Organisation’s former policy director Tim Wilson – now Australia’s human rights commissioner – praised over efforts to counter ‘misinformation’ peddled by carbon tax advocates

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Institute of Public Affairs is in the running to win an international prize for its role in repealing the carbon tax.

The rightwing thinktank is a finalist for the $US100,000 (A$142,000) Templeton Freedom award, granted by American non-profit organisation the Atlas Network.

A glowing description of the IPA’s campaign strategy against the carbon tax – which was passed under the Gillard government in 2011 and repealed by the Abbott government in 2014 – is detailed on the Atlas Network website.

Carbon tax repealed: a short timeline of Australia’s long debate about emissions trading Read more

The report lauded the IPA’s influence in the Australian media landscape. “Starting from the day the tax was announced, the IPA took an active role in the mainstream media to counter the misinformation that advocates of the carbon tax were peddling,” the report reads.

“The IPA’s research and analysis of the economics underpinning the case for the carbon tax appeared in print media outlets 209 times between Jan 1, 2010, and July 31, 2014.

“IPA research scholars also featured on radio and television stations around Australia, with 363 radio appearances between 2008 and 2013 and 261 television appearances in the same time frame.”

The report praised the effectiveness of the then IPA policy director Tim Wilson’s efforts in representing a “contrarian perspective”.

IPA’s deputy executive director, James Paterson, is quoted in the report saying revenue raised by the carbon tax was used to “grow the welfare state, subsidise politically favoured industries and engage in economy-wide welfare distribution”.

The report concludes: “The carbon tax repeal has signalled that Australia is more open for business by eliminating costly compliance measures that served as a significant financial and time burden on Australian businesses and provided a significant barrier to entry for the energy market, especially for potential large investors.”

The IPA will find out if it has won the prize at a New York event in November.