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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.

Teaching phonics to kids is cheap but has a big pay-off
Jennifer Buckingham OAMApril 29, 2016Australian Financial Review

In Tuesday’s federal Budget, the government will be under intense pressure to markedly increase school...

Negative gearing helps poorer people most
Michael PotterApril 29, 2016ABC The Drum

Should we get rid of tax provisions that provide a greater benefit to the rich...

CGT trumps negative gearing
Robert CarlingApril 29, 2016Ideas@TheCentre

If England was a nation of shopkeepers as Napoleon is said to have asserted, modern...

SUBMARINE
Periscopes down
Simon CowanApril 29, 2016Ideas@TheCentre

It is telling that when the Prime Minister announced that Australia will spend $50 billion...

It all makes work
Theodore DalrympleApril 29, 2016Ideas@TheCentre

The Victorian State government has announced it will spend $500 million more on the reduction...

MEDIA RELEASE: Axing negative gearing will hit low earners harder than high earners
Michael PotterApril 27, 2016

Abolishing negative gearing will be regressive: it will hit low income earners harder than high...

Humankind and the infinite resource base
Marian L. TupyApril 2, 2026OP212

This paper examines the human ability to expand our resource base into infinity. Given human...

Why We Should Not Increase Capital Gains Tax
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026PP64
Debate about capital gains tax rarely occurs in isolation. It typically emerges during periods of...
10 CGT Myths Busted
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2026IA155

The criticisms and characterisation of the 50% capital gains tax discount over many years have...

Growth that Builds: Beyond the immigration blame game 
Marian L. TupyMarch 5, 2026PP63
This paper argues that Australia’s housing crisis is primarily a supply failure, not simply a...
Reform of Heritage Legislation
Peter TulipFebruary 26, 2026PP62

Introduction Several states have recently overhauled their planning legislation. However, the flaws in their heritage...

Hours, Not Dollars: Rethinking the cost-of-living debate 
Marian L. TupyFebruary 23, 2026AP102

Executive Summary Public debate about the ‘cost-of-living crisis’ often confuses nominal price increases with declining...

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 State of our Economy
Tom SwitzerJune 19, 2021

Will Canberra’s historic spending blowout lead to an inflation surge, prompting higher interest rates? Where...

Zoning, Housing Prices and Neighbourhood Character
Peter Tulip, Tom SwitzerMay 13, 2021

Peter Tulip discusses the effect of planning restrictions on housing costs and presents his new...

On Liberty EP51 Federal Budget 2021 recap
Simon Cowan, John HumphreysMay 12, 2021On Liberty

From childcare subsidies to jobseeker increases and big infrastructure spending this years’ 2021 Federal Budget...

Government can’t prop up the economy forever!
Anjali NadaradjaneApril 22, 2021

Milton Friedman used to say that nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program....

On Liberty EP43 How big is big enough government?
Glenn Fahey, Matthew LeshMarch 17, 2021On Liberty

“The goal should be to shrink, focus and improve the state.” We welcomed Adam Smith...

On Liberty EP41 The Paradox of Prosperity
Salvatore Babones, Peter MurphyMarch 3, 2021On Liberty

Does prosperity depend on discipline, rational planning, and strict adherence to scientific principles? Or is...

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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