The federal government has called a 90-day snap review of the Infrastructure Investment Program. The program was originally intended to fund projects of national significance, but has since ‘drifted away’ from those lofty ambitions.

But should the federal government be involved in infrastructure funding at all? Grattan Institute research has shown that federal funding of state and local infrastructure projects is often an exercise in pork-barrelling. After all, local road roundabouts and train-station carparks aren’t exactly the Sydney Opera House.

In this special Grattan Podcast, our transport and cities experts Marion Terrill and Natasha Bradshaw discuss with host Kat Clay how federal infrastructure money should be best used.

Why the federal government should stay in its lane on infrastructure funding

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

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

Is Australia running out of gas?

School principals can make a big impact. A highly effective principal can raise student achievement by up to seven months a year for a typical student, and even more for a disadvantaged student. 

But running a school well is a difficult job-just ask any principal. Schools are complex organisations. The average secondary school principal manages a budget of more than $15 million, which is more than the turnover of 98 per cent of Australian businesses. 

And Australia expects each one of its schools to provide an excellent education for every child. But governments have radically underestimated how hard this is for schools to achieve. The result is that schools often feel poorly supported in their work.

Our latest education report, Spreading success: Why Australia should trial multi-school organisations, delves into the question of how we best support schools to improve. This podcast discusses the new report with authors Jordana Hunter, Amy Haywood, and Nick Parkinson. 

Read the report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/spreading-success-why-australia-should-trial-multi-school-organisations/

Why Australia should trial multi-school organisations

The release of Australian gender pay gap data by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency has highlighted the big discrepancies in women's salaries, the absence of women in traditionally male dominated industries, and the lack of women in senior management of many major businesses. But while the release of this data has sparked a national discussion on why women are often paid less, there's more nuance to this story than what first appears.

Equity expert Natasha Bradshaw breaks down what the gender pay gap data shows, and what we can expect next in light of these revelations. Hosted by Kat Clay. 

Helpful links
WGEA Data Explorer https://t.co/IKTGpk7mEE
WGEA Gender Pay Gaps Snapshot https://buff.ly/3TkuYEQ 
WGEA interactive: https://buff.ly/49YnWuW
The publication of the gender pay gap is coming. Here's what you need to know - Article by Natasha Bradshaw https://buff.ly/49ZFDKT

Why the federal government should stay in its lane on infrastructure funding

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