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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.

Curb education spending now to save hard cuts later
Jennifer Buckingham OAMApril 30, 2014The Australian

Despite long-term and substantial increases in school funding during the past 25 years, student achievement...

Generosity of Abbott’s paid parental leave scheme puts budget in jeopardy
Trisha JhaApril 29, 2014The Guardian

Some of the proposals leaking out of the budget process indicate the gap between political...

The bright side of non-competitive IR federalism
Alexander PhilipatosApril 24, 2014

Classical liberals favour competitive federalism over national laws because competition between jurisdictions makes it harder...

Raising tax revenue just to throw it away is no answer
Simon CowanApril 23, 2014Australian Financial Review

From troubling deficit figures in recent budgets, to dire predictions of blowouts in health and...

No easy fix for youth unemployment
Alexander PhilipatosApril 22, 2014The Canberra Times

A recent report from the Brotherhood of St Lawrence points to a trebling of long-term...

Getting to the root of the ‘tax crisis’
Robert CarlingApril 21, 2014Business Spectator

The national conversation we had to have about the size of government and the appropriate...

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...

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....

Tax cuts key to sustained economic growth
Christopher LingleSeptember 19, 2005The Japan Times

Political officials around the world, even in European welfare states, have discovered that offering tax...

Marginal Rate a Major Turn-Off
Sinclair DavidsonAugust 29, 2005The Australian Financial Review

Over the past few years, a blizzard of argument and statistics has confronted the general...

Parties in a state of voluntary confusion
August 13, 2005

`The Liberals are spending political capital to abolish a near redundant fee' A quick quiz:...

State Taxes: In Serious Need of Reform
Michael PotterJune 11, 2005Policy

State tax systems are inefficient, inequitable and overly complex. Read full article

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Lower tax rates for a truly beautiful set of numbers
Alex RobsonMay 18, 2005The Australian

The changes announced by Treasurer Peter Costello to the personal income tax system last week...

“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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