are unlikely to change minds
The Age, 7 May 2012: Democratic politics has always been about finding ways for us to co-operate amid differences. But in an age of pluralism, we may be defined as much by the manner in which we disagree as by what we have in common: writes Tim Soutphommasane.
Where does Anzac Day fit in a culturally diverse Australia?
The Age, 23 April 2012: National days are only as powerful as what they say about nations themselves, writes Tim Soutphommasane.
Financial fetishising of Asia falls short of multiculturalism
The Age, 26 March 2012: Each Australian generation seems to discover Asia as though the region were revealed to it for the first time, writes Tim Soutphommasane.
Moving beyond political soap opera
State of the Left, 21 March 2012: A debate over fair distribution of Australia's mining income gives Labor a platform to reconnect with ordinary voters on national values, writes David Hetherington.
Swan's appeal hits egalitarian nerve to triumph over political taboo
The Australian, 13 March 2012: The vitriolic reaction from the political Right to Wayne Swan's The Monthly essay demonstrates a new political correctness that is trying to force itself on an unwilling Australia. At its core is the following proposition: that the connection between economic class and politics is now a taboo subject for our democracy, writes Dennis Glover.
Two kinds of populism, but which one will win the election?
The Age, 12 March 2012: With the cathartic purging of Kevin Rudd now complete, Labor has an opportunity to trade in technocracy for the authentic register of Australian egalitarianism. Whether it chooses to do so will reflect not only its confidence in the new populism but its confidence in itself, says Tim Soutphommasane.
PM's communication skills under spotlight
ABC News 24, 27 February 2012: Per Capita Research Fellow, Dennis Glover, who has been a speech writer for both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, says she needs to improve her public communication.
Rudd's quest for revenge may be Labor's undoing
The Age, 25 February 2012: Labor MPs are faced with a situation resembling the Judgment of Solomon. They must adjudicate between two claimants locked in a deeply personal contest, says Tim Soutphommasane.
Misplaced entitlement and middle-class welfare
The Drum Unleashed, 20 February 2012: Nobody expects consistency in politics any more. Points of principle hold little sway in the face of focus group research and angry talkback callers, says David Hetherington
The trick to lasting prosperity
Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February 2015: We must act soon if we are to avoid more bad news on the jobs front, says David Hetherington.
What does patriotism mean? Radio National Drive
Panel discussion: What does patriotism mean to Australians? For some it's just a love of the Australian landscape or wearing the Aussie colours at..
Measuring Progress, Radio National Life Matters
The ABS has launched a project aimed at getting a better idea of what's important in our society, economy and environment.
New think tank to help swing ideas from right to left
6 April 2007 Article in The Age on the launch of Per Capita.
Hawke-Keating era saw Labor begin to lose its way
The Australian, 15 February 2012: The way a party controls its past tells you a lot about how it sees its present and its future, says Dennis Glover.