Recent publications in IPA Backgrounder

Page  1  2  3  [ 4 ]  

The Easy Guide to the Republic Proposal

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Kerry Corke

On 6 November 1999, the Australian people will be asked whether to amend the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia so as to replace our current constitutional monarchy with a republic with a President chosen by Federal Parliament.

Risk Assessment and Decision Making for Genetically Modified Foods

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Aynsley Kellow

The introduction of genetically modified foods has been accompanied by a level of concern in Europe which was not seen in the United States. This is seen as reflecting both a different cultural appraisal of risk, sensitised by the 'mad cow'...

Who's ABC? The ABC, Staff Capture and the Obstacles to Accountability

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Michael Warby

As this IPA Backgrounder shows, the ABC provides a case study of the problems of public ownership.

ABC TV News and the 1998 Waterfront Dispute: Reporting or Barracking?

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Michael Warby

In 1998, the ABC’s coverage of the MUA/Patrick waterfront dispute—the most contentious political issue of the year—led to allegations of bias, most notably by Senator Richard Alston, the...

The End of the Overpopulation Crisis?

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Ron Brunton

Over the past half century, the ‘population explosion’ has been presented as a grave threat to humanity. But as different apocalyptic predictions have failed to eventuate, the justifications have shifted,...

From Welfare State to Transfer State

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Michael Warby

The last 40 years have seen great changes in the role of government in Australian life. During that time, expenditure on government transfers— income support, health, education and welfare services—has grown...

Odd Bedfellows: The Economic Nationalists and Why They Are Wrong

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Lyndon Rowe

Economic nationalism, if adopted in whole or in part, has the potential to do great damage to the Australian economy. It is based on a series of errors and fallacies which would greatly hamper the ability of most Australian households and firms to...

Betraying the Victims: The 'Stolen Generations' Report

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Ron Brunton

The seriousness of the ‘stolen generations’ issue should not be underestimated, and Aborigines are fully entitled to demand an acknowledgement of the wrongs that many of them suffered at the hands of various...

Whither Labor?

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Gary Johns

This Backgrounder argues that Labor’s drive for economic reform began to stall by 1989 and that the electorate had grown tired of the difficult issues involved in that reform. Consequently, a gap opened up in public dialogue...

Soaking the Poor: Discriminatory Taxation of Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling

IPA BACKGROUNDER | Alan Moran

Soaking the Poor is an apt description of the effects of very high taxes on a narrow range of products that tend to represent a greater share of the consumption of the less well-off. The taxes lift fully 10 per cent of the income of the poorest...

Page  1  2  3  [ 4 ]