Democracy & Accountability
Lifting ban on political donations by developers could increase corruption risk: QLD corruption watchdog
As Queensland prepares to host the 2032 Olympic Games, the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has warned the Crisafulli government against lifting the ban on political donations by property developers.
Engaging with people you disagree with is part of democracy. Silencing authors is not.
The Australia Institute’s decision to withdraw its involvement in, and sponsorship of, Adelaide Writers’ Week was easy to make but raises difficult questions. As a research-based think tank, we thrive in the cut and thrust of disagreement, and we regularly participate in events, debates, and conversations with people we disagree with.
Engaging with people you disagree with is part of democracy. Silencing authors is not.
The Australia Institute’s decision to withdraw its involvement in, and sponsorship of, Adelaide Writers’ Week was easy to make but raises difficult questions. As a research-based think tank, we thrive in the cut and thrust of disagreement, and we regularly participate in events, debates, and conversations with people we disagree with.
Five lessons for the world from Australia’s battle with tech giants
Big technology companies, including Facebook, Google and Elon Musk’s X, have proven difficult for national governments to control. The Internet has been treated as a “Wild West” beyond government authority.
Experts say Trump’s abduction of Maduro is about oil, not drugs
Experts say the insertion of US special forces into Caracas and the abduction of President Maduro was a precision tactical operation.
The Venezuela Crisis: Australia needs to do much more than issue a general “Get-Well” card
The abduction and subsequent arrest of the President of Venezuela is a dramatic re-statement of America’s dominance of the western hemisphere and its willingness to do whatever it takes – including defiance of international legal norms – to protect and promote its interests.
Australia’s parliament could expand for first time in four decades
Australia’s parliament appears set to expand for the first time in four decades with election experts backing a reform they say is well overdue.
Barnaby Joyce's defection highlights how much the Coalition costs the Liberal Party
It raises an uncomfortable question: are the Liberals being taken for a ride?
The NACC’s exceptional challenge: integrity is not achieved by secrecy, but by trust earned in the light
Few issues unite progressive and conservative voters. Ending corruption is one of the few exceptions.
The welfare system isn’t just on fire, it’s burning out of control
The problem with having pattern recognition is that you can always see the fires before they start. Governments are a bit like that, too. It’s not that they don’t see the fire before the smoke, it’s just they figure it will be someone else’s problem to deal with it by the time it’s all ablaze.
