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Kate Griffiths

Associate, Grattan Institute

Kate Griffiths is a researcher at the Grattan Institute. Kate has previously worked for The Boston Consulting Group and for the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Kate holds a Masters in Science from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Science with Honours from the Australian National University.

The budget is full of good news, but good news isn’t the same as good management

May 16, 2024 01:44 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

This years budget has something for everyone, with very little in the way of cuts and no new taxes. Its a classic good news pre-election budget. Whether it is too good to be true hinges on whether this budget...

Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do

Mar 19, 2024 11:28 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Australias political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its plan. Greater...

Treasurer Chalmers has a $70 billion a year budget hole: we've found 13 ways to fill it

Apr 12, 2023 03:23 am UTC| Economy Central Banks

No one likes spending cuts and tax hikes, but on our estimate the government will soon need more of them if they are going to make a dent in looming A$70 billion a year budget deficits. A new Grattan Institute report,...

All governments are guilty of running political ads on the public purse. Here's how to stop it

Oct 11, 2022 04:30 am UTC| Politics

If you watch TV or read the paper, youve probably seen ads spruiking the achievements of the federal or state government from the next big transport project to how theyre reducing the cost of living. While some government...

$177 million flowed to Australian political parties last year, but major donors can easily hide

Feb 02, 2022 08:58 am UTC| Politics

The Australian Electoral Commission has updated its database of financial disclosure information for 2020-21. This happens once a year and is keenly watched by political observers because it includes information about...

More than half of funding for the major parties remains secret — and this is how they want it

Feb 02, 2021 13:57 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Political parties in Australia collectively received $168 million in donations for the financial year 2019-20. Today, Australians finally get to see where some of the money came from with the release of data from the...

States and territories have improved integrity measures, but Commonwealth lags far behind

Nov 04, 2018 13:11 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

This week were exploring the state of nine different policy areas across Australias states, as detailed in Grattan Institutes State Orange Book 2018. Read the other articles in the series here. When it comes to cleaning...

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Economy

India–EU FTA Nears Finish Line Ahead of New Delhi Summit

With most discussions over before the January 27 New Delhi summit of the leaders, India and the European Union are nearing finalization of their much anticipated Free Trade Agreement. Although the official signing will...

Gold Price Hits Record High as Geopolitical Tensions Fuel Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices surged to a fresh record high during Asian trading on Tuesday, extending a powerful rally as investors sought safety amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a weaker U.S. dollar. Bullion remained firmly...

Japanese Government Bond Yields Surge to Record Highs Amid Election and Fiscal Fears

Long-dated Japanese government bond (JGB) yields surged to record highs on Tuesday, rattling global fixed-income markets as investors reacted to mounting political and fiscal uncertainty ahead of a potential February...

Asian Currencies Trade Narrowly as Dollar Slips on Trump-Greenland Tensions

Most Asian currencies traded within a tight range on Tuesday, while the U.S. dollar edged lower as renewed geopolitical concerns dampened investor appetite for American assets. Market sentiment turned cautious after U.S....

Australia’s Second-Largest Pension Fund Boosts Currency Hedging Amid Weaker U.S. Dollar Outlook

Australias second-largest pension fund, Australian Retirement Trust (ART), has announced it is reducing its exposure to the U.S. dollar by increasing currency hedging, as global investors reassess their U.S. allocations...

Politics

Supreme Court Tests Federal Reserve Independence Amid Trump’s Bid to Fire Lisa Cook

The U.S. Supreme Court is once again at the center of a high-stakes legal battle with major economic implications, as it considers the legality of President Donald Trumps attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook....

Trump Revives Greenland Ownership Push Ahead of World Economic Forum in Davos

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again reignited debate over Greenland, reiterating his long-standing call for American ownership of the Arctic territory just days before attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in...

Trump Says Greenland Is Key to Global Security After Call With NATO Chief

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he held a very good telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during which they discussed issues of global security, including the strategic importance...

Trump Threatens 200% Tariff on French Wine Over Macron’s Refusal to Join Peace Board

U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy after saying he would impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes, linking the move to French President Emmanuel Macrons refusal to join his proposed Board...

Minnesota U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE in Armed Raid Sparks Outrage and Civil Rights Concerns

A Minnesota mans traumatic encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ignited renewed debate over immigration enforcement practices and civil rights under the Trump administration. ChongLy Thao, 56, a...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Micron to Buy Powerchip Fab for $1.8 Billion, Shares Surge Nearly 10%

Shares of Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp jumped nearly 10% on Monday following news that U.S. memory chip giant Micron Technology plans to acquire one of Powerchips fabrication facilities in Taiwan,...

Tesla Revives Dojo Supercomputer Project With AI5 Chip at the Core

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) is set to restart development of its next-generation supercomputer, Dojo3, marking a renewed push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Sunday that work on...

South Korea Seeks Favorable U.S. Tariff Terms on Memory Chip Imports

South Korea is moving to secure favorable treatment from the United States on tariffs affecting memory chip imports, following recent trade actions announced by the U.S. government. A spokesperson from South Koreas...

South Korea Sees Limited Impact From New U.S. Tariffs on Advanced AI Chips

South Koreas trade minister said a newly announced U.S. tariff on certain advanced computing chips is expected to have only a limited short-term impact on South Korean companies, while cautioning that future measures could...

Elon Musk Seeks $134 Billion in Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Microsoft Over Alleged Wrongful Gains

Elon Musk has escalated his legal battle against OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking up to $134 billion in damages over what he claims are wrongful gains stemming from his early involvement in the artificial intelligence...

Digital Currency