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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.

Student Bus Subsidy Has Phantom Menace
Jennifer Buckingham OAMNovember 11, 2008Newcastle Herald

The NSW state government’s free student transport scheme is yet again under the gun. Previous...

Car subsidies blow good money out the exhaust
Stephen KirchnerNovember 11, 2008Sydney Morning Herald

The only good thing to come out of the government’s New Car Plan is the...

NSW needs more bang for the bucks it spends
Robert CarlingNovember 10, 2008

It is well known by now that New South Wales state finances are at a...

Beware political saviours
Stephen KirchnerOctober 29, 2008The Australian

According to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the global financial crisis is the outcome of ‘a...

Bailing-Out or Crowding-Out?
Stephen KirchnerOctober 22, 2008

Losses on subprime-related debt instruments have resulted in a liquidity crisis becoming a solvency crisis...

Fiscal stimulus plan has missed opportunities for long term reform
Stephen KirchnerOctober 15, 2008The Wall Street Journal

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has just unveiled a fiscal stimulus plan worth 10.4 billion...

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...

Happy Tax Freedom Day!
Oliver Marc HartwichApril 17, 2009

A tax is ‘a compulsory exaction of money by a public authority for public purposes,...

Paid Maternity Leave and the Global Financial Crisis
April 10, 2009

Paid maternity leave was a high profile election promise of the Rudd government, but with...

Lost in numbers
Oliver Marc HartwichApril 10, 2009

Imagine a journey of nine trillion four hundred sixty billion seven hundred thirty million four...

The Budget needs discipline and fiscal sustainability to put ensure the economy recovers
Robert CarlingApril 7, 2009The Australian Financial Review

As the Commonwealth budget plunges into deficit, it would be reassuring to know that those...

Don’t let the lynch mob loose on executive pay and private investment
Robert CarlingApril 7, 2009The Australian

No financial institution has lost more in the current crisis, or drawn more on taxpayer...

China Inc’s March debacle
John LeeApril 3, 2009

March has been a terrible month for the China Inc brand in Australia and enormously...

“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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