This month, the Australia Institute released State revival, a report on how state, territory and federal governments have managed COVID-19, and what that means for the federation. One of its findings is that more Australians rate their state or territory government’s handling of the pandemic higher than the federal government’s.

Gary Humphries criticised our research in Canberra Daily (“Corona fatigue: The next enemy”, 22 July 2021), saying: “No doubt, if the same polling had been conducted six months ago, an entirely different picture would have resulted – which is probably why the Institute didn’t poll at that time.”

Mr Humphries is mistaken. The Australia Institute did poll six months ago, and the picture was similar. The federal government has sunk lower, from 20% in January to 16% in July, and state/territory governments have improved, from 36% to 42%, but their relative positions are unchanged from our first poll in August 2020.

Also wrong is Mr Humphries’ claim that the Australia Institute is “a left-wing think tank which has never been known to publish research helpful to the likes of a Liberal government”.

At the Australia Institute, we barrack for ideas, not political parties. Across economics, animal rights, tech and climate change, we have lent support to Liberal and National policies.

When Scott Morrison, then Treasurer, saw his bank levy attacked by vested interests, the Australia Institute marshalled three senior economists to his defence (Banking on an impact; Of levies, profits and backstops; Levy on the major banks: Submission). When he announced broader access to the Pension Loan Scheme (a reform we have supported for years), we congratulated him (“2018 Budget Review”), as we did when he flagged superannuation tax concession reform (“Budget 2016 Wrap Up”).

Over the past year, the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has supported Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s mandatory bargaining code in three reports. Searching for a solution made recommendations when the code was under consideration, Google’s assessment of Google challenged Google’s exaggerated economic claims and Tech-xit countered the tech giants’ threats to leave the country.

And when Mr Frydenberg was Energy Minister, the Australia Institute backed in his proposed electricity market rule changes in Tickets on themselves.

When then Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Liberal MP Jason Wood proposed world-leading legislation banning lion trophy imports, we defended it (“Across party lions”), and we made a submission bolstering Mr Wood’s inquiry on ivory.

The Australia Institute ran a roundtable with Ken Wyatt, then Minister for Senior Australians, backed up by two research papers (Free room for ‘rent’ and On for young and old). This year, Mr Wyatt (now Minister for Indigenous Australians) helped launch the Close the Gap campaign report on the Australia Institute’s webinar series.

Rather than dig in during the climate wars, the Australia Institute’s Richard Denniss made constructive recommendations for the Abbott Government’s Direct Action plan (“Climate debate cuts both ways”) and urged Labor to compromise (“Labor should compromise on Direct Action”).

The Australia Institute supports good Liberal and National policies at the state level as well.

When the Marshall Liberal Government in South Australia proposed closing land tax loopholes, we defended them (“Closing the land tax loophole makes perfect sense”) and conducted polling research that proved most South Australians agreed (Polling – land tax reform).

The Nationals copped flak before the 2016 WA election for proposing a $5 levy on iron ore, but not from the Australia Institute. We called their proposal pragmatic (The $5 levy on iron ore in WA).  

Earlier this year, I quoted Mr Humphries from his time as Attorney-General of the ACT, as an eloquent critic of the Andrews Bill, which stops the territories from legislating voluntary assisted dying.

And yesterday [28 July], the Australia Institute hosted Deputy Leader of the Canberra Liberals Giulia Jones alongside Labor and Greens MLAs at Politics in the Pub. 

At Politics in the Pub and on our webinar series, The Australia Institute has hosted many Liberals: Tasmanian Minister Roger Jaensch, former Opposition Leader John Hewson, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Health Minister Greg Hunt, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt, President of the Senate Scott Ryan, NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean and former Trade Minister Andrew Robb.

Beyond the Coalition, our research backed up Senator Pauline Hanson’s plan to bring more benefits to Australia from offshore petroleum drilling. We also brought “eco-right” former Republican congressman Bob Inglis to Australia from the red state of South Carolina.

If our research is in error, it deserves every criticism. If you want to have a crack, you can find the reports on our website. But Mr Humphries does the conservative thinkers and Coalition politicians we have supported a disservice when he mistakenly suggests that the Australia Institute is partisan.

Bill Browne is senior researcher of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability program.

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