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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.

Raise taxes
Why Australian tax reform is doomed to fail
Simon CowanApril 6, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

Ken Henry has issued another call this week for government to pick up the long-abandoned...

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...
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...
Australia’s 100+ Taxes
April 3, 2024What You Need to Know About

Leading economists Robert Carling and Warren Hogan discuss our true tax burden, which is higher...

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...
Stage 3 Tax cuts
Stage three tax cuts haven’t blunted the impact of bracket creep
Matthew Taylor, Robert CarlingMarch 24, 2024AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

Two months after announcing their Stage 3 income tax cuts backflip, and a month after...

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...

Hands off the stimulus lever
Simon CowanNovember 29, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

There is something of a dark irony in the focus of the Treasurer’s speech to...

Not all roads need to lead to a bigger GST
Robert CarlingNovember 24, 2019The Canberra Times

Among the world’s federations, we are one of the best at talking about the flaws...

It’s not the government’s job to deliver stimulus to the economy
Simon CowanNovember 23, 2019The Canberra Times

There is something of a dark irony in the focus of the Treasurer’s speech to...

Chile a case study in anti-capitalism
Robert CarlingNovember 15, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

As 2019 draws to a close, it seems destined to rival 1968 as the year...

Fix the flawed pension system
Simon CowanNovember 15, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

ANU last week estimated that more than $6 billion a year is paid out to...

It’s time to storm the gates on age pension reform
Simon CowanNovember 9, 2019CANBERRA TIMES

There’s always been something of an irony in the invocation of the phrase “an Englishman’s...

“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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