Grattan Institute

A big part of the Morrison Government’s response to COVID-19 has been allowing people early access to their superannuation. At the same time, compulsory super contributions are legislated to climb from 9.5 per cent of wages to 12 per cent over the next five years. We’ve all been told we need to put more money into super, so letting people have access to their superannuation early sounds like a bad idea. But is it? And does it justify higher compulsory contributions? On today's Grattan podcast, Household Finances Program Director Brendan Coates discusses the early super release scheme, and whether or not super should rise to 12 per cent.

COVID-19 is the biggest issue of our age, and one of the biggest questions is how can we best fight coronavirus? Can we realistically get to zero active cases in Australia? Or should we just let it rip? On today's podcast, Stephen Duckett discusses his new report "Go for zero: how Australia can get to zero COVID-19 cases", the Victorian roadmap to COVID Normal, and how other states can do the same, with Paul Austin. You can read the report in discussion free online: https://grattan.edu.au/report/how-australia-can-get-to-zero-covid-19-cases/

One of the biggest challenges facing our largest cities before the pandemic, and one we will eventually have to face again, is congestion on our roads. With so many people either out of work or working from home, now might seem like a strange time to be thinking about tackling congestion in our cities. But, there are many reasons why it might also be the best time. Kat Clay is joined by Senior Associate Greg Moran, to talk about why congestion charging is back on the agenda and why that’s a good thing. You can read our report on congestion charging in Sydney and Melbourne here: https://grattan.edu.au/report/right-time-right-place-right-price/

Increasing female workforce participation is one of the biggest long-term economic opportunities for governments. Australia’s female workforce participation rate is above the OECD average, but Australian women are much more likely to work part-time than their overseas counterparts. Before COVID-19, a typical Australian woman with pre-teenage children worked 2.5 days per week. Is this what women want? Why do the work patterns of mothers look so different from those of fathers? Why is part-time work so common for Australian women compared to women in other developed countries? How has COVID-19 changed the equation? And what can governments do to reduce the barriers for women who want to do more paid work? Our expert panel discussed these issues and more at this State Library Victoria and Grattan Institute Policy Pitch event. Speakers: Miranda Stewart - Professor and Director of Tax at Melbourne University Law School Emma Walsh - CEO, Parents At Work Danielle Wood - CEO, Grattan Institute Moderator Paul Austin - Editor, Grattan Institute To read the report in discussion, please visit: https://grattan.edu.au/report/cheaper-childcare/ For more information, visit: https://grattan.edu.au/

Childcare should be made cheaper to enable more women to do more paid work, and to help lift the economy out of the COVID recession. Find out how Australian governments can enable mothers to do more paid work (and how to manage being a CEO with a toddler at home) on this week’s Grattan podcast with CEO Danielle Wood, Fellow Kate Griffiths, and Senior Associate Owain Emslie. Read the report in discussion on our website: https://grattan.edu.au/report/cheaper-childcare/

Should Australia dump the decades-old dream of building a bullet train from Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra? The east-coast bullet train advocated by the federal ALP could be an expensive folly: Australia’s small population and vast distances present major economic and environmental risks. How realistic is the notion that upgrades to regional rail would ease population pressures on our major capitals and boost struggling regional cities and towns? What’s the best way for governments to help commuters get to work in the booming outer suburbs of the capital cities? The alternative of renovating rail lines to boost train speeds from capital cities to surrounding regions is less expensive and might be worth doing – but these renovations are unlikely to fulfil all the wishful thinking of their proponents. Watch Marion Terrill, Grattan's Transport and Cities Program Director, Gabriel Metcalf, CEO of the Committee for Sydney, and Kat Clay, Head of Digital Communications, in a lively discussion on all things trains. To read the report in discussion visit: https://grattan.edu.au/report/fast-train-fever/

The second part of our two-part special podcast on Grattan's past and future. This week John Daley, our CEO of eleven years, interviews our new CEO, Danielle Wood, on the future of Grattan, the importance of public trust in institutions, and her optimism in the potential for policy change in Australia.

As we farewell Grattan's CEO of eleven years, John Daley, and welcome our new CEO, Danielle Wood, we present the first part of a special two-part podcast series, looking at where Grattan has come from, and where Grattan will go. This week, Danielle Wood interviews John Daley on his achievements and the origins of the Grattan Institute. Next week, John will interview Danielle on where she sees the future of the Grattan Institute and policy in Australia.

Australia continues to debate whether achieving very low or net zero emissions will cost jobs or open a new era for the country as an energy superpower. In this Grattan Institute/State Library of Queensland Webinar, a panel of experts explored the opportunities and barriers Australia will face in a low-emissions world. Speakers: - Anna Skarbek, CEO of ClimateWorks Australia - Professor Ross Garnaut, Professorial Research Fellow in Economics at The University of Melbourne - Guy Dundas, Energy Fellow, Grattan Institute - Tony Wood, Energy Program Director, Grattan Institute

COVID-19 is the biggest social and economic shock since World War II. Within two months, policies and systems for welfare, employment, childcare, health, and education have been turned on their head after decades of (at most) incremental reform. Recovering from such a shock is a big task that will stretch government resources. Other less urgent (but important) reforms will have to wait until there are time and resources to do them properly. In this special Grattan Institute/State Library Victoria Webinar, a panel of policy experts from the Grattan Institute discussed our latest publication, The Recovery Book, which identifies the extensive policy agenda Australia’s federal, state, and territory governments should deal with over the next six months. To read the report in question, visit: https://grattan.edu.au/report/recovery-book/ Speakers Danielle Wood – CEO of the Grattan Institute Stephen Duckett – Director of Grattan’s Health Program Brendan Coates – Director of Grattan’s Household Finances Program Marion Terrill – Director of Grattan’s Transport & Cities Program Moderator Paul Austin – Editor at Grattan Institute