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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.

Let’s look at the Facts of the 2020 Australian Bush Fires
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 20, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

Will We All Drown If Global Warming Happens?
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 19, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

Endless fiscal stimulus can’t be the new normal
Robert CarlingFebruary 18, 2021Financial Review

Governments everywhere are being urged to take advantage of near-zero interest rates, throw caution to...

Islands are Moving Not Sinking!
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 18, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

RBA’s lack of interest
Peter TulipFebruary 12, 2021IDEAS@THECENTRE

At last Friday’s Parliamentary hearing, the RBA’s performance was disappointing. It appeared reluctant to consider...

The Reserve Bank needs accountability that only external scrutiny can provide
Peter TulipFebruary 11, 2021Pearls and Irritations

The RBA is failing to meet its statutory objectives. Underlying inflation has fallen below the...

Why we should defend capitalism
Eugenie JosephNovember 28, 2018PP12

Capitalism has become a controversial idea in recent years; yet economic markets and free enterprise...

Australian Attitudes to Immigration: Coming Apart or Common Ground?
Jeremy Sammut, Monica WilkieNovember 18, 2018PP11

Immigration has been a contentious political issue in Australia and overseas for a number of...

Voting for a living: A shift in Australian politics from selling policies to buying votes?
Robert Carling, Terrence O’BrienSeptember 5, 2018PP9

This paper explores the hypothesis that growth of government has become self-sustaining through the emergence...

Why childcare is not affordable
Eugenie JosephAugust 29, 2018RR37

Childcare fees and out-of-pocket costs in Australia have been growing above inflation in recent years,...

Curbing Corporate Social Responsibility: Preventing Politicisation – and Preserving Pluralism – in Australian Business
Jeremy SammutAugust 21, 2018AP2

The unprecedented part that leading that Australian companies played in the same-sex marriage campaign in...

Too Little; Too Late: Personal Income Tax Reform in Australia
Robert Carling, Matthew O’DonnellJune 13, 2018PP5

The main thrust of the Government’s proposed personal income tax changes announced in the 2018-19...

Subsidies, safety nets and stagnation: Australia’s new economic model
Michael StutchburyApril 11, 2026AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW
Protecting one industry imposes a burden on the competitive sectors that actually prop up our...
The mental health system may be making us sicker
Steven SchwartzApril 6, 2026CANBERRA TIMES

Australia has a mental health crisis, but not the one we think. Despite decades of...

Housing negative gearing tax
Reducing the discount would likely not have any lasting impact in lowering house prices
Robert Carling, Michael StutchburyMarch 21, 2026CANBERRA TIMES

Anyone watching the smoke signals from Canberra knows that moves are afoot to try and...

Alarm bells ringing on more interest rate pain
Michael StutchburyMarch 18, 2026DAILY TELEGRAPH
Australians were losing faith that the combination of Labor’s economic policies and the RBA monetary...
Labor’s capital gains tax myths need busting
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026DAILY TELEGRAPH

Labor has long held an axe over the capital gains tax 50% discount and negative...

Measuring affordability in time, not dollars paints a different inflation picture
Marian L. TupyMarch 9, 2026CANBERRA TIMES

Even before new Middle East conflict sparked concern about petrol prices, Australia’s latest CPI release...

“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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