Become a Member Donate Now

• Economic Policy

CIS is guided by the philosophy of global free markets and individual responsibility. Our economic policy research centres on ideas for continuing reform that will strengthen Australia’s economic independence and prosperity, and challenge the over-reach of big government.

Costello holds aces in tax deal
Robert CarlingMarch 29, 2007The Australian Financial Review

What are the rights and wrongs of this dispute and how is it likely to...

Reinventing New Zealand’s Welfare State
Peter SaundersMarch 27, 2007IA85

Government in New Zealand keeps expanding. The main driver has been the inexorable increase in...

Mismatch: Australia’s Graduates and the Job Market
Andrew NortonMarch 23, 2007IA84

Politicians and academics argue that we need more people graduating from university to meet strong...

New Zealand’s Spending Binge
Phil RennieMarch 15, 2007IA83

Core government spending is now almost $20 billion a year higher than it was in...

A Welfare State for Those Who Want One, Opts-outs for Those Who Don’t
Peter SaundersJanuary 30, 2007IA79

This paper looks at how the long-term growth of government spending, and the erosion of...

When an apple is not simply an apple
Phil RennieJanuary 12, 2007The Otago Times

If there’s one thing Australia is bad at, it’s losing. This applies to trade just...

Why We Should Not Increase Capital Gains Tax
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026PP64
Debate about capital gains tax rarely occurs in isolation. It typically emerges during periods of...
10 CGT Myths Busted
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026IA155

The criticisms and characterisation of the 50% capital gains tax discount over many years have...

Growth that Builds: Beyond the immigration blame game 
Marian L. TupyMarch 5, 2026PP63
This paper argues that Australia’s housing crisis is primarily a supply failure, not simply a...
Reform of Heritage Legislation
Peter TulipFebruary 26, 2026PP62

Introduction Several states have recently overhauled their planning legislation. However, the flaws in their heritage...

Hours, Not Dollars: Rethinking the cost-of-living debate 
Marian L. TupyFebruary 23, 2026AP102

Executive Summary Public debate about the ‘cost-of-living crisis’ often confuses nominal price increases with declining...

Drowning in a Sea of Diagnoses. How medicalising distress is overwhelming Australia’s mental health system and failing those most in need
Steven SchwartzFebruary 12, 2026AP100

Executive Summary At the centre of Australia’s mental health system lies a paradox. Government...

Hayek-Friedrich road to serfdom
This book changed the world. The West needs to read it again
Tom SwitzerOctober 9, 2024AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Austrian economist and intellectual Friedrich Hayek was a victim of cancel culture long before...

Capital gains cracks return to haunt Labor
Simon CowanOctober 7, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

Labor’s obsession with negative gearing and capital gains tax changes has reared its head yet...

Housing negative gearing tax
Negative gearing barely affects the price of houses in the market
Robert CarlingSeptember 27, 2024THE AUSTRALIAN

As a rule, if you tax something more you will end up with less of...

The fundamental problem with government’s housing reforms
Peter Tulip, Simon CowanSeptember 21, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

The government has dialled up the rhetoric about its housing reforms being blocked by the...

Government spending needs reform before taxes
Robert CarlingSeptember 18, 2024SPECTATOR

I would like a dollar for every time I’ve read how much the Australian economy...

Hammer nails
Facts are smashing the government, not the RBA
Simon Cowan, Robert CarlingSeptember 7, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

The government’s low-key campaign to influence RBA decisions on interest rates flared into open conflict...

“The 50% discount is unfair” and other CGT myths | Robert Carling & Michael Stutchbury
Robert Carling, Michael StutchburyMarch 11, 2026

The criticisms and characterization of the 50% capital gains tax discount over many years have...

The Case for Optimism: More People, More Ideas, More Wealth | Marian Tupy
Marian L. Tupy, Michael StutchburyMarch 6, 2026

Marian Tupy — editor of HumanProgress.org, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, and co-author of...

Old buildings and the housing crisis with Peter Tulip
Peter TulipMarch 4, 2026

Peter Tulip explains how several states have recently overhauled their planning legislation. However, the flaws...

Angus Taylor at CIS: Economic Reform, Immigration, and Australia’s Cost of Living Crisis
Angus Taylor, Michael StutchburyFebruary 19, 2026

Speaking at his first address outside Canberra since being elected Leader of the Opposition by...

Reflecting Back: John Howard and Alexander Downer on Power, Alliances and Australia
John Howard OM AC, Alexander DownerFebruary 6, 2026

Alexander Downer and former Prime Minister John Howard join author Tony Parkinson and CIS Executive...

‘NIMBYism is a cancer’: Bragg outlines housing policy vision with Peter Tulip & Michael Stutchbury
Andrew Bragg, Peter Tulip, Michael StutchburyDecember 12, 2025

Senator Andrew Bragg and economist Peter Tulip join Michael Stutchbury for a wide-ranging conversation on...

Submission to Senate Inquiry into Illegal Tobacco Crisis in Australia
Michael StutchburyJanuary 15, 2026
The federal government should pause increases in tobacco excise to weaken the profit of the...
Submission to Senate Education and Employment References Committee
Michael Wu October 22, 2025CIS

Despite good intentions, Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care system has expanded well beyond its...

Submission to Productivity Commission’s Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation Interim Report
September 15, 2025

The Productivity Commission’s statement that careful emissions reduction policy design will enable gains in productivity...

Submission to Heritage NSW
Peter TulipJuly 18, 2025CIS

This submission argues that NSW’s heritage legislation has serious flaws. In particular, costs of listing...

Submission to Victorian Legislative Council Select Committee Inquiry
Peter TulipMay 5, 2025CIS

Victoria Planning Provisions Amendments VC257, VC267 and VC274: Submission to Victorian Legislative Council Select Committee...

Submission to the Inquiry into financial regulation and home ownership
Peter TulipOctober 15, 2024
Regulation of the financial system is needed to protect depositors and avoid financial crises. However,...
No Podcasts Available

• Subscribe

Subscribe now and stay in the loop with our giving appeals, event alerts, newsletters and research updates.

We are always pleased to hear from you. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us here:

+61 2 9438 4377
CIS Office
cis@cis.org.au
CIS Media
kpincott@cis.org.au