Burning Down The House

A generation of Australians was told that action on climate change would wreck the economy. A generation of Australians was told that action on climate change would wreck the economy. What Australians weren't told was that this message came from oil, gas and coal producers, and it was laundered into Australian Government policy via a little-known government agency. With the forensic attention of true crime narratives, journalist and author Royce Kurmelovs traces the hidden history of how an obscure research bureau came to debase Australian climate policy for decades. Once a training ground for economists and public servants, funding cuts in the early neoliberal era saw it turn to industry money and transform into an engine for climate delay. As Australia grapples with worsening fires and floods, Kurmelovs shows the long-reaching and wide-ranging effects of institutional capture and the importance of integrity in the public service.