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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.

“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...

Coverage of Robert Carling’s paper on capital gains tax
March 11, 2026

Capital gains myth: Tax hike won’t fix the housing crisis — across NewsCorp A new...

Labor’s capital gains tax myths need busting
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026DAILY TELEGRAPH

Labor has long held an axe over the capital gains tax 50% discount and negative...

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...

More coverage of Marian Tupy’s immigration paper, and Peter Tulip on housing
March 10, 2026

Migrant myth: Research pinpoints real housing crisis culprit — The New Daily Australia’s shortage of...

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...

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...

Time we ran our own lives
Peter SaundersMay 9, 2005The Herald Sun

The Friday before last was Tax Freedom Day — the day of the year when...

From $43B to $70B: The NBN Disaster and Off-Budget Deception
November 27, 2025

Ever wondered how governments keep massive spending hidden from the public eye? In this eye-opening...

Peter Costello on the Legacy of Reform and the Road Ahead
Peter CostelloNovember 7, 2025

From economic reform and rising government spending to cultural shifts and the decline of liberalism,...

Coalition’s vision for economic & productivity reform | Sussan Ley & Michael Stutchbury
October 22, 2025

At this Centre for Independent Studies lunch forum on 20 October 2025, Opposition Leader Sussan...

Consumer Choice, Risk & Safety with Fred Roeder and Michael Stutchbury
Michael StutchburyOctober 20, 2025

Where is the line between risk and regulation? In this episode of The Stutchbury Sessions,...

How Australia Lost Its Economic Edge
Michael StutchburyOctober 10, 2025

Australia’s economy is slowing. Productivity has flatlined, debt is soaring, and growth has frozen. What...

Housing Reform in NSW & New Zealand | Chris Minns, Chris Bishop & Peter Tulip
Peter TulipAugust 28, 2025

At this Centre for Independent Studies forum, NSW Premier Chris Minns and New Zealand Housing...

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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