Friday Daily presenter Kylar spoke with Laura Eadie, CPD’s sustainable economy research director, about recently released report, Going Solar: Renewing Australia’s Electricity Options.

We all know that solar power will soon be more affordable than conventional electricity. We also know how good it is for the environment. So why has it taken so long for rooftop solar power to become viable for Australian households?

Play the interview on 2Ser’s website

Australian social democracy is facing the electoral wilderness, its traditional institutional bases are in decline and there is increasing political fragmentation on the left of politics. Is there a way forward for Australian social democracy? Can social democracy overcome this current crisis and be renewed?

Panellists will discuss the meaning of social democracy and whether it continues to have a purpose.

When: 6 for a 6:30pm start, Monday 27^th May

Where: Level 7, Community and Public Sector Union. 191-199 Thomas Street, Haymarket

Sydney NSW 2000

Cost: Free, but please RSVP at the Fabian Society website

CPD’s forthcoming book Pushing our luck will contain 10 chapters by experts and critical thinkers in their respective fields.

Authors were encouraged to imagine what policies their ideal government would implement for the future of all Australians.

Introduction: Miriam Lyons – Making Australia more welcoming to big ideas and long term thinking?

1. Chris Bonnor and Jane Caro – Educating equally – and the consequences of school inequality

2. Ian McAuley: The end of the resource boom – why economic diversity matters

3. Geoff Gallop: How to make Australia more democratic
   

4. John Wiseman: How Australia would look if we took climate seriously

5. Lindy Edwards: The future of Australian diversity

6. Lisa Heap: The rise of insecure jobs

7. Roy Green: The risks of falling productivity

8. Jennifer Doggett: Getting better – improving the health care system
   

9. Eva Cox: Using welfare to make Australian society more inclusive

10. Shaun Wilson, Adam Stebbing, Adrian March and Miriam Lyons: Why Australians need to pay more tax

Short-term thinking cannot address Australia’s long-term dilemmas – help CPD publish Pushing our luck for a better-informed debate!

Jonathan Green hosts CPD’s Miriam Lyons and Dr John Hewson, former Liberal leader, with input from Paul Bloxham, Alison Carabine, Dr Cassandra Goldie, John Daley, John Connor and Innes Willox.

“Treasurer Wayne Swan has handed down his sixth budget, spelling out a decade’s worth of cuts to pay for the promised Gonski education reforms and a national disability care scheme. Among its cuts, the government has axed the baby bonus. But Mr Swan says the budget will come back to surplus in 2016-17″

Miriam reasons the deficit does not warrant panic, however with high well-being indicators Australian’s need to be prepared for increased taxes to keep up high quality public services and social outcomes.

Listen to the discussion on ABC Radio National Drive

CPD’s Executive Director Miriam joined former Liberal leader Dr John Hewson and economic commentators to discuss what has been touted as Wayne Swan’s final budget.

The Treasurer Wayne Swan has delivered his sixth budget. It’s short on sweeteners but long on vision for signature policies like disability care and education funding. So how will the Australian people react?

Miriam commented on the treasurer’s reluctance to increase taxation saying that it is, “time to face up to the need to pay more tax, to deliver on Labor’s values”.

Laura Eadie’s article in The Conversation addresses common concerns and outlines the new report.

The latest report from CPD’s Sustainable Economy team recommends policies to insure Australia’s electricity system against future price shocks. Australia has just reached one million solar homes, with two million likely before 2020. The report takes an open-minded look at the economics of rooftop solar, finding that all Australians can benefit from high levels of rooftop solar.

“Rooftop solar will play a key role in Australia’s transition to a clean, affordable and reliable electricity system. The public debate needs to consider the risks of not embracing this shift.”

Download Going solar: renewing Australia’s electricity options

Read the full article “Rooftop solar reduces the risk of price hikes … for everyone”

*UPDATE*

Laura’s article has been republished across the APN group websites including  Sunshine Coast Daily, Gympie Times, Gladstone Observer, Bundaberg News-Mail, Coffs Coast Advocate, Clarence Valley Daily Examiner, Fraser Coast Chronicle, Ipswich Queensland Times, Mackay Daily Mercury, My Daily News, Northern Star, Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, Toowoomba Chronicle, Warwick Daily News, Ballina Shire Advocate, Byron Shire News, Caboolture News, Central Telegraph, Coolum & North Shore News, CQ News, Northern Rivers Echo, Gatton Star, Ipswich Advertiser, Noosa News, Range News, South Burnett Times, Stanthorpe Border Post, Surat Basin Online, The Reporter, The Satellite, and Whitsunday Times.

Access the APN article in the Sunshine Coast Daily

Change can happen faster than you think – help us seize the moment and point to the alternatives. Add your voice to ours!

| CPD & Crikey were criticised by Media Watch for failing to include recent announcements on the Coalition’s policy in our NBN PromiseWatch piece.

PromiseWatch 2013 is a series of  ’snapshots’ of the major parties’ policies, which CPD and Crikey are collaborating on in the lead up to the federal election. Our lovely volunteer researchers started drafting the pieces based on official party platforms and policy positions earlier this year, and we recently combined with Crikey to quickly update and publish them to provide readers with a simple, plain-English guide to what’s on offer from Labor, the Coalition and the Greens.

The article in question, which focused on Labor, Coalition and Greens policies on the delivery of a national broadband network (NBN), suffered from a bit of group-project-itis, which resulted in outdated draft being published which was based on the Coalition’s earlier policy document from 2010. After the office of Shadow Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull pointed out the oversight, the post was corrected, and is available here.

We’re sorry we didn’t get it right the first time! Each PromiseWatch piece is intended to be a ‘living document’ – if time permits we’ll keep updating them all right up to the election. You can find the rest of the PromiseWatch pieces at http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/04/29/promisewatch-2013-crikey-cpd-report-on-election-pledges/

Published in partnership with Crikey, the PromiseWatch 2013 series captures snapshots of the major parties’ platforms in key policy areas.

Before the 2010 election, the Gillard government authorised the Mental Health Commission to draft an overview of the current state of mental health care in Australia. The commission delivered its comprehensive report to Mental Health Minister Mark Butler in November 2012. As part of its investigation, the commission found the infrastructure of Australia’s mental health research was weak, especially in regards to “research and evaluation of services, treatments and programs”. Furthermore, there existed no effective implementation of evidence-based mental health services, possibly as a result of a lack of research funding.

To rectify this situation, the commission recommended that the government:

• Implement regular independent surveys of individuals’ experience of mental health services so as to measure the success of government programs;
• Increase access to mental health services from 6-8% of the population to 12%;
• Reduce use of involuntary treatment and restraint of mental health patients;
• Work with state governments to reduce the early death rate and physical health problems of those affected by mental illness;
• Specifically address the mental health problems of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
• Treat the issue of mental health as seriously as healthcare in general;
• Work to improve the health of families and communities so as to increase resilience to mental health problems;
• Encourage participation in the workforce of those with mental health issues and aim to match international levels of participation;
• Ensure that no patient released from mental healthcare was released into a state of homelessness and ensure access to safe accommodation; and
• Prevent suicide and work to support the mental health of those who attempt suicide.

So what are the major parties offering in response, on mental health services? Check out CPD’s research on Crikey

Going Solar the latest report from CPD reveals hdiden costs of fossil fuels and the viability of solar

This latest report finds that spikes in electricity prices will recur if we continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels, with hikes of up to $250 for the average household bill. Volatile international fuel prices and water scarcity is costing consumers while 1 million Australians are already feeling secure with rooftop solar. Costs for solar have dropped 85% in the last four years and most consumers and voters recognise renewables as the future for our energy industry.

“The fossil fuel industry must have hoped to keep its dirty laundry private a little longer: the Australian Energy Market Operator has confirmed that a switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 is technically viable. What the report neglected to mention is that the investment bill of $220 to $250 billion is pretty close to the $240 billion needed by 2030 if we rely on gas and carbon storage instead.”

Check out the article at Crikey| The dirty secret of fossil fuels: more expensive than you think

Change can happen faster than you think – help us seize the moment and point to the alternatives. Add your voice to ours!

Published in partnership with Crikey, the PromiseWatch 2013 series captures snapshots of the major parties’ platforms in key policy areas.

The mild industrial relations promises laid down by Tony Abbott and Eric Abetz yesterday may have drawn a collective yawn from the gallery and old school IR warriors like Nick Minchin, Peter Reith and the Business Council, but there is little doubt workplace policy remains a key — perhaps the key — point of difference between the major parties.

Ironically, both sides don’t have much wriggle room when it comes to new policies and promises.

Labor is cleaving tight to the Fair Work Act — forged in the fury over WorkChoices six years ago, while the Coalition and Tony Abbott are locked into a “dead, buried, cremated” promise on WorkChoices famously signed on Neil Mitchell’s 3AW morning show in July 2010.

So where do the parties currently stand on IR? Check out the roundup on Crikey.