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• 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.

Why we should support car workers (find new jobs)
Simon CowanJuly 12, 2013

Unconfirmed rumours persist that Holden is looking for a massive taxpayer bailout of $265 million....

Fixed terms revisited
Robert CarlingJuly 5, 2013

In July 2013, we know the next New South Wales election will be held on...

TARGET30: Reducing the burden for future generations
David Murray AO, Maurice Newman, Simon CowanJuly 1, 2013PF25

TARGET30 is a campaign promoting smaller government and cutting government spending to less than 30%...

Ignoring the writing on the wall
Alexander PhilipatosJune 28, 2013

Ford’s recently announced departure from Australian manufacturing may be the only signal strong enough to...

Freedom and smaller government
Simon CowanJune 28, 2013

The size and role of government is at the heart of many problems that society...

Moral mission of small government
Greg LindsayJune 27, 2013The Australian Financial Review

Regardless of which party wins the election in September, the new government will have much...

Free to Work. The liberalisation of New Zealand’s labour market
Wolfgang KasperJanuary 1, 1996PM32

In 1902 New Zealand’s first Minister of Labour, Pember Reeves, described the Australasian states as...

The Social Roots of Prosperity
Brigette BergerAugust 30, 1995OP55

It is a great honour to have been invited to give the 1995 John Bonython...

Buy Australian? Myths and realities
Terry BlackFebruary 1, 1995PM30

Rarely has the one-sided view presented in the popular media that buying Australian is good...

Failure, Chaos and Leadership: Ingredients of Democratic Reform
Kenneth BaxterAugust 1, 1994OP49

In this Occasional Paper, delivered as a Bert Kelly Lecture in June 1994, Kenneth P....

The Market for Employment
Gerald GarveyMay 1, 1994PM27

Australia’s labour market remains highly regulated. In most economic relationships, the parties are free to...

Should We Worry About the Foreign Debt?
Gary M. White, Max Walsh, Tony Makin, Tom ValentineApril 1, 1994PF11

The question of whether or not the level of Australia’s foreign debt is a matter...

Blame diagnostic inflation for the NDIS’ $10b Autism bill
Steven SchwartzMarch 5, 2026AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

As recently reported in The Australian Financial Review, autism costs the National Disability Insurance Scheme...

This Millennial moved to regional Australia to own a home
Trisha JhaMarch 2, 2026AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

A brief glance at the past fortnight’s headlines is revealing. High-speed rail is connecting Sydney...

The RBA had no choice but to tighten the screws
Robert Carling, Michael StutchburyFebruary 6, 2026THE CANBERRA TIMES
The government has been rightly blamed for fuelling the inflation flames with too rapid growth...
The only things going up now are the prices
Robert CarlingFebruary 3, 2026DAILY TELEGRAPH
The decisions that made higher rates unavoidable were taken in Canberra. If inflation is the...
Economic exceptionalism is dead – and rate cuts died with it
Michael StutchburyJanuary 31, 2026AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
Jim Chalmers doesn’t have a central bank governor to blame for his forward misguidance or...
Do we entrench our advantages or let them slip?
Michael StutchburyJanuary 23, 2026ABC RADIO NATIONAL
We’re not in danger of becoming a banana republic, like Paul Keating warned in 1986....
“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,...
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