Media

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.

 

  • All
  • Our Media
  • Education
  • Progressive Economics

Panel discussion on the jobseeker rate, the impact of having kids and your income, and industrial relations and climate change.

A panel discussion on Australia’s economic outlook amid rising inflation, and a Sydney council caught mixing recycling and rubbish.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

8 December 2016, The Monthly. By Emma Dawson. To fight resurgent right-wing populism, the left must remember the importance of class

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.

30 September 2016, The Monthly. by Warwick Smith Pension changes, age discrimination and workplace automation are driving older Australians into poverty.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

12 February 2016, Radio Adelaide Breakfast: David Hetherington talks to Ian Newton about what the privatisation would mean.

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.

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.

10 December: a roundup of the #uberization series we've been running on social media, leading up to our event, Organised Disruption.

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.

11 Nov 2015, The Business: Phillip Lasker covers the Inclusive Prosperity Commission event with Stephen Koukoulas, David Hetherington, Cameron Clyne and Verity Firth.

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.

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.

25 August 2015: David Hetherington talks to Emma Alberici about the stock market and China on the eve of the National Reform Summit.

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...?

11 August 2015, Online Opinion: Simply holding a review of the parliamentary entitlements system is a predictable but inadequate response, writes Allison Orr.

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.

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.

8 August 2015, Saturday Extra on RN: Geraldine Doogue talks to Dennis Glover about An Economy is Not a Society.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Online Opinion, 23 January 2015: As we celebrate Australia Day, let's also celebrate a station that supports Australian music. By Allison Orr.

The Australian Financial Review, 8 January 2015: If Labor is going to win government, it needs more than clever campaigning, says Dennis Glover.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ABC Radio 612, 3 September 2014: Rebecca Livingstone interviews Everald Compton about the Blueprint for an Ageing Australia.

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.

Radio National Breakfast, 22 August 2014: Emily Millane talks to Fran Kelly about her report, The Entitlement of Age, on Radio National Breakfast.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Drum: Budget Special, 13 May 2014: A great panel discussion with David Hetherington, Steve Cannane, Jessica Irvine and John Hewson.

13 May 2014. The macroeconomic end point of the Abbott government's first budget is remarkably uninspiring...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

Australian Ageing Agenda, 21 January 2014. It's the old adage about electoral politics. Governments don't really put the national interest first...

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Australia is in the midst of a massive demographic shift with dramatic repercussions for public policy, but the Coalition seems uninterested, writes Emily Millane.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Kevin Rudd's campaign launch speech is unlikely to save his government from defeat, says Dennis Glover.

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

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.

Neither Tony Abbott nor Kevin Rudd seem to recognise the massive social and economic ramifications of Australia's ageing population, writes Emily Millane.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

The pursuit of justice sometimes means having to speak for the losers as well as the potential winners from economic change, says Dennis Glover.

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.

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.

We're the envy of the world, but you'd never know it from the tenor of political debate.

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.

The Coalition under Abbott has a long way to go before it can offer fiscal credibility.

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.

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.

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...

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?

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.