The Australia Institute is an Australian public policy think tank based in Canberra, with offices also in Hobart and Adelaide.

[9] The Australia Institute's Democracy & Accountability Program was established to "research the solutions to our democratic deficit and develop the political strategies to put them into practice".

[14] The program addresses a broad range of contemporary global issues, including new thinking on what security means,[15] a contemporary Middle east policy,[16] the proper use of the defence force,[17] the ANZUS treaty,[18] Australia's relations with China,[19] and how Australia might improve its performance in the Pacific.

Clive Hamilton helped establish The Australia Institute in 1994 to generate public debate on building a better society, in particular the environment.

[22] The first directors of the institute were Professor Max Neutze (inaugural chair);[23] Hugh Saddler, a consultant in energy policy; and John Langmore; then a Labor Party MP; John Neville; Russell Rollason, then executive director of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid; Elizabeth Reid, the former first women's adviser to the prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1973; Barbara Spalding, an expert in social welfare and education; and Professor Marion Simms, an expert in the fields of gender studies and political science.

[25][26] The Australia Institute is active in promoting global warming mitigation measures, and has been critical of the Australian federal government's perceived lack of action on climate change.

[32] Oquist wrote that "The Australia Institute is disappointed that the carbon price is likely to be repealed" but that "The Palmer-Gore announcement has re-set climate policy and politics.

[39] During the 2016 Australian federal election, the Institute published a series of critiques of the Coalition's proposed policy of cutting the company tax rate.

[42] The Australia Institute had a total gross income A$10.6 million in 2024[43] (A$9.05M in 2023, and A$7.7M in 2022) and is funded by donations from philanthropic trusts and individuals, as well as grants and commissioned research from business, unions, and non-government organisations.