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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.

Growth that Builds: Beyond the immigration blame game 
March 5, 2026PP63
This paper argues that Australia’s housing crisis is primarily a supply failure, not simply a...
Hours, Not Dollars: Rethinking the cost-of-living debate 
February 23, 2026AP102

Executive Summary Public debate about the ‘cost-of-living crisis’ often confuses nominal price increases with declining...

Future No Longer Made in Australia: How we lost our low-cost electricity advantage
December 18, 2025IA154
Trouble has been brewing in Australia’s smelting paradise over the last two decades, as rising...
The Unworkable Solution: An Economic Assessment of a Cashflow Tax for Australia
Sinclair DavidsonNovember 6, 2025AP93

Executive Summary Australia faces persistent economic challenges. Productivity growth has slowed, business investment is uneven,...

An economic walk on the supply side
October 16, 2025OP208

This is an edited version of Michael Stutchbury’s keynote address to the 2025 Freedom to...

Our Prosperity is Slipping Away: Submission to Economic Reform Roundtable 
August 18, 2025AP87

 Introduction As Reserve Bank deputy governor Andrew Hauser noted last year, it can be...

The hard truth: why the government should let this smelter fail
November 1, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
If Tomago meets the criteria for a taxpayer bailout, then so do thousands of other...
Here’s how to fix poverty without taxing the rest of us more
October 18, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
The fact is, the more tightly assistance is targeted at those in need, the lower...
Pump the brakes, Hastie. Let me explain how wrong you’ve gotten it
October 3, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
In reality, it was taxpayers and consumers who were being held hostage: by government who...
Keep raiding our super and you’ll only create a smaller, meaner country
September 20, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
Rumours are swirling that the government may reconsider its superannuation tax changes that will hit...
Australia’s housing push is bipartisan
Peter TulipSeptember 17, 2025SPECTATOR FLAT WHITE
The Liberal party has two traditions, conservatism and support for free markets. Normally, those movements...
This war on grandparents’ savings has to end
September 6, 2025CANBERRA TIMES

As the government continues to ponder its next moves on taxation, debate has yet again...

On Liberty EP73 Governing in the Internet Age
Salvatore BabonesNovember 3, 2021On Liberty

We talked to Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts....

Generations Apart: Richer or Poorer?
Satya MararSeptember 23, 2021

Just as there are no atheists on a sinking ship, there are no free-marketeers in...

Super Guarantee Australia
August 24, 2021

CIS welcomed Senator Andrew Bragg to discuss recent Your Future, Your Super, legislation and the...

On Liberty EP60 Bitcoin Volcano
Monica WilkieJuly 21, 2021On Liberty

We talked to podcast host, Bitcoin maximalist and co-founder of Ministry of Nodes, Stephan Liveria....

Overcoming economic, cultural and strategic crises
June 28, 2021

Executive Director, Tom Switzer highlights the achievements of CIS as the financial year draws to...

On Liberty EP56 Can Australia succeed in commercialising science?
Salvatore BabonesJune 23, 2021On Liberty

Australia does a lot of great science, but has a poor record of translating that...

Submission to Senate Inquiry into Illegal Tobacco Crisis in Australia
January 15, 2026
The federal government should pause increases in tobacco excise to weaken the profit of the...
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,...
Submission to the Inquiry into the Transport Oriented Development Program
Peter TulipApril 4, 2024
Housing policy in NSW has been failing. It has relied on setting targets for local...
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