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Grattan Institute report calls for fundamental reform after finding 21% of federal board positions were politically connected

Handing out a cushy job to a political mate might seem harmless – after all, everyone does it, right? – but the politicisation of public appointments has real, pervasive consequences for Australian democracy. Increasingly, many government boards, tribunals and independent agencies are stacked with people who have worked in politics.

Why does the Reserve Bank sponsor ideologically aligned think tanks? Is it because there are so few high-quality independent research bodies?

As the energy crisis continues to grip Australia’s east coast with consumers told to limit their consumption and warnings of blackouts Tony Wood, director of the energy program at the Grattan Institute, speaks with Michelle Grattan about why this has happened and what can be done to fix the system.

The Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate for the second time in two months, this time by 0.50 points to 0.85%.

Benefits available to older, wealthier people are outweighing the support given to younger people, with election policies from both major parties set to worsen the situation, according to experts.

In the seat-by-seat slugfest that is the federal election, transport infrastructure is once again at the forefront. Small, hyper-local projects are a favourite of both major parties this time around. That’s even though small local projects, such as roundabouts and carparks, simply aren’t the job of the federal government, and…

Climate science may not be front and centre in the election campaign to date, but its impact on consumers – and voters – still rears its head

Danielle Wood is the CEO of the Grattan Institute, an independent think tank, Its purpose is to research and advocate policies to improve Australians’ lives.