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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.

Reflections on Privatisation
Roderick DeaneMarch 3, 1991OP32

Although privatisation of state-owned enterprises made great progress in New Zealand and elsewhere throughout the...

Economics 91
Tim RileyDecember 21, 1990SP1991

The ECONOMICS ’91 Conference served two purposes. First, it attempted to break down state barriers...

The Inequity of ‘Pay Equity’. Comparable worth policy in New Zealand
Penelope J BrookAugust 1, 1990NZPP1

In New Zealand as in many other Western countries, pressure for women’s groups has increased...

Do We Need a Reserve Bank?
Lawrence White, Chris Jones, Bryce WilkinsonJuly 1, 1990PF9

There is much dissatisfaction with the performance of central banks because they have a poor...

Population Growth: Curse or Blessing?
Peter T. BauerMay 7, 1990OP28

Population growth is widely regarded as self-evidently a cause of poverty and backwardness in Third...

Socialism Is Dead But Leviathan Lives On
James M. BuchananMay 3, 1990OP30

In the seventh John Bonython Lecture, James Buchanan observes that the death of socialism has...

The six fundamental flaws underpinning the energy transition
Zoe Hilton, Aidan Morrison, Alex Bainton, Michael Wu May 2, 2024AP67
This paper focuses on the question of how Australians have been led to believe two...
The Truth About The Tax Burden
Robert CarlingApril 4, 2024PP56
While the focus is usually on income tax paid to the federal government, the reality...
Bracket Creep: Raiding our wallets
Matthew Taylor, Robert CarlingMarch 25, 2024RR48
Tax increases are built into Australia’s personal income tax policy by default. In fact, in...
Housing Affordability and Supply Restrictions
Peter TulipFebruary 8, 2024PP55
This paper describes the evidence of large effects of planning restrictions on housing affordability. This...
Housing is becoming a pipe dream for young Australians
Emilie DyeFebruary 6, 2024IA149
Housing affordability remains one of Australia’s clearest — and most frequently cited — examples of...
Australia’s post-pandemic public debt: is there still a problem?
Robert CarlingFebruary 5, 2024PP54
This report provides an update of the public debt situation and outlook based on the...
Trading Phobias: Governments, NGOs and Globalisation
Anne KruegerOctober 11, 2000The Australian Financial Review

  Almost any dispassionate analysis of the evolution of the world economy will find that...

Staying in the Dark on School Performance
Alison RichOctober 5, 2000The Sydney Morning Herald

There is a movement in Australian education for increased assessment and accountability. Assessment and reporting...

Stop Subsidising a Failure
August 9, 2000The Australian Financial Review

John Quiggin is a well- known microeconomic reform sceptic, and in these pages last week...

Building Prosperity
Wolfgang KasperNovember 30, 0001

In this special publication, Wolfgang Kasper reviews Australia’s economic development over the past two decades...

“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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