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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.

Beyond Symbolism: Finding a Place for Local Government in Australia’s Constitution
January 20, 2009

Local governments could provide schools and fast development approvals if they receive more than just...

Keynes was wrong about the evils of thrift
Stephen KirchnerJanuary 13, 2009The Australian Financial Review

The Rudd government has urged Australians to spend-up in an effort to ward-off an economic...

Defining greed is an indulgence of its own
Oliver Marc HartwichDecember 30, 2008The Sydney Morning Herald

Complicated times provoke simple answers. As the global financial crisis keeps unfolding, the no less...

A Streak of Hypocrisy: Reactions to the Global Financial Crisis and Generational Debt
Jeremy SammutDecember 15, 2008PM90

This paper examines the policy challenges associated with the ageing of the Australian population through...

Harmacy: The Political Economy of Community Pharmacy in Australia
December 11, 2008

PHARMACY INDUSTRY IS ANTICOMPETITIVE AND KEEPING PRICES UP The community pharmacy industry is dressing up...

Flinging wads of dosh about won’t work
Stephen KirchnerDecember 10, 2008The Age

As $8.7 billion in federal government payments land in the bank accounts of families and...

Untangling childcare and family policy
Trisha JhaMarch 5, 2016

Speech given by CIS Policy Analyst Trisha Jha to the NSW Liberal Party’s Rural and...

The myths of the generational bargain
Simon CowanMarch 1, 2016Research Report 10

There has been a marked growth in pension cost and cohort. The percentage of people...

One School Does Not Fit All
Jennifer Buckingham OAM, Trisha JhaJanuary 31, 2016Research Report 9

Australia has a relatively large degree of choice between schools, a product of historical private...

Exposing the Stealth Tax: the Bracket Creep rip-off
Robert Carling, Michael PotterDecember 13, 2015Research Report 8

View Interactive Snapshot Bracket creep occurs when taxpayers pay a higher tax rate as their...

Youth Unemployment in Australia
Patrick CarvalhoNovember 22, 2015Research Report 7

This report looks at quantifying the rising youth unemployment problem, understanding its causes and proposing...

The Case for a New Australian Settlement: Ruminations of an Inveterate Economist
Wolfgang KasperJune 26, 2015OP141

Australia needs a cultural counter-revolution that appeals to the traditional Australian spirit of self-reliance and...

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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