Is it worth it? It’s the question that should be asked whenever governments come up with a shiny new infrastructure idea. But too often, major projects are announced as election promises, without evaluating the cost and the value of the project to taxpayers.  

And while cost-benefit analyses might not seem like the sexiest thing to accompany election promises, there’s a genuine opportunity for the new Prime Minister to reform infrastructure funding in Australia. 

Host Kat Clay is joined by Marion Terrill, Grattan’s Transport and Cities Program Director.

Relevant research: 
Megabang for megabucks: driving a harder bargain on megaprojects: https://grattan.edu.au/report/megabang-for-megabucks/

Roundabouts, overpasses, and carparks: Hauling the federal government back to its proper role in transport projects https://grattan.edu.au/report/roundabouts-overpasses-carparks-hauling-the-federal-government-back-to-its-proper-role-in-transport-projects/

Ooh, shiny! Infrastructure projects and the not-so-shiny cost-benefit analyses

Everything you need to know about Australian public policy.

Grattan Institute is dedicated to developing high quality public policy for Australia’s future. Our podcasts cover a range of public policy topics focusing on the main issues facing Australia. 

Our podcasts concentrate on budget policy, economic growth, energy, health, institutional reform, household finances, school education, and disability policy.

Government

What's Grattan's verdict on Budget 2024? 

CEO Aruna Sathanapally and a panel of Grattan experts, including Dr. Sam Bennett, Alison Reeve, and Brendan Coates, critically assess Australia's 2024 federal Budget. 

Has the government got the balance right in supporting people who are doing it tough, without exacerbating inflation? Does the Budget do enough to help fix the broken housing market and tackle Australia’s structural budget deficit? And will the government’s ‘Future Made in Australia’ investments help or hinder our transition to net-zero emissions? 

Find out what the Budget means for you and the nation in this special podcast.

Budget 2024: The Grattan verdict

Australia: it's time for a sugary drinks tax. 

Sugary drinks are the biggest single source of sugar in our diets, and they increase people’s risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.

While Australian health experts have been calling for a tax on sugary drinks for many years, our new report Sickly sweet: It's time for a sugary drinks tax, outlines why now and why Australia is lagging behind our international peers. 

In this podcast, report authors Peter Breadon and Jessica Geraghty discuss how a sugary drinks tax can improve Australians’ health, with host Kat Clay. 

Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/sickly-sweet/ 

Donate to Grattan: https://grattan.edu.au/donate/

Why Australia needs a sugary drinks tax

Most Australians don't spend much time thinking about the electricity system, as long as the lights turn on. But the National Energy Market (NEM) is going through big changes as it moves away from coal generation towards renewables. And Australia’s future prosperity depends on governments getting this transformation right.

On this podcast, Grattan energy experts Tony Wood, Alison Reeve, and Richard Yan, discuss their latest report, Keeping the lights on: How Australia should navigate the era of coal closures and prepare for what comes next. 

Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/keeping-the-lights-on/

How Australia can navigate to a post-coal future

The future of the NDIS – Australia’s world-leading scheme to support people with disability – is in doubt because the costs are exploding.

Now the federal government is acting. The Getting the NDIS Back on Track Bill proposes a massive overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, in order to rein in costs and provide greater clarity on program delivery. 

While the bill has been pitched as an improvement to access, program sustainability, and protections from unethical practices, many people with disabilities are concerned about whether their support will be continued, and if they are still eligible for the program.

Disability Program experts Sam Bennett and Hannah Orban are joined by host Kat Clay, to discuss how the proposed changes will affect the NDIS. 

More information on the Bill from the NDIS: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/9975-getting-ndis-back-track

Sam Bennett and Hannah Orban assess the Bill: https://grattan.edu.au/news/battle-to-save-the-ndis-has-begun/

Full transcript of the podcast: https://grattan.edu.au/news/will-this-bill-get-the-ndis-back-on-track/

Will this bill get the NDIS back on track?

The Australian Energy Market Operator has published its annual Gas Statement of Opportunities report. The report forecasts difficult times ahead for Australia’s east coast gas market, with a risk of shortfalls on peak demand days in 2025 and seasonal supply gaps from 2026. So, is Australia running out of gas?
 
At the household level, people are concerned about keeping the heater going and the cooktop on. In the bigger picture, governments and industry are grappling with a complex change from fossil fuels to renewable energy. 
 
In this new Grattan Podcast, host Kat Clay talks to our energy expert Alison Reeve about whether Australia can expect gas shortfalls in the future, and where the responsibility lies for avoiding – or at least managing – these potential outages.

Read the reports mentioned in the podcast: 
AEMO's Gas Statement of Opportunities report https://buff.ly/4cyw9bB
Getting off Gas Grattan report: https://buff.ly/3NdV7RI

Ooh, shiny! Infrastructure projects and the not-so-shiny cost-benefit analyses

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