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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.

We aren’t just larrikins
Oliver Marc HartwichDecember 24, 2009The Australian

That Australia is one of very few countries to survive the global economic crisis relatively...

Activists should stop talking about global warming and start acting
John HumphreysDecember 23, 2009The Sydney Morning Herald

If climate activists had spent the past 10 years acting instead of wasting time at...

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...

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...

Single-desk philosophy reaps what it sows
Wolfgang KasperFebruary 10, 2006The Australian Financial Review

Economists have long known that business monopolies and the corrupt abuse of political power are...

Tax overhaul long due
Peter SaundersJanuary 20, 2006The Australian

Despite repeated attempts by the Government to ignore it, the clamour for tax reform just...

Who should pay child support?
Arti SharmaDecember 13, 2005The Australian

At last, the Howard Government has announced its intention to reform the Family Law Act,...

Tax competition promotes good policy
November 10, 2005The Australian Financial Review

Beginning with the 1998 publication of Harmful Tax Competition: an Emerging Global Issue, the Paris-based...

Handouts won’t cure poverty
Wolfgang KasperOctober 11, 2005The Australian Financial Review

The Australian government has joined the turn-of-millennium drive to eliminate extreme Third World poverty a...

System not in the finest health
Peter SaundersSeptember 22, 2005The Australian Financial Review

As the welfare-to-work proposals are made public, Peter Saunders looks at the question of self-funding....

“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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