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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.

Is the Budget really sexist?
Eugenie JosephApril 12, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

Apparently, the women of Australia were short-changed by the federal budget last week — as...

How to fix the fake tax debate
John HumphreysApril 11, 2019Financial Review

Since the success of the 1980s and 1990s microeconomic reforms, subsequent governments have attempted to...

Tax cuts in the never-never and a messier system now
Robert CarlingApril 4, 2019Financial Review

The new low and medium income tax offset greatly complicates the tax system, dulling incentives...

Budget 2019: Why the long-term tax cuts should be fast-tracked
John HumphreysApril 4, 2019PP19

The centrepiece of the 2019/20 budget was a proposed doubling of the income tax cuts...

The Budget and Global Economy
Tom Switzer, Simon Cowan, Peter CostelloApril 4, 2019

Australia’s longest-serving Treasurer. Peter Costello delivered 12 budgets — 10 of them surpluses — and...

Scrap the short-term tax cuts, bring forward the long-term ones
John HumphreysApril 4, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

Surplus of $7.1 billion is mostly due to higher tax The government has announced a...

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...

NSW budget must be adult in the room on sensible spending
Gene TunnyJune 24, 2025AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
The state’s debt levels remain high, with net debt currently around $110 billion and projected...
Any time someone tries to get ahead in Australia, the govt taxes them to the hilt
Simon CowanJune 14, 2025CANBERRA TIMES

It must have been a surreal experience for some this week. The Prime Minister was...

Why the Liberal Party struggles to regain ground
Simon CowanMay 31, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
The Liberals need to learn some political lessons from the result, but a lot of...
Why Libs and Nats will get the Coalition band back together
Tom SwitzerMay 21, 2025AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
The parties have been riven by very real personal and ideological tensions before, and still...
Australian states reap billions from mining. This revenue is already at risk
Gene Tunny, Simon CowanMay 17, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
As the pressure to rapidly phase out fossil fuels increases, the states will face an...
This is not as much about Trump as it is about the failure of modern politics
Simon CowanMay 3, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
The simple reality is that major parties across the world need to start measuring their...
“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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