The McKell Institute

We’re proud to announce the inaugural WA Advisory Committee of the McKell Institute Western Australia.
Chaired by Bill Johnston, the Committee brings together leaders from government, business, unions, philanthropy and the creative industries to strengthen evidence-based policymaking in WA - all committed to shaping practical, outcomes-focused reform in Western Australia.
WA is at a pivotal moment.
Energy transition. Economic diversification. Workforce reform. Social change.
This Committee will help ensure McKell WA is a useful and impactful policy voice in our state.
Watch this space!

McKell WA, together with one of our inaugural members Fortescue, was pleased to host , Minister for Skills and Training for a timely discussion on building a national skills and training system that is inclusive, responsive, and future-focused.

The Minister’s message was optimistic: skills and training are about connecting Australians to opportunity, contribution, and full participation—aligning national interests with individual aspirations.

Thank you to for hosting, to everyone who attended and contributed so passionately to the discussion, and to the Minister for a thoughtful and inspiring speech.

What book changed how you think about policy?
At the recent launch of McKell WA, we asked people to recommend their favourite policy or current affairs read. 
Here are some of the suggestions:

📚 New Power by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms
📚 Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari 
📚 Innovation and its Enemies by Calestous Juma 
📚 Happy City by Charles Montgomery 
📚 Making Progress by Jenny Macklin and Joel Deane
📚 Radical Help by Hilary Cottam 
📚 Free to Choose by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman 
📚 Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

What’s your suggestion? Let us know in the comments!

Today, we're releasing our new plan for capital gains tax reform a supply-positive, revenue-neutral reorientation of the powerful CGT discount on housing.

For too long, sensible reform to the CGT discount on housing has eluded policymakers.

Our plan offers a path forward. It aims the CGT discount in service of Australia's national mission on housing supply, making the incentive more generous for new apartments and houses than old established dwellings.

Authored by and UNSW Professor Richard Holden, the McKell Plan would stimulate 130,000 additional homes by 2030.

Read more:
https://mckellinstitute.org.au/research/reports/harnessing-aspiration/

We are proud to stand against privatising Tasmania’s public transport with the .
Our latest report, “Driving Tasmania’s Future: the case for public transport investment over privatisation” is available on our website.

Great conversation ahead of the federal election with two rising stars in the Australian Parliament, and .
Thanks to for hosting our policy discussion in Melbourne today.

It’s hard for an opposition leader to wind back IR reforms when the research clearly shows how much workers benefit.
Peter Dutton ruled out a plan to wind back the government’s same job, same pay rules on the day the media covered our latest report, Closing Loopholes, Opening Opportunities.

It’s hard for an opposition leader to wind back IR reforms when the research clearly shows how much workers benefit. Peter Dutton ruled out a plan to wind back the government’s same job, same pay rules on the day the media covered our latest report, Closing Loopholes, Opening Opportunities.

Same job, same pay is already delivering significant wage rises for workers. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched our latest report, Closing Loopholes, Opening Opportunities, at the conference in Cessnock.