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Brendan Coates

Fellow, Grattan Institute

Brendan is a fellow at the Grattan Institute. Before joining Grattan, Brendan worked with the World Bank in Indonesia, and prior to that, he undertook a number of roles with the Australian Treasury, including as part of the Treasury’s China Policy Unit. Brendan holds a Masters of International Development Economics from the Australian National University and Bachelors of Commerce and Arts from the University of Melbourne.

Migrant Crisis Series

How should the skilled migration points test be reformed? It’s an $84 billion question

Jun 03, 2024 11:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

As the government consults on potential reforms to points-tested visas for skilled migrants, the stakes couldnt be higher. Skilled migrants contribute enormously to Australias prosperity shaping our diverse society,...

Older women often rent in poverty – shared home equity could help some escape

Feb 24, 2022 20:41 pm UTC| Economy

Many older Australian women face insecure futures. Those who are single, divorced or widowed are much more likely to suffer poverty, housing stress and homelessness. Our new Grattan Institute proposal for a national...

Now we'll need $100-$120 billion. Why the budget has to spend big to avoid scarring

Sep 09, 2020 06:33 am UTC| Economy

Australia is in for a long and damaging economic slump, unless governments inject substantially more fiscal stimulus. The July budget update forecast that unemployment would hit 9.25% in coming months. The Treasury...

Early access to super doesn’t justify higher compulsory contributions

Aug 09, 2020 22:44 pm UTC| Economy

A big part of the Morrison governments response to COVID-19 has been allowing people early access to their superannuation. Australians who have claimed hardship have applied for A$30.7 billion to date. This has been...

Money for social housing, not home buyers grants, is the key to construction stimulus

Jun 03, 2020 15:15 pm UTC| Economy

Theres no doubt Australias construction industry is facing tough times. COVID-19 has caused migration to slow to a trickle. Some 2.6 million Australians have either lost their jobs or had their hours cut in the past two...

Think superannuation comes from employers' pockets? It comes from yours

Feb 03, 2020 12:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

A key question for the governments retirement incomes review is who ultimately pays for compulsory super contributions, especially since they are set to climb from 9.5% of wages to 12% over the next five years. Legally,...

Rudd's rental affordability scheme was a $1 billion gift to developers; Abbott was right to axe it

Sep 10, 2019 20:38 pm UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate Politics

Most Australians are spending more of their income on housing than they used to, but low-income households are being squeezed the hardest. Many are in poverty, and many more are suffering financial stress. A growing...

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Economy

Putin in Delhi: Assessing the Stakeholders. A Comprehensive Examination of Defence, Energy, and Aspirations for Export Expansion."

With discussions spanning new S-400 regiments, cooperative Su-57 fighter and hypersonic technology, and long-term agreements on Russian crude, LNG, and nuclear initiatives, Putins visit to Delhi places defence and energy...

Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets

Most Asian currencies held steady on Thursday after modest gains, as markets continued to price in the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. The US Dollar Index edged 0.1% higher following an overnight dip...

Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains

Asian stock markets traded mostly subdued on Thursday, mirroring the modest uptick seen on Wall Street as investors positioned themselves ahead of next weeks Federal Reserve meeting. Market sentiment remained cautiously...

China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to direct his focus toward revitalizing Chinas weakening economy rather than pursuing territorial expansion, highlighting widening economic contrasts...

IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears

International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz is making his first trip to China since leaving his position as chief of staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, marking a significant moment ahead of...

Politics

Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean

Cuban authorities announced that the island is intensifying its fight against narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean, emphasizing ongoing cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard despite heightened political tensions and an...

Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert

An Irish naval vessel detected as many as five drones operating close to the flight path of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiys aircraft as he arrived in Ireland for a state visit, according to local media reports on...

Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support

Australia is moving forward with the newly received United States review of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine partnership, signalling renewed confidence in the trilateral defence pact with the U.S. and the United...

Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship

The Trump administration has introduced stricter vetting measures for H-1B visa applicants, targeting professionals in highly skilled fields often recruited by major U.S. tech companies. According to an internal State...

California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents

California has introduced a new online portal that enables the public to submit videos, photos, and other evidence of potential misconduct by federal immigration agents. The initiative comes as immigration enforcement...

Science

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...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump and German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have announced a groundbreaking deal aimed at lowering the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments while boosting access to fertility care in...

Technology

EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp

The European Commission is reportedly preparing to launch a new antitrust investigation into Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) over the companys recent rollout of artificial intelligence features within WhatsApp....

Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly explored raising significant capital to acquire or partner with a rocket company, a move that could have created direct competition with Elon Musks SpaceX. According to a report from the...

Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation

Wikipedia is seeking additional licensing deals with major technology companies to address the growing financial burden caused by artificial intelligence firms heavily scraping its platform, according to co-founder Jimmy...

Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature

Firelight reaches 25M XRP deposit cap within hours of launch; ushers in a new era for decentralized XRP staking. A new XRP staking platform, Firelight, has officially launched on the Flare blockchain, marking the first...

OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities

OpenAI has confirmed plans to acquire Neptune, a startup known for its advanced tools that help companies track, monitor, and optimize AI model training workflows. Although the company did not release the financial details...