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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.

Deficit a worry and right-wing governments aren’t going to fix it
Simon CowanJuly 12, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
The CIS has been warning about the risks of debt and deficits for some time....
productivity office work staff
Productivity stakes couldn’t be higher at roundtable
Gene TunnyJuly 4, 2025THE AUSTRALIAN
Productivity must trump politics in Labor’s second term...
SUBMARINE
Arbitrarily increasing defence spending would be a waste of money
Simon CowanJune 28, 2025CANBERRA TIMES
Both sides of politics have allowed industry concerns and state government parochialism to dominate defence...
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...
hurdles
Economic challenges ahead for the government
Robert Carling, Gene Tunny, Peter TulipJune 19, 2025IA153

The re-elected federal government faces a long list of economic challenges, some of them created...

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...

The six fundamental flaws underpinning the energy transition
Zoe Hilton, Aidan Morrison, Alex Bainton, Michael Wu May 2, 2024AP67
This paper focuses on the question of how Australians have been led to believe two...
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...
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...
Housing Affordability and Supply Restrictions
Peter TulipFebruary 8, 2024PP55
This paper describes the evidence of large effects of planning restrictions on housing affordability. This...
Housing is becoming a pipe dream for young Australians
Emilie DyeFebruary 6, 2024IA149
Housing affordability remains one of Australia’s clearest — and most frequently cited — examples of...
Australia’s post-pandemic public debt: is there still a problem?
Robert CarlingFebruary 5, 2024PP54
This report provides an update of the public debt situation and outlook based on the...
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...

Blame diagnostic inflation for the NDIS’ $10b Autism bill
Steven SchwartzMarch 5, 2026AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

As recently reported in The Australian Financial Review, autism costs the National Disability Insurance Scheme...

Interview with Benjamin Wyatt MLA
December 14, 2012
Capitalism and Virtue: Reaffirming Old Truths
Charles MurrayNovember 30, 2012

Dr Charles Murray, eminent American political scientist, scholar, and author of Coming Apart and The...

Q&A: The Future Submarine — Australia’s $40 billion mistake
November 13, 2012
The Future Submarine — Australia’s $40 billion mistake
November 13, 2012
Future Submarine Project – CIS Report
October 23, 2012
Q&A The Clash of Economic Ideas: The Great Policy Debates and Experiments
July 9, 2012
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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