Deputy Director of @TheAusInstitute. Host of Follow the Money podcast. Easily startled horror fan. Political tragic, amateur TV critic & solo hiking enthusiast.
Articles by Ebony Bennett
When it comes to international law, we can talk the talk, but can we walk the walk?
Australia is once again pushing for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, alongside Finland and Mongolia, because "a safer world is one governed by rules, not power and force alone". While Australia consistently talks the talk on supporting the international rules-based order, it only walks the walk occasionally. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Social media is part of the issue, but the problem is sexist views already exist
It's not all men, but it's almost always men. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading SAVE $139 All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper A series of sexual assault cases perpetrated by teenage boys have rocked the country in recent weeks, prompting a national discussion about how to tackle rising misogyny fuelled by toxic manosphere content.
I tried to beat the freezing cold this winter. What I got was deeply unpleasant
Canberra gets pretty freezing in winter, which is why lots of people (including me) plan holidays to warmer places then. But those jetting off to a European or Asian summer holiday this year were in for a rude shock. Extreme heat, fuelled by climate change, is sucking the joy out of summer for everyone, everywhere. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Forget the age of enlightenment. This is the age of 'enshittification'
Does it ever seem to you like you’re paying the same amount for a service, but the service you’re getting is worse? Jetstar recently announced it will begin charging fees for passengers who use overhead cabin baggage. You’re probably seeing ads on the streaming platform you subscribe to, when there used to be none. Self-checkouts have largely replaced people at Coles and Woolies. And does it feel to you like we’re being forced to subscribe to absolutely everything now?
Forget the age of enlightenment. This is the age of 'enshittification'
It feels like no matter where consumers turn now, they are paying the same or more and getting less product or worse service. Pictures by Keegan Carroll, Marina Neil and AAP. Does it ever seem to you like you're paying the same amount for a service, but the service you're getting is worse? Subscribe now for unlimited access.
What's the point of EVs?
On this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss explains why electric vehicles have surged in popularity, and why EVs should play a central role in energy security. Host: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss Host: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang Climate Integrity Summit 2026 tickets.
Productivity has grown, so why have wages not kept up?
Productivity growth is supposed to be the key to boosting wages and living standards in the economy. However, just as housing price growth decoupled from wage growth in recent decades, new research shows that real wages have not kept up with productivity growth. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading Save 30% All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper So, who is getting the benefit? Wages have not kept up with productivity.
What's the point of a gas exports tax?
On this episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss discusses how global gas industry has pulled off the greatest con in Australia’s history, and why Australians are living with the consequences. He spells out the simple steps we need to take to fix it. This episode was recorded on Friday 10 July.
House prices hit a blip and it’s all media panic. Please, let’s have some perspective
Of all the stupidity Australians have accepted as “normal”, our relationship with house prices may be among the most ridiculous. This nation is in the grips of a media panic over a small blip in house prices. This blip apparently deserves wall-to-wall coverage and dire warnings of impending doom. Maybe – shock – the current 0.4 per cent decrease in national house prices (not a typo, it is less than 1 per cent) COULD reach 8 per cent. MAYBE 10 PER CENT.
Labor soars, Coalition fumbles – and no one’s really looking at the big issues
Labor finished the last parliamentary week on a high. There is a feeling within caucus that the party has a plan for dealing with One Nation, helped along by the fact the Coalition is completely without one. The Liberals’ switch to Angus Taylor has put a spring in the steps of Anthony Albanese and his office. Criticising Sussan Ley had to be done in very specific terms, given the dangers of being perceived to be speaking down to, or acting aggressively to, a woman.
What’s the point of housing reform?
On the second episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss discusses the government’s long-overdue changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax and the ongoing media hysteria around Australia’s housing market. This episode was recorded on Friday 3 July.
After decades of hugely helping the rich, can the rest of us finally get ahead now?
The biggest and best tax reforms in 25 years just passed the Parliament. In fact, you would have to go back way before the noughties to find tax reforms that will make Australia fairer than Labor’s reforms passed this week with the support of the Greens and David Pocock in the Senate. Most tax reforms passed in the last 25 years have been either tweaks, regressive (penalising poorer people or helping the rich), or have been repealed. More on that later.
After decades of hugely helping the rich, can the rest of us finally get ahead now?
The biggest and best tax reforms in 25 years just passed the Parliament. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper In fact, you would have to go back way before the noughties to find tax reforms that will make Australia fairer than Labor's reforms passed this week with the support of the Greens and David Pocock in the Senate. Treasurer Jim Chalmers, left, and independent senator David Pocock.
Saving women? Spare me. This is hatred of women at its heart
The far right often cloaks itself as a movement to save women and girls, while doing the exact opposite. So, it's no surprise that as the far right seeks to stoke hatred against immigrants and the queer community, Australia is also experiencing co-ordinated efforts across three states to wind back women's access to abortion. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Abortion Access in South Australia
South Australia’s official figures show that most abortions are conducted in Adelaide, even for people who live in the country. The need to travel for abortion care can be costly and time-consuming. Delay can mean the difference between being able to take a pill and requiring surgery. Providing ready access to abortion care in regional SA, including through expanded telemedicine services, would improve health equity. FULL REPORT
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there’s a casino in everyone’s pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. We’re the world’s biggest gamblers per capita, and the biggest losers, losing more than $32 billion in bets last year.
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there's a casino in everyone's pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper We're the world's biggest gamblers per capita, and the biggest losers, losing more than $32 billion in bets last year.
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there's a casino in everyone's pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. We're the world's biggest gamblers per capita, and the biggest losers, losing more than $32 billion in bets last year.
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there's a casino in everyone's pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper We're the world's biggest gamblers per capita, and the biggest losers, losing more than $32 billion in bets last year.
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there's a casino in everyone's pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there's a casino in everyone's pocket as well. Australians love a punt, but the house always wins. Create a free account to read this article or signup to continue reading We're the world's biggest gamblers per capita, and the biggest losers, losing more than $32 billion in bets last year.
Are we being lied to about what our nation can actually afford?
Did you notice what was different, really different, about the budget this year? This budget, and the debate around it, was not just about looming deficits, the need for belt-tightening and why now is the right time for company tax cuts. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Working hard will not buy a roof over your head. If you can't inherit one, you're screwed
Australia has been in the grip of housing crisis for years. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading Save 30% All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia Home ownership is simply beyond the reach of many, rent is surging, and homelessness continues rising.
‘Not the right time’? Why Albanese’s safety first is no longer enough
In 2014, Noel Pearson delivered an eulogy for Gough Whitlam. Professor Tom Clark wrote about it for The Conversation and said “Pearson came to praise Caesar on Wednesday, certainly not to bury him” as he listed the achievements of one of Australia’s greatest reformers.
It's time for Australia's super-rich to pay their fair share
For a lot of Australians, life has become much more expensive. Prices for groceries, rent, insurance, gas bills are up and the cost of petrol is through the roof, and wages aren’t keeping up with rising prices. While many Australians are finding it harder to make ends meet, there has been an explosion in the wealth of the super-rich. Australia taxes wealth very lightly, it’s time that changed.
It's time for Australia's super-rich to pay their fair share
For a lot of Australians, life has become much more expensive. Prices for groceries, rent, insurance, gas bills are up and the cost of petrol is through the roof, and wages aren't keeping up with rising prices. While many Australians are finding it harder to make ends meet, there has been an explosion in the wealth of the super-rich. Australia taxes wealth very lightly, it's time that changed. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
A simple gas tax has broad support. It could help soften the coming blow
With friends like these, who needs enemies? The US is supposed to be Australia’s “closest ally, and our principal economic and strategic partner”, but it is clearer than ever that US President Donald Trump represents a direct threat to our security, our economy and our stability, unleashing a global energy crisis. But in politics, you should never waste a crisis – will Anthony Albanese seize the moment?
A simple gas tax has broad support. It could help soften the coming blow
With friends like these, who needs enemies? The US is supposed to be Australia's "closest ally, and our principal economic and strategic partner", but it is clearer than ever that US President Donald Trump represents a direct threat to our security, our economy and our stability, unleashing a global energy crisis. But in politics, you should never waste a crisis - will Anthony Albanese seize the moment? Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Running on empty: Australia’s hard truths on security
Energy security is national security. And for all the posturing from conservatives about “seeing Mad Max levels around the country right now” (whatever that means, the LNP’s Phil Thompson), they did this.
We had several opportunities to prevent this energy crisis. So why didn't we?
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of our own actions. After the Australian government shamelessly abandoned morality and international law to back Israel and the United States’ illegal war on Iran, Australia is now experiencing the inevitable consequences, and successive federal governments have failed to plan for those too. Cowardly abandoning the international rules-based order when our so-called allies wage illegal wars makes all Australians less safe and less secure.
Australia has significant power in the world, we should be using it more wisely
There are just under 200 countries in the world and Australia is in the G20. From the department of foreign affairs own website the “G20 brings together the world’s major and systemically important economies. “Its members represent 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 pr cent of international trade and around 80 per cent of the world’s population”. Australia has the 15th largest economy in the world.
We had several opportunities to prevent this energy crisis. So why didn't we?
Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of our own actions. After the Australian government shamelessly abandoned morality and international law to back Israel and the United States' illegal war on Iran, Australia is now experiencing the inevitable consequences, and successive federal governments have failed to plan for those too. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Climate disasters are becoming more frequent and costly, a climate disaster levy offers a fairer way forward
Right now, right across the country, communities are being forced to come to terms with the rapidly escalating frequency, intensity and cost of climate disasters. Bushfires, floods, storms, droughts and marine heatwaves are inflicting growing damage on fisheries, farms, homes, critical infrastructure and local economies. We’re seeing it almost constantly, even right now with the seemingly never-ending floods in Northern Australia. And the human and financial toll is staggering.
NSW bans new coal mines in landmark shift towards fossil fuel phase-out
WHAT'S NEW Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi This article is licensed under Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). You must credit the author(s) and The Point. You must link back to the original article. You may not edit or modify the article content. Images may be subject to separate copyright and are not included in this licence. Copy the HTML above into your CMS New South Wales is the first state in Australia to ban new coal mines.
Australia's gas ripoff cuts across political lines
Something happened in the Senate this week. It didn’t change the law, but it revealed something important about the politics of gas in Australia-the old political lines are starting to blur. Independent ACT Senator David Pocock moved a motion calling for an inquiry into “Why Gas Companies Pay Less for Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas than Australians Pay in Beer Excise”. It’s the kind of thing the Senate, as the house of review, examines all the time.
Australians are fed up with our governments giving our gas resources away for free
If you drink beer, congratulations, you’re the backbone of the Australian economy! After all, that’s how politicians and the media describe the gas industry. But the truth is the federal government collects more money from the beer excise than from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax, as Independent ACT Senator David Pocock pointed out in Parliament, in an exchange that went viral.
Australia's gas ripoff cuts across political lines
Something happened in the Senate this week. It didn't change the law, but it revealed something important about the politics of gas in Australia-the old political lines are starting to blur. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Australians are fed up with our governments giving our gas resources away for free
If you drink beer, congratulations, you’re the backbone of the Australian economy! After all, that’s how politicians and the media describe the gas industry. But the truth is the federal government collects more money from the beer excise than from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax, as Independent ACT Senator David Pocock pointed out in Parliament, in an exchange that went viral.
Australians are fed up with our governments giving our gas resources away for free
If you drink beer, congratulations, you're the backbone of the Australian economy! After all, that's how politicians and the media describe the gas industry. But the truth is the federal government collects more money from the beer excise than from the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax, as Independent ACT Senator David Pocock pointed out in Parliament, in an exchange that went viral. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
The beatings will continue until social cohesion improves
This week, Australia rolled out the red carpet for a world leader who has been accused of inciting genocide, while NSW police were caught on camera bashing people protesting against genocide. Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit was always going to deepen divisions within Australia, not heal them. Social cohesion can’t be built on a bedrock of police violence, criminalising protest, silencing dissent and ignoring international law.
Ebony Bennett | Controversial visit deepens Australia's divides | Newcastle Herald | Newcastle, NSW
This week, Australia rolled out the red carpet for a world leader who has been accused of inciting genocide, while NSW police were caught on camera bashing people protesting against genocide. Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit was always going to deepen divisions within Australia, not heal them. Social cohesion can't be built on a bedrock of police violence, criminalising protest, silencing dissent and ignoring international law. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Burning homes and rising premiums: why fossil fuel companies must pay the bill
Another summer, another round of devastation: homes lost, communities evacuated, lives upended. Just days after hundreds of homes were destroyed and tens of thousands of livestock died in Victoria’s bushfires, across the state hundreds more people were evacuated and multiple cars washed out to sea due to flash flooding following an intense storm. Fossil fuel companies cause the climate change that turbocharges extreme weather events, but ordinary Australians are paying the price.
Ebony Bennett | Australia should tax fossil fuel giants for disaster | Newcastle Herald | Newcastle, NSW
Another summer, another round of devastation: homes lost, communities evacuated, lives upended. Just days after hundreds of homes were destroyed and tens of thousands of livestock died in Victoria's bushfires, across the state hundreds more people were evacuated and multiple cars washed out to sea due to flash flooding following an intense storm. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Ebony
Contact Ebony, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack