Become a Member Donate Now

• 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.

Private Correspondence: Competition or Monopoly in Australia’s Postal Services?
Robert AlbonOctober 18, 1985PM7

Dr Albon beleives that the most important and practical way to improve postal services to...

Trial Without Error: Anticipation vs Resilence as Strategies for Risk Reduction
Aaron WildavskyAugust 19, 1985OP13

Safety regulations are proliferating at a great rate in society today, attempting to protect us...

The Anti-Capitalist Mentality: Post Mortem for an Ideology
R.M. HartwellAugust 15, 1985OP14

In the 2nd John Bonython Lecture Professor Hartwell traces the history of the anti-capitalist mentality...

Enterprise: Free, Dependent or Captor?
Warren HoganAugust 8, 1985OP12

The relationship between government and business is the theme of this essay. Each depends on...

The Case Against the Arbitration Commission
P.P. McGuinnessApril 26, 1985OP11

The Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission is the main obstacle to much-needed reform of industrial...

Capital Xenophobia: Australia’s Controls of Foreign Investment
Wolfgang KasperDecember 18, 1984PM6

An early study by the CIS which supported the lifting of controls on foreign investment...

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...

The EU is in serious decline
Richard AlstonSeptember 9, 2021Spectator

The European Union shows all the signs of worsening economic, social and political decline, with...

Closed Borders Are Paralysing the Country
Robert CarlingSeptember 3, 2021Epoch Times

There are signs in public attitudes and statements by at least some of Australia’s political...

Covid-zero is becoming even less plausible by the day
Simon CowanAugust 28, 2021Canberra Times

The delta outbreak in NSW hit 1,000 cases a day this week, with no signs...

New polling shows Australians won’t accept lockdowns once we hit jab targets
Robert CarlingAugust 26, 2021Spectator

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is finally taking a stand against premiers wanting to keep wielding...

Could Canada’s Vaccine Rollout Success Show Australia the Way out of Lockdowns
Robert CarlingAugust 23, 2021The Epoch Times

After a slow start, vaccination rates have accelerated strongly in Australia, with 6,240,640 Aussies now...

Is Covid-zero a viable long-term strategy?
Simon CowanAugust 14, 2021Canberra Times

On Thursday, the ACT became the latest jurisdiction to enter a snap lockdown at just...

“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,...
No Podcasts Available

• Subscribe

Subscribe now and stay in the loop with our giving appeals, event alerts, newsletters and research updates.

We are always pleased to hear from you. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us here:

+61 2 9438 4377
CIS Office
cis@cis.org.au
CIS Media
kpincott@cis.org.au