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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 Economics of Bureaucracy and Statutory Authorities
Gordon Tullock, Alistair Watson, Peter Swan AO, Warren HoganMarch 21, 1983PF1

Economists have two quite distinct approaches to the study of government enterprises and regulatory agencies....

The Entrepreneur in Society
Barry Maley, Malcolm Fisher, Michael G, Porter, Neville Kennard, Israel KirznerJanuary 1, 1983PF2

Despite his pivotal role in the marketplace, the entrepreneur has not been accorded a major...

The Economics of Bureacracy and Statutory Authorities
Gordon TullockJanuary 1, 1983PF1
Rationalising Rustic Regulation
Ted SieperFebruary 26, 1982RS2

A landmark discussion of agricultural policy in Australia. Written in 1982, Ted Sieper asks ‘who...

A New Financial Revolution? An International Review of the Campbell Report
Malcolm Fisher, A. R. Prest, Michael Parkin, Geoffrey E. Wood, John F. O. Bilson, Tim CongdonFebruary 1, 1982R3

When the Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Australian Financial System (the...

Lessons from the Ord
B.R. DavidsonJanuary 1, 1982PM2

Readers will draw their own various conclusions from these two modest but compelling essays. It...

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...

“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 Productivity Commission 5 year productivity review: Increasing Australia’s Future Prosperity
Michael PotterDecember 15, 2016CIS Submission

The submission by CIS Research Fellow Michael Potter argues: An excellent productivity boosting agenda is...

Submission to the Productivity Commission on the Preliminary Findings Report: Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services: Identifying Sectors for Reform
Sara HudsonOctober 27, 2016CIS Submission

To improve Indigenous outcomes, there needs to be better management of overall funding and a...

Submission to Senate Inquiry on Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan) Bill 2016
Michael PotterOctober 3, 2016CIS Submission

The submission by CIS Research Fellow Michael Potter provides a detailed case for a reduction...

Submission to the Senate Inquiry into Enterprise Tax Plan Bill 2016
Michael PotterSeptember 30, 2016CIS Submission

The growing company tax burden contrasts with the state of the economy, which is showing...

Productivity Commission Inquiry Into Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services: Submission in response to issues paper
Trisha JhaJuly 1, 2016CIS Submission

The Human Services Inquiry is ‘examining policy options in the human services sector that incorporate...

Principles and recommendations for tax reform – CIS submission National Reform Summit
Simon Cowan, Robert Carling, Henry ErgasAugust 27, 2015CIS Submission

The slant towards cutting taxes before 2010 was welcome, but for such an approach to...

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