By Anthony Gleeson
You’ve probably never heard of the Atlas Network but it has been influencing our elections for decades.
Founded in 1981 with the aim of connecting right-wing think tanks around the world, its stated purpose is to promote ‘global prosperity by strengthening a network of independent partner organizations that promote individual freedom and are committed to identifying and removing barriers to human flourishing’: a meaningless ‘motherhood’ statement that reveals nothing.
However, if you follow the money you’ll gain a deeper insight into its true purpose. Funded by billionaires and multinational corporations, fossil fuel bodies have been amongst their most prolific donors. In Australia, the Atlas Network (AN) by extension, supports organisations like Advance Australia, the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), and Liberty Works (LW) – organisations which have disputed climate science and/or promote the interests of fossil fuel and mining.
Australian academic Dr Jeremy Walker from the University of Technology Sydney was one of the first to investigate the activities of the Atlas Network. In his 2023 article Silencing the Voice: the Fossil Fuelled Atlas Network’s Campaign Against Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians he reveals how the tactics of the AN and their associates fueled (excuse the pun) misinformation and confusion, driving support for the The Voice from 60% to 40% in a few short months.
According to Dr Walker their campaign was based on concerns that if Indigenous Australians gained constitutional recognition, it “could rein in the polluting industries driving us towards climate and ecological collapse.”
The success and influence of the Atlas Network is based on techniques honed and refined over 50 years of ‘field practice’ using the best methods that money can buy. According to Dr Walker “the Atlas Network carefully avoids publicity in its own name. This is key to its capacity to constantly generate abundant, seemingly diffusely-sourced ‘independent’ publications and media content promoting the same agendas, to exert influence on public opinion and policy without its corporate investors or the global Network itself being exposed to public scrutiny.”
The Atlas Network and its associated think tanks are united by the idea of ‘free market globalisation’. This involves deregulation, privatisation, repression of unions, anti-environmentalism – in other words anything that interferes with big business profits. Their driving motivation is winning and holding power by whatever means they can get away with.
The big question for all of us is: will this network which has become expert at undermining democracy give up easily? That is up to each and every one of us concerned about climate change, especially in the lead up to the rapidly approaching Federal election.
Be informed!! To learn more about the Atlas Network read these independent articles:
