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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.

Alex Philipatos on ‘Withholding Dividends: Better ways to make the public sector efficient’
May 29, 2014
Withholding Dividends: Better ways to make the public sector efficient
Alexander PhilipatosMay 29, 2014T30.10

As the commission of audit has uncovered, the government must make significant cuts to spending...

Canberra should do less, but do what it does well
Alexander PhilipatosMay 29, 2014The Australian

In his first budget, Joe Hockey cut more than 200 spending initiatives and abolished or...

Driving efficiencies in the overblown public sector
May 29, 2014

The Abbott government should scrap the efficiency dividend in favour of more targeted measures to...

Follow the French: Charge patients for public hospital accommodation
Jeremy SammutMay 23, 2014

My colleague Dr Jennifer Buckingham has exposed the myth about the Abbott government's first budget...

Gen Y to Vilma: Age pensioners are going to be just fine
Matthew TaylorMay 23, 2014

There has been a considerable amount of hyperbole surrounding the alleged cuts to the age...

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...

Leave off, tax breaks can redress child costs
Barry MaleyMay 1, 2002The Australian

Three fundamental issues underlie the maternity leave debate. First is the form and level of...

Unfettered deregulation for varsities
April 29, 2002The Australian Financial Review

Reserve Bank Governor Ian Macfarlane created headlines recently with his remarks about Australia lacking a...

Give choice a chance: Market phobia sees universities clinging to the stable penury of government funding
March 13, 2002The Australian

Five years ago, like today, there were signs that commonwealth higher education policy might be...

We are liable for ourselves: Scrap negligence law and encourage self-insurance
Julian MorrisMarch 6, 2002The Australian

The headlines beggar belief: Insurance giant collapses; Doctors driven to the brink of bankruptcy; Amateur...

Be a realist, not a lap dog: A cooling off period will improve ties with indonesia
Owen HarriesMarch 4, 2002The Australian

Ours is an age that believes in action. Faced with a problem, virtually any problem,...

Threshold issues for a tax system that creates jobs
Peter SaundersNovember 30, 2001The Australian Financial Review

An important debate is taking place in Australia about the future of welfare, taxation and...

“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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