Author | Lightnews

Tony Abbott’s history of Australia wants us to be proud of men like him

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · 3d

Tony Abbott and the Ladybird view of history

Jane Lydon runs the rule over Abbott’s Australia

theconversation.com/tony-abbotts... #auspol

Tony Abbott begins his book Australia: A History, by telling off professional historians – and laments the “cultural confusion” of our present moment.

The votes are counted and the quiet shattered as treaty arrives in Victoria

Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · 7d

Treaty yeah

www.theage.com.au/politics/vic... #auspol #springst #Australia

The first treaty with our First Peoples came after a long debate and even longer wait.

www.theage.com.au

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · 9d

Nice

Grattan Institute @grattaninstitute.bsky.social · 9d

We’re worth watching!

Grattan Institute has been named in the global ‘100 Think Tanks to Watch 2025’, by the ‘On Think Tanks’ organisation.

We’re delighted by this recognition by our peers, and determined to continue improving public policy in 2026 and beyond.

#auspol

buff.ly/uvXvrE8

Reposted by Paul Austin

Beddy @lancecalhoon.bsky.social · 17d

one of the ironclad rules of Australian journalism is that any story about voting must be accompanied by a picture of people voting in swimwear

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · 25d

“Less about saving swimmers and more about serving cocktails”

How $14m of public money to convert an ageing bayside pool to a heated indoor learn-to-swim centre is being misused to build a glitzy private social club on Williamstown’s heritage beach

www.theage.com.au/national/vic...

#springst

Tensions flare in seaside suburb over ‘Bondi Icebergs’ proposal

Over seven years, the lifesaving club has gone through three rounds of redevelopment plans, and the neighbourhood is once again divided over the $14.5 million project.

www.theage.com.au

Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · 26d

Here’s some good news: Play your cards right, and your household energy bills could halve by 2050

New Grattan Institute report by Alison Reeve and Tony Wood

grattan.edu.au/report/bills...

#auspol #ClimateEmergency #NetZero #coal #renewables

Bills down, emissions down: A practical path to net-zero electricity

Australian household energy bills are set to halve by 2050, leaving ‘policy room’ for the federal government to cut emissions in the electricity sector without hurting households.

Australia’s workforce challenge - Grattan Institute

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Oct 6

Australia’s workforce challenge

Thoughtful new Grattan Institute series on building our workforce of the future

#auspol #ausecon #jobs #migration #AI

grattan.edu.au/australias-w...

Grattan Institute’s six-part series on building our workforce of the future.

Is the Willy Beach Lifesaving Club set to become Australia’s most expensive?

Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Oct 3

Three more reasons to object to the proposed over-development of Williamstown’s historic life-saving club:

1. Taxpayers’ money being used for private facilities

2. The ‘Members Only’ fence

3. A footprint that extends well beyond the club’s current fence line

thewestsider.com.au/is-the-willy...

Jason Bryce asks community to become engaged in the discussions over the new plans for the Williamstown lifesaving club.

thewestsider.com.au

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Reposted by Paul Austin

Grattan Institute @grattaninstitute.bsky.social · Sep 30

Sydney remains ground zero for Australia’s housing crisis.

Our housing policy expert Brendan Coates gives the NSW government credit for acting to get more housing built – and identifies what should happen now.

#auspol #nswpol

grattan.edu.au/news/sydney-...

Sydney remains ground zero for Australia’s housing crisis - Grattan Institute

The NSW government deserves credit for taking steps to get more housing built. Here’s what it should do next.

Under Trump, America’s descent into authoritarianism may be unstoppable

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 20

Gradually , then suddenly.

Jacqueline Maley charts America’s descent into authoritarianism.

#Trump #freedom #democracy

www.smh.com.au/world/north-...

Like the famous Ernest Hemingway quote, the demise of American democracy has happened gradually and now, all at once.

www.smh.com.au

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 20

Comedy, power, and democracy.

Steve Vizard rises to the occasion.

#JimmyKimmel #Trump

www.afr.com/politics/jim...

Jimmy Kimmel’s demise exposes how power fears ridicule

Comedy is not a sideshow. It is part of the main act. When comedy vanishes, rulers mistake themselves for the nation.

A step up in action to hit the 2035 emissions target is urgently needed

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 18

‘This week has been a watershed on Australia’s hard road to net zero. The main game now is implementation, as the spectre of climate change awaits.’

The verdict from Grattan Institute energy policy guru Tony Wood in the Financial Review

#auspol #emissions #targets

www.afr.com/policy/energ...

This week has been a watershed on Australia’s hard road to net zero. The main game now is implementation, as the spectre of climate change awaits.

The Albanese government has finally set a 2035 climate course – and it’s a mission Australia must accept

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 18

The Albanese government has finally set a 2035 climate course – and it’s a mission Australia must accept.

By Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute in The Conversation

#auspol #NetZero #emissions #targets

theconversation.com/the-albanese...

The target seeks to balance positive action with pragmatism. Achieving it will requires a major policy step-up.

From the Pocket: they may be old but Scott Pendlebury’s Collingwood are wily and hungry

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 18

‘The similarly ageless Patrick Dangerfield leaves divots, bruises, and trauma. Scott Pendlebury doesn’t leave a trace. He hovers above the game, popping in where he sees fit.’

Jonathan Horn on Pendles

#AFL #Collingwood #GoPies

www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/s...

The Magpies’ core group of self-driven, physically and mentally resilient senior players eat up the hard work to maintain high performance

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 18

Grattan talks to Grattan.

Michelle Grattan, doyen of the parliamentary press gallery, talks to Tony Wood, energy and climate change policy guru at the Grattan Institute, about net zero, 2035, 2050, and all that.

#auspol #climate #targets

theconversation.com/politics-wit...

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Wood on ‘politics trumping climate policy’ and the hard road ahead

The energy expert says Australia’s only on track to cut its emissions by around 50% by 2035 – ‘so we’re going to have to step up the pace’ in the next decade.

What Albo can learn from Dan 'getting shit done' Andrews

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 15

‘Getting shit done.’

Joel Deane on Dan Andrews.

Typically insightful.

#auspol #springst

www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/12/c...

Much of the praise and criticism of Dan Andrews — who, like Kennett, incited adoration and hatred — is one-eyed, if not cross-eyed. Andrews was neither dictator nor saviour.

www.crikey.com.au

Why the case for a corporate tax cut is tricky

Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 14

The business case for corporate tax reform needs to be rather more sophisticated than just ‘cut our taxes’.

Grattan Institute CEO Aruna Sathanapally writes for the Financial Review

#auspol #ausecon #GST

www.afr.com/policy/tax-a...

If business wants change, it needs to do more than just call for “lower taxes”. It needs a clear model, a credible way to fund it, and a persuasive case.

Senior Liberal’s luxury hotel TV gaffe

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 10

Dan. Mate.

www.afr.com/rear-window/...

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan outed his upscale accommodation while on a privately funded nuclear junket.

‘Well off the pace’: Grattan expert slams weak student improvement targets

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 6

The old man could play

#AFL #AFLfinals #GoPies

Rhett Bartlett @rhettrospective.bsky.social · Sep 6

The 1993 Peter Daicos "Hot Shots" commercial #afl

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 6

‘Well off the pace’

Grattan Institute education policy expert Amy Haywood slams weak student improvement targets

#auspol #schools #funding

educationhq.com/news/well-of...

Education ministers have set the achievement bar too low for Australian students, with current improvement targets at risk of locking in underachievement across some jurisdictions, experts from Gratta...

educationhq.com

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 6

‘We’re going to have to break a few eggs’

Grattan Institute housing policy expert Joey Moloney on the dearth of social housing in our most desirable suburbs

#auspol #springst

www.theage.com.au/property/new...

Melbourne suburbs that boast the most amenities – but lack one type of home

Some of Melbourne’s desirable inner-city and south-eastern areas have the best access to local services, but new research shows what’s missing.

www.theage.com.au

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Sep 4

The age of incrementalism

Grattan Institute CEO Aruna Sathanapally reflects on why big bang policy reform seems so hard these days

#auspol #ausecon #productivity #tax

grattan.edu.au/news/age-of-...

The age of incrementalism - Grattan Institute

Big bang policy reform may be out, but there are still ways to make Australia fairer and more prosperous.

Fixing the workforce gender balance is in everyone's interest - Grattan Institute

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Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Aug 31

Australia’s workforce is almost evenly split between men and women. Yet fewer than 1 in 4 Australians work in a gender-balanced occupation.

Jessica Geraghty from Grattan Institute shows why this is bad – for workers, businesses, all of us.

#auspol #gender #jobs

grattan.edu.au/news/fixing-...

Turns out, gender-imbalance at work is bad for workers, businesses and the economy.

Local journalists and fixers are dying at unprecedented rates in Gaza. Can anyone protect them?

Paul Austin @paulnaustin.bsky.social · Aug 31

‘dying’

theconversation.com/local-journa...

Palestinian journalists do not have access to the same training, equipment or pay as foreign correspondents, despite the fact their lives are on the line in Gaza.