Grattan Institute

Australia’s 1950s-style, GP-centric primary care model is not fit to respond to the increased prevalence of chronic disease — and now we know it’s not fit to respond to an infectious disease pandemic either. Stephen Duckett, Health Program Director, discusses how the coronavirus crisis is highlighting the cracks in the healthcare system, and what we can learn from the NHS response to the pandemic. Hosted by Paul Austin. The article discussed in this week's podcast is available on our website here: https://grattan.edu.au/news/coronavirus-crisis-exposes-fundamental-flaws-in-our-healthcare-system/

Plenty of people think congestion is a real problem in Melbourne, and they are right. Up until now, state governments’ main efforts to reduce congestion have been to build new roads and add new public transport services. But decades of new roads and new public transport have left us with the level of congestion we see today. At this Grattan Institute/State Library of Victoria Policy Pitch event, a panel of experts discussed the proposal to charge drivers a fee to drive on the busiest roads at the busiest times. Featuring: Ashleigh Cormack - Head of Cities Policy, Australia and New Zealand at Uber. Lauren Walker - Principal Consultant (Transport Advisory) and Project Manager at Veitch Lister Consulting Marion Terrill - Transport and Cities Program Director, Grattan Institute Paul Austin - Editor, Grattan Institute

The retirement incomes system works well for most, but fails too many poorer Australians, especially low-income women and retirees who rent. Listen to Brendan Coates, Household Finances Program Director, Jonathan Nolan, Associate, and Paul Austin, Editor, unpack the complexities of retirement incomes policy. You can read the submission in discussion here: https://grattan.edu.au/submissions/balancing-act/

From trade to higher education, the Australian economy is feeling the effects of coronavirus. This week on the Grattan podcast, we look at what the virus has already meant for Australia, and what it may mean for Australia's future if it is not controlled, and hopefully, eliminated. Discussing this health emergency is John Daley, Grattan Institute CEO, William Mackey, Associate, and host Paul Austin. You can read the article in discussion on the website here: https://grattan.edu.au/news/coronavirus-could-have-a-devastating-impact-on-australias-universities/

Big money matters in Australian elections. Amidst a busy week in politics, with the increasing threat of coronavirus, the annual release of the federal political donations data might have slipped under your radar. Yet this data points to a very concerning underlying question: can you buy an election? Listen to Kate Griffiths, fellow for the Budget Policy and Institutional Reform program, in discussion with host Kat Clay, around how to reform Australia's political donations system. To see the charts in discussion in this podcast, visit: https://blog.grattan.edu.au/2020/02/three-things-the-new-donations-data-tell-us-about-the-2019-federal-election/

A new career path for expert teachers could transform Australian schools and boost student learning by 18 months by the time they turn 15. Listen to Peter Goss, School Education Program Director, and Julie Sonnemann, School Education Fellow, discuss their new report, Top teachers: sharing expertise to improve teaching. Hosted by Paul Austin. You can read the report on our website: https://grattan.edu.au/report/top-teachers/

It’s a common assumption that compulsory superannuation comes out of workers’ wages. But is it true? With compulsory super set to rise from 9.5 percent to 12 percent by July 2025, it’s timely to ask who is going to foot the bill. Employers or employees? And what does this mean for your future salary? Listen to Brendan Coates, Household Finances Program Director, and Matt Cowgill, Senior Associate discuss their latest working paper No Free Lunch: Higher superannuation means lower wages. You can read the working paper in discussion on our website: https://grattan.edu.au/report/no-free-lunch/

Dozens of lives have been lost and homes destroyed due to the Australian bushfires. In the midst of the tragedy, a big question arises. Might the summer of 2020 be a turning point in climate politics and policy in Australia? Grattan Institute CEO John Daley and Senior Associate Emily Millane discuss how major crises can lead to dramatic policy changes, and the economic cost of inaction on climate change. Hosted by Paul Austin, Grattan Institute editor. You can read the article in discussion on the Grattan Institute website: https://grattan.edu.au/news/might-the-bushfire-crisis-be-the-turning-point-on-climate-politics-australian-needs/

Hydrogen is now surging to the top of the global decarbonisation agenda. Australia’s competitive advantages, including local expertise and infrastructure, proximity to Asian markets, and abundance of renewable energy, could mean we become a globally significant player through hydrogen exports, with important domestic spill-over benefits. The dual objectives of the strategy are to build a clean, innovative and competitive hydrogen industry, and to position Australia’s hydrogen industry as a major global player by 2030. Listen to Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel AO discuss the hydrogen strategy at the Energy Futures forum, co-hosted by the Grattan Institute and the Melbourne Energy Institute (MEI). Dr Finkel's presentation is followed by a panel discussion with Grattan Institute’s Energy Program Director Tony Wood and MEI’s Hydrogen and Clean Fuels Program Leader Prof. Paul Webley, moderated by Prof. Sandra Kentish, Head of the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at The University of Melbourne.

Private health insurance has changed dramatically over the past few decades, and young and healthy people are dropping out (or not joining). Something has to change. Can we cut private hospital costs? Can we stem the flow of surprise bills from greedy doctors? Will that be enough to save private health insurance? Listen to Stephen Duckett, Grattan Institute Health Program Director, and Jo Root, Policy Director of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, discuss whether private health insurance can be saved from the jaws of death. To read the reports in discussion: Saving Private Health 1: https://grattan.edu.au/report/saving-private-health-1/ Saving Private Health 2: https://grattan.edu.au/report/saving-private-health-2/