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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.

PP45 Image Australia's debt
A Sea of Red: Tracking Australia’s debt iceberg
Robert CarlingMarch 21, 2022PP45
The increase in debt raises economic policy issues of major concern. It is reducing fiscal...
Refueling car
Why Cutting Fuel Excise Isn’t the Best Option to Ease Cost of Living in Australia
Peter TulipMarch 17, 2022Epoch Times
As surging petrol prices eat into household budgets, politicians have been trying to demonstrate their...
Peter Dutton
Brace yourself for the defence election
Simon CowanMarch 12, 2022Canberra Times
Seemingly out of nowhere, defence has emerged as a key election issue. Of course, focus...
Australian bank notes
Scrap LMITO and replace the cash splash with real tax reform
Robert CarlingMarch 10, 2022Financial Review
One problem for the 2022-23 federal budget is the fate of the $8 billion low-...
The Return of Inflation: What It Means for Australia
Warren HoganFebruary 28, 2022AP33
Inflation is rising around the world, the sting in the tail of the pandemic economic...
Graph
Ukraine increases the inflation risks
Warren HoganFebruary 27, 2022Financial Review
It increasingly looks as if Australia is experiencing a sharp burst of inflation, much like...
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...

More inscrutable than the Chinese
Stephen KirchnerFebruary 19, 2010The Australian

On September 24 last year, the Foreign Investment Review Board’s Patrick Colmer rose to speak...

Europe’s slow, painful death
Oliver Marc HartwichFebruary 17, 2010Business Spectator

There is something comical about current talk about a potential Greek bankruptcy. No, the state...

The high price of subsidies
February 14, 2010Sunday Star-Times

Last week, the film Avatar overtook Titanic to become the highest grossing movie in history...

Indigenous people need less not more discrimination
Jeremy SammutFebruary 12, 2010

Dr Jeremy Sammut is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies. Sara Hudson...

The euro is a failed experiment that should be cashed in
Oliver Marc HartwichFebruary 10, 2010The Australian

Greece’s budget problems are not just a worry for this small economy at the periphery...

Ripped off and overcharged? Not necessarily
Oliver Marc HartwichFebruary 2, 2010The Courier-Mail

Executives at retail giant Coles certainly have a good sense for PR. On Australia Day...

“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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