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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.

Should the private health insurance rebate be abandoned?
David GadielMay 9, 2014

The Commonwealth spends about $5.5 billion on the private health insurance rebate, representing 8 –...

Andrew West – ‘What’s the Point of the ABC?’ – CIS Forum
May 8, 2014
Robert Carling on ‘The Business’ – Tax Expenditures
May 7, 2014
A signpost away from state power
Greg LindsayMay 7, 2014The Australian Financial Review

The Road to Serfdom did not turn out to be the expressway Friedrich Hayek imagined...

Finding savings in education
Jennifer Buckingham OAMMay 2, 2014

Of the eight ideas proposed in the latest TARGET30 report, the idea to charge high...

Puncturing our naive bubble
Simon CowanMay 2, 2014

This week, the Commission of Audit (CoA) delivered five kilograms of uncomfortable truths. The message...

Corporate Control, Economic Efficiency and Shareholder Justice
Peter Dodd, R.R OfficerMay 18, 1986PM9

This book is an examination of the theoretical background and economics of the market for...

Private Correspondence: Competition or Monopoly in Australia’s Postal Services?
Robert AlbonOctober 18, 1985PM7

Dr Albon beleives that the most important and practical way to improve postal services to...

Trial Without Error: Anticipation vs Resilence as Strategies for Risk Reduction
Aaron WildavskyAugust 19, 1985OP13

Safety regulations are proliferating at a great rate in society today, attempting to protect us...

The Anti-Capitalist Mentality: Post Mortem for an Ideology
R.M. HartwellAugust 15, 1985OP14

In the 2nd John Bonython Lecture Professor Hartwell traces the history of the anti-capitalist mentality...

Enterprise: Free, Dependent or Captor?
Warren HoganAugust 8, 1985OP12

The relationship between government and business is the theme of this essay. Each depends on...

The Case Against the Arbitration Commission
P.P. McGuinnessApril 26, 1985OP11

The Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission is the main obstacle to much-needed reform of industrial...

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 the Inquiry into Housing Affordability and Supply in Australia
Peter TulipSeptember 13, 2021

Submission to the government review into housing affordability in Australia. Housing in Australia is too...

Submission to the Independent Review of the Australian Public Service
Simon Cowan, Eugenie JosephAugust 1, 2018
Submission to the Commitment to the Senate issued by the Business Council of Australia
Robert CarlingApril 11, 2018CIS Submission
Submission to Productivity Commission – Draft report: Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services
Michael Potter, Sara HudsonJuly 14, 2017CIS Submission

The Productivity Commission (PC) released a draft report proposing reforms to increased competition, contestability and...

Submission to IPART Review of Social and Affordable Housing Rent Models
Michael PotterMay 15, 2017CIS Submission

In April, IPART released a draft report into models for setting social and affordable housing...

Submission to Senate Economics Committee Inquiry into Corporate Tax Avoidance
Michael PotterApril 19, 2017CIS Submission

Corporate tax avoidance is an issue of some concern to the Australian community. However, many...

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