Become a Member Donate Now

• 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.

Reforming Central Banking
Stephen KirchnerMarch 1, 1997PM36

   

...
Markets, Morals and Community
October 1, 1996OP59

Few people today doubt the market’s contribution to prosperity, but still there are powerful intellectual...

Institutions of Innovation and Prosperity
Ray BallAugust 27, 1996OP58
Western nations benefit from social institutions that create prosperity & liberty. Our future prosperity depends...
The Boundaries of Life’s Responsibilities- Community and Nation in a Global Environment
Gary SturgessJuly 1, 1996OP57

Globalisation means increasing international influence on domestic life. Australians are selling and buying more on...

Working Youth: Tackling Australian Youth Unemployment
Helen HughesMay 1, 1996PM34

Youth unemployment is a major social and economic problem. The official statistics put youth unemployment...

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...

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...

Drowning in a Sea of Diagnoses. How medicalising distress is overwhelming Australia’s mental health system and failing those most in need
Steven SchwartzFebruary 12, 2026AP100

Executive Summary At the centre of Australia’s mental health system lies a paradox. Government...

Workers on low incomes are losing out
John HumphreysJune 29, 2009Camberra Times

The Australian Fair Pay Commission decided last July to increase the minimum wage by $1126...

Short-term fixes are a fiscal fallacy
Stephen KirchnerJune 20, 2009

Policymakers in Australia have instinctively reached for the Keynesian playbook in the context of the...

The costs of alcohol: all dollars and no sense
Luke MalpassJune 19, 2009

New Zealand is currently experiencing a great wringing of hands about binge drinking – the...

Golden Rule: Dont Mess with the Taxman
John HumphreysJune 12, 2009

In a bizarre American tax trial, businessman Robert Kahre is being charged with intentionally paying...

Incentivising welfare
John HumphreysJune 12, 2009NZ Centre for Political Research

The Key government campaigned on reforming welfare, but as the recession bites deeper we shall...

Australia’s recession in perspective
John HumphreysJune 4, 2009Open Forum

A few weeks ago I suggested that we should be relatively optimistic about the Australian...

“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,...
No Podcasts Available

• Subscribe

Subscribe now and stay in the loop with our giving appeals, event alerts, newsletters and research updates.

We are always pleased to hear from you. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us here:

+61 2 9438 4377
CIS Office
cis@cis.org.au
CIS Media
kpincott@cis.org.au