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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.

Don’t Shoot the Messenger
Stephen KirchnerSeptember 23, 2008The Australian Financial Review

Authorities in the US and the UK have placed temporary restrictions on short selling financial...

Baby Steps Toward Self-Funded Parental Leave
September 18, 2008IA100

Much has been made of the good that could come from giving Australian mothers paid...

Government Intervention in Mortgage Finance: The Case Against ‘AussieMac’
Stephen KirchnerSeptember 8, 2008IA99

The sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States that began in August 2007 has had...

AussieMac Won’t Work
Stephen KirchnerSeptember 8, 2008The Australian Financial Review

The commencement of a new easing cycle by the Reserve Bank of Australia has put...

$4billion government subsidy will not promote competition
Stephen KirchnerAugust 30, 2008The Age

The federal government’s decision to purchase $4 billion in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) has been...

The Faulty Arguments Behind Australia’s Corporate Tax
Sinclair DavidsonAugust 23, 2008PM87

In Australia, the primary function of taxation is to finance government spending. Its secondary objectives...

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...

Labour should not take its eyes off the target
Stephen KirchnerDecember 21, 2009The Dominion Post

When New Zealand introduced inflation targeting with the passage of the Reserve Bank of New...

What if you got pink bats and a school hall for Christmas?
Stephen KirchnerDecember 18, 2009

Economist Joel Waldfogel has for many years argued in favour less gift giving at Christmas....

Big spending, poor results
Stephen KirchnerDecember 16, 2009The Australian

Treasury Secretary Ken Henry observed in a recent speech to the Whitlam Institute that the...

Hostility to aspiration and the tall poppy syndrome hold New Zealand back
Luke MalpassDecember 13, 2009The Sunday Star Times

In last week’s Sunday Star Times, Rod Oram wrote a remarkable column slating the 2025...

Greek tragedy for the world economy
Oliver Marc HartwichDecember 11, 2009

Just when many thought the global financial crisis was over, it re-emerges with a bang....

Property bias
Oliver Marc HartwichDecember 4, 2009The Australian

Spare a thought for savers and tenants Whenever the Reserve Bank of Australia lifts interest...

“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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