Richard Denniss | Lightnews

Dr Richard Denniss

@richarddenniss.bsky.social

11K followers 760 following 530 posts

Co-CEO at The Australia Institute

Economist, Author of books and writer of columns often for Saturday Paper, The Monthly & The New Daily (previously The Guardian, Australian Financial Review)

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Richard Denniss is an Australian economist, author and public policy commentator, who is the Executive Director of The Australia Institute. and a former Associate Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University in Canberra. .. more

Economics 33%

Political science 22%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Richard Denniss

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 1d

"The 'Festival State' having to cancel festivals over political decisions, that's a real risk to the economy."
@richarddenniss.bsky.social

The Australia Institute will host @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social on an Australian speaking tour after his withdrawal from Adelaide Writers' Week, details TBA.

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 3d

I just couldnt stay on X. I miss what it was quite a lot, but i never miss what it became.

Reposted by Richard Denniss

Bill Browne @browne90.bsky.social · 3d

It was always known that an MP facing serious allegations would be eligible for taxpayer funding.

SA Govt rushed these donation laws, avoiding a multi-party inquiry that would have tested for constitutionality, fairness, value for money.

Thomas Kelsall for ABC:

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...

Taxpayers could foot $100k bill for assault-accused MP's re-election bid

Independent MP Nick McBride, who is currently on home detention bail for the alleged assault of his wife, could receive around $100,000 in public funding to support his re-election campaign, according...

www.abc.net.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 3d

Sounds fun but tricky to organise!

Reposted by Richard Denniss

All Our Yesterdays @allouryesterdays.bsky.social · 4d

This, about the US leaving the UNFCCC by @bberwyn.bsky.social is really good (and not just because he quotes me!)

@davidrvetter.bsky.social @georgemonbiot.bsky.social @richarddenniss.bsky.social @roycerk2.bsky.social

insideclimatenews.org/news/1001202...

Climate Cooperation Will Suffer as the U.S. Disengages From International Commitments - Inside Climate News

Experts say pulling the U.S. out of more than 60 global organizations will weaken international governance structures and lead to further fragmentation of global power.

insideclimatenews.org

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 5d

If we are to make Australia a safe place to live in freedom and safety, we must be very careful about what freedoms we remove in pursuit of safety. History suggests removing the right of diverse voices to be heard does little to ensure safety or freedom of any of us.

thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

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...

thepoint.com.au

Reposted by Richard Denniss

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 5d

"The Australia Institute’s decision to withdraw its involvement in, and sponsorship of, Adelaide Writers’ Week was easy to make but raises difficult questions", writes Dr Richard Denniss in The Point.

Read the full piece here: thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks Sally :)

Reposted by Richard Denniss

Gavin Miller @glmiller.bsky.social · 6d

'Every Australian politician will tell you they’re worried about ‘the housing crisis’, but there’s few major party MPs who say they want house prices to fall.'
OK so some do want prices to fall. Which ones? Why do they belong to duopoly? Would like to hear from them.
@richarddenniss.bsky.social

Reposted by Richard Denniss

Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 7d

Who is Zohran Mamdani, what is his agenda, and what would his equivalent in Australian Labor be promising to do? by @richarddenniss.bsky.social #ThePoint

thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

Who is Zohran Mamdani, what is his agenda, and what would his equivalent in Australian Labor be promising to do?

Zohran Mamdani just broke all the rules for winning office in the USA.

thepoint.com.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 8d

“The total breakdown of international law – flawed as it was – makes the world more dangerous for everyone. Without law, there can be no stability, security or prosperity…

This isn’t normal, and it can’t be treated as such.”

Great piece by @emmashortis.bsky.social
thepoint.com.au/explainers/4...

What you need to know about Trump administration's abduction of Nicolás Maduro

As is always the case with Trump, it’s hard to separate the signal from the noise. Here are the basics.

thepoint.com.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 8d

Think modern slavery couldn’t happen here…think again. Even our regulators have identified the risk of exploitation under the ‘PALM visa’ which sees Pacific workers bonded and indebted to a single employer…great article and podcast by @mhharrington
bsky.social thepoint.com.au/news/260106-...

Undocumented, underpaid, and over here

A new Australia Institute podcast shows why an amnesty is needed to address the estimated 7000 cases of people who have “disengaged” from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.

thepoint.com.au

Reposted by Peter Murphy, Richard Denniss

Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 10d

Just saw one of those "sports stars join call for RC" posts on instagram (Grant Hackett, newscomau), and decided to check what the commenters thought.

Not lefties on x, not the political class, but the people who comment on insta (and no, this is not a scientific method)...

Reposted by Richard Denniss

Ree @hillz8.bsky.social · 11d

Love this!

Reposted by Karen O’Leary

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 14d

Breaking - Woodside knowingly pollutes our environment…hang on, isnt that their whole business model?

Hard to believe the regulator is surprised…
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

Oil and gas giant knowingly shed kilograms of plastic into the ocean

Documents reveal one of Australia's biggest oil and gas companies knowingly shed plastic into the ocean for two months before notifying the offshore regulator.

www.abc.net.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 15d

The original argument for tax breaks for super was that they would ‘take pressure off the age pension’…but tens of billions in tax breaks go to people too rich to get the pension.

Australia still spends a fortune boasting the retirement savings of the wealthiest 10%
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

Welfare for high income earners is not so super

Tax concession for superannuation are a massive drain on the budget, and new data shows that the majority go to high income earners.

thepoint.com.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 16d

Not too hard, just a choice they Don’t want to make. Sorry to be semantic but democracy thrives on high expectations. We elect people to make choices, if they get it wrong it’s our job to change our votes or admit we don’t really care about their ‘error’. Saying its ‘too hard’ for them hides this

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 16d

Interestingly, we didn’t actually change tax law to give big FBT benefits to twin cab utes…the Tax Commissioner simply wrote to accountants promising to put no investigative resources into FBT liabilities for ‘personal use’ of these allegedly ‘commercial vehicles’. The Tax Act says no such thing

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 16d

The gas industry lobby group spends more on advertising its exaggerated claims than many of it foreign owned gas exporting members pay in tax #climate

thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

How little the fossil fuel industry gives to Australia

As Christmas is the season of giving, it is perhaps an opportune time to check how much – or how little – the fossil fuel industry actually contributes to the Australian economy and government revenue...

thepoint.com.au

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 17d

No, they are designed to be eligible for the FBT and luxury car tax concessions - station wagons are ‘cars’ twin cab utes are ‘commercial vehicles’

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 18d

Sorry to hear you missed out Michael. Twin cab Utes are open to a wide range of FBT and luxury car tax concessions that most buyers take advantage of. But, as you say, not all do. All the more reason to close those loopholes down, they aren’t even fair between big ute owners

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 18d

I’d put it differently - when voters elect politics who wont stand up to corporate lobbyists this is what we get. I understand the point you are making but it’s not helpful or correct to suggest our MPs have no choice/power. And if they say they dont, vote for those who are less scared

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 18d

But its not the market, the subsidies for twin cab utes are a giant distortion to the ‘free market’. The popularity of twin cab Utes is driven by our tax system, not our inherent tastes

Reposted by Karen O’Leary

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 18d

News out today shows big utes designed to cary cargo are better at killing pedestrians than smaller vehicles designed to cary people

did you know the popularity of these behemoths is based on a range of subsidies?

But the govt is inquiring into subsidies for EVs…
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

Australia’s sales of big cars are out of control

Australia has a big “big car” problem; we have too many SUVs and utes, and we keep getting lots more of them.

thepoint.com.au

Reposted by Louise Edwards, Richard Denniss

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 19d

Climate change will create jobs, but rebuilding what’s been destroyed is not progress, writes co-CEO Richard Denniss in The Point.
@richarddenniss.bsky.social #auspol

Read the full op-ed➡️ https://thepoint.com.au/opinions/251203-rebuilding-after-climate-chaos-creates-jobs-but-isnt-economic-progress

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 19d

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been ‘less than a decade away’ for…three decades now…I remember visiting this project…it was an empty paddock… #climate

All Our Yesterdays @allouryesterdays.bsky.social · 19d

December 27, 2010 – Queensland government withdraws ZeroGen Carbon Capture and Storage funding

"Clean Coal" my very fat arse.

allouryesterdays.info/2025/12/26/d...

December 27, 2010 - Queensland government withdraws ZeroGen CCS funding - All Our Yesterdays

Fifteen years ago, on this day, December 27th, 2010, Queensland has axed its funding for a cutting-edge 530-MW power plant that was to run on gasified coal and store 90% of its greenhouse gas emission...

allouryesterdays.info

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 19d

Sure does…

Reposted by Richard Denniss

All Our Yesterdays @allouryesterdays.bsky.social · 19d

December 27, 2010 – Queensland government withdraws ZeroGen Carbon Capture and Storage funding

"Clean Coal" my very fat arse.

allouryesterdays.info/2025/12/26/d...

December 27, 2010 - Queensland government withdraws ZeroGen CCS funding - All Our Yesterdays

allouryesterdays.info

Reposted by Richard Denniss

The Saturday Paper @thesaturdaypaper.com.au · 22d

“Australia is rich,” writes Richard Denniss. “Despite this, our business community remains determined to keep this one of the lowest taxed countries in the world, which makes those of us who rely on public schools, public hospitals and public transport feel poor.” satpa.pe/GfZyXiM