What You Need To Know About | CIS

The Rise of Activist Corporations with Peter Swan [https://www.cis.org.au/person/peter-swan/] - Interviewed by Emilie Dye [https://www.cis.org.au/person/emilie-dye-2/]. Australian companies have been shifting from a purely shareholder focus to a much vaguer, less accountable, and damaging stakeholder focus for many years. One important byproduct of this decline in shareholder focus has been former shareholder resources moving into ‘social responsibility’, corporate activism, and promotion of political and popular causes that are often antithetical to the interests of corporations’ own shareholders. This has resulted in many corporations becoming ‘woke’. Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-rise-of-activist-corporations-how-activism-agendas-subsumed-shareholder-primacy/

Government spending and inflation with Robert Carling [https://www.cis.org.au/person/robert-carling/] - Interviewed by Emilie Dye [https://www.cis.org.au/person/emilie-dye-2/]. That government expenditure in Australia has grown apace in recent years is well-known. The growth became gargantuan during the coronavirus pandemic. However, to a less dramatic extent, it was happening before the pandemic — and has continued since it ended. Some observers welcome this growth to the extent it is a reflection of new spending programs and expansion of existing programs perceived to meet legitimate needs. But it is also a matter of serious concern for reasons that include the implications for higher taxation and public debt, the effect on incentives and the diversion of scarce resources away from alternative and higher productivity activities. Recently, attention has turned to the impact of higher public spending on inflation as monetary policy struggles to restore inflation to its target. Specifically, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has spoken of the high level of aggregate demand relative to the economy’s potential output. The RBA has drawn attention to the relatively rapid growth of public final demand as a contributor to excessive aggregate demand —­ although the Governor has also stated that public sector demand “is not the main game” in the policy response to persistent inflation. Here we talk about the key facts about public expenditure growth in recent years and discuss its contribution to inflation. You can also read the policy paper here:https://www.cis.org.au/publication/government-spending-and-inflation/

International data have repeatedly shown many Australian school students struggle with mathematics. Around 10% of students achieve at a level that requires additional support (NAPLAN) or are below the international benchmark Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) — which is the equivalent of around 400,000 Australian students per year. More than a quarter of 15-year-olds are low performers in the subject. Learn what you need to know about Why Australia Needs Universal Early Numeracy Screening.  [https://www.cis.org.au/publication/screening-that-counts-why-australia-needs-universal-early-numeracy-screening/] Kelly Norris [https://www.cis.org.au/person/kelly-norris/] is a Senior Research Associate at CIS working on evidence-based identification and intervention processes for students with or at risk of maths difficulties. Prior to joining CIS in 2024, she has worked as a university lecturer, educational consultant, product developer, consultant teacher and classroom teacher with a particular focus on effective intervention within a multitiered system of support (MTSS). She holds a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Certificate of Education (learning difficulties) and Master of Education. In the latter research she investigated strategies and tools to improve identification and support for students with mathematical difficulties. #auspol

The federal, state and territory Energy Ministers have introduced a shadow carbon price for the national electricity market. This ‘value of emissions reduction’ (VER) sets the value of carbon abatement at $66 per tonne in 2023, rising six-fold to $420 by 2050. Costs will be passed onto consumers through electricity network projects because the regulatory investment framework will now include the interim VER as a benefit in their cost benefit analyses. This change is likely to increase the assessed benefits of projects that claim to reduce emissions, projects which might otherwise have been deemed uneconomic. Read the rest of this research here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-impact-of-a-shadow-carbon-price-on-our-electricity-bills/ [https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-impact-of-a-shadow-carbon-price-on-our-electricity-bills/]  Hosted by Karla Pincott, What You Need to Know About is the podcast that covers exactly that. Hear from CIS' experts on the key points of their research, providing you with concise and insightful overviews of complex topics. In each episode, we break down intricate policy issues, economic trends, social challenges, and more, delivering the essential information you need to stay informed in today's fast-paced world.   Join us as we cut through the noise and dive straight into the heart of matters that shape our society. Whether you're a policy enthusiast, a curious mind, or just someone looking to grasp the essentials without getting lost in the details, What You Need to Know About is your go-to source for bite-sized yet comprehensive insights. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CISAus [https://www.youtube.com/@CISAus]  Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ [https://twitter.com/CISOZ] Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/ [https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/]  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/]  Telegram - https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies [https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies]  #auspol #nuclear #nuclearaustralia #australia #energymarket #energy #netzero #net0 #cis

The Australian Government wants to transition our electricity system to net zero carbon emissions by relying on wind and solar power – excluding alternatives such as small nuclear reactors. Its justification for this switch rests on the claim that a renewables-dominated system is environmentally beneficial and economically superior to using fossil fuels and nuclear energy. But its premise is based on a flawed argument which has left out key elements which portray a different picture. Dive in with Karla Pincott and Aidan Morrison, the Director of Energy Research, to learn what you need to know about the six fundamental flaws underpinning the energy transition. You can also read the whole paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-six-fundamental-flaws-underpinning-the-energy-transition/ [https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-six-fundamental-flaws-underpinning-the-energy-transition/]  Hosted by Karla Pincott, What You Need to Know About [https://whatyouneedtoknowabout.podbean.com/] is the podcast that covers exactly that. Hear from CIS experts on the key points in their research, providing you with concise and insightful overviews of complex topics. In each episode, Karla breaks down intricate policy issues, economic trends, social challenges, and more, delivering the essential information you need to stay informed in today's fast-paced world. Join us as we cut through the noise and dive straight into the heart of matters that shape our society. Whether you're a policy enthusiast, a curious mind, or just someone looking to grasp the essentials without getting lost in the details, What You Need to Know About [https://whatyouneedtoknowabout.podbean.com/] is your go-to source for bite-sized yet comprehensive insights. #auspol #nuclear #energytransition