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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.

Politicians addicted to big spending
Robert CarlingOctober 9, 2007The Australian Financial Review

Tax revenue and government spending have grown even faster than the booming economy since the...

Fiscal Illusion: How Big Government Makes Tax Look Small
Sinclair DavidsonOctober 1, 2007PM81

Rather than focusing on any particular tax or level of government, Sinclair Davidson in this...

Put budget surplus to good use
Robert CarlingSeptember 17, 2007The Australian Financial Reivew

The Howard government’s fiscal strategy, as reiterated in the 2007-08 budget papers, has been to...

It’s always a case of another year, another excuse for not slashing Australia’s tax burden
Alex RobsonSeptember 5, 2007The Canberra Times

There is a famous gag in Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip in which the very...

America will prevail
Lawrence MeadJuly 28, 2007The Australian Financial Review

To read the newspapers, one would believe US power was in steep decline. There are...

University trade-offs for middle classes
Phil RennieJuly 25, 2007The Otago Daily Times

It’s now accepted wisdom that you need a university degree to have a successful and...

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...

Paying for the floods
Robert CarlingJanuary 28, 2011

The federal government's proposed flood levy comes just two weeks after the Brisbane River peaked....

Belgium’s debt bomb is ticking
Oliver Marc HartwichJanuary 20, 2011Business Spectator

Belgium is famous for its waffles, chocolates and beers. But it seems that the country...

Shopping for a solution
Robert CarlingJanuary 14, 2011

The raging controversy over online overseas shopping highlights the benefits of the internet in promoting...

A crisis eating away at Europe’s freedom
Oliver Marc HartwichJanuary 13, 2011Business Spectator

The new year has barely started and the EU already has its first crisis. If...

Estonia should have listened to Marx
Oliver Marc HartwichJanuary 6, 2011Business Spectator

Groucho Marx once quipped that he did not want to belong to a club that...

The iPad app upper hand
Oliver Marc HartwichDecember 30, 2010Business Spectator

Devices such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad are becoming more and more important as platforms...

“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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