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.

System not in the finest health
Peter SaundersSeptember 22, 2005The Australian Financial Review

As the welfare-to-work proposals are made public, Peter Saunders looks at the question of self-funding....

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...

The Free Market Case Against Voluntary Student Unionism (But for Voluntary Student Representation)
Andrew NortonAugust 31, 2005IA62

Introducing ‘voluntary student unionism’ (VSU) into Australia’s universities would do two things: It would make...

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...

The Costs of Taxation
Alex RobsonAugust 21, 2005PM68

Taxation generates various administrative, evasion, compliance and rent-seeking costs. The Australian Taxation Office employs over...

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:...

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...

Coronavirus: advice for the perplexed and bewildered
Steven SchwartzApril 28, 2020Spectator

Are you bewitched, bothered and bewildered about how to deal with the coronavirus? Be not...

Grand coalition economic reforms are best left in the ’80s
Simon CowanApril 25, 2020Canberra Times

You know how we can tell we’ve moved into the next phase of the coronavirus...

Tom Switzer - Executive Director Centre for Independent Studies
Keep a sense of historical perspective
Tom SwitzerApril 23, 2020Ideas@TheCentre

This has been the week of doomsayers. Forecasters talk about double-digit unemployment. A major airline...

Is this economic self-destruction unavoidable?
Robert CarlingApril 23, 2020Ideas@TheCentre

If you want to know how much the coronavirus pandemic might cost, the International Monetary...

Rule of law meets Covid-19
Robert CarlingApril 16, 2020Ideas@TheCentre

In the space of just a few weeks, the rule of law in Australia has...

UBI still an unbelievably bad idea
Glenn FaheyApril 16, 2020Ideas@TheCentre

Opportunists across the political spectrum have been emboldened by the current crisis to propose all...

“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