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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.

A New Financial Revolution? An International Review of the Campbell Report
Malcolm Fisher, A. R. Prest, Michael Parkin, Geoffrey E. Wood, John F. O. Bilson, Tim CongdonFebruary 1, 1982R3

When the Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Australian Financial System (the...

Lessons from the Ord
B.R. DavidsonJanuary 1, 1982PM2

Readers will draw their own various conclusions from these two modest but compelling essays. It...

The Rhetoric and Reality of Income Redistribution
Gordon TullockSeptember 25, 1981OP5

Income distribution is an overwhelming part of the program of all governments. Too often, however,...

Taxation, Inflation and the Role of the Government
Milton FriedmanJune 5, 1981OP4

Milton Friedman is one of the most authoritative and independent figures in the fields of...

Domestic Airline Regulation. The Australian debate
Michael G. KirbyMarch 26, 1981RS1

Government regulation of an increasing level of economic activity has become a feature of modern...

The Profit Motive
Antony FlewSeptember 26, 1980OP3

This paper is published as a contribution to the debate on economic and social issues...

Humankind and the infinite resource base
Marian L. TupyApril 2, 2026OP212

This paper examines the human ability to expand our resource base into infinity. Given human...

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...

The real solution to poverty: J-O-B-S, J-O-B-S, J-O-B-S
Andrew Baker, Peter SaundersOctober 29, 2012The Punch

The proportion of Australians in poverty increased from 11.9 per cent in 2003 to 14.5...

Australia’s Nuclear Sub Option
Simon CowanOctober 26, 2012The Diplomat

Australia’s six expensive, unreliable Collins Class submarines should be a warning of the risks involved...

Dismissal amendments won’t stop go-away money
Alexander PhilipatosOctober 26, 2012

Upcoming amendments to unfair dismissal laws would benefit small businesses by providing ‘a disincentive for...

Self-sustaining leviathan
Robert CarlingOctober 23, 2012ON LINE Opinion

Has Australia's welfare state become so large that it can now sustain itself and grow...

The fall in Australian poverty
Andrew BakerOctober 19, 2012

This week is Anti-Poverty Week, and the media repeated the welfare lobby’s line that there...

Abusing the logic of human rights
Andrew BakerOctober 12, 2012

Welfare reform is now a human rights abuse, according to the welfare lobby and the...

“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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