Leanne is the co-Chief Executive Officer of The Australia Institute.
To claim an idea as popular, support for it needs to reach at least 50% – unless you’re talking about tax. Public support for systemic changes to the taxation system rarely reach that benchmark. Tax reform doesn’t have the easy popularity of cheaper petrol, or Collingwood losing a grand final by one point. Proper debate on tax requires nuance, and public commentary on tax is where nuance goes to die.
This morning at Parliament House in Canberra, I was honoured to help launch a public inquiry into AUKUS. This public inquiry is not optional. It is overdue and a response to the government’s failure to hold a Parliamentary one.
Direct funding for environmental protection in this year’s budget is just 0.3% of total budget expenses. Alarmingly, it then falls off dramatically over the forward estimates. Such low levels of direct investment in the environment used to be a feature of Coalition rather than Labor governments.
Independent writers ventilate what is bubbling under the surface and, through their work, provide an agora for modern Australia. Without the input of creative thinkers, Australia would be a duller place. It would be less representative, and less safe.
