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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.

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...
Trisha Jha on science of learning, Peter Tulip on the RBA hikes, and more
March 17, 2026

Peter Tulip on 2GB Money News re the forthcoming RBA decision — from 2:30 to...

March Appeal CIS Newsletter
March 16, 2026

Taylor pressed on trade, migration and the limits of government Michael Stutchbury sat down with...

Michael Stutchbury on inflation, Steven Schwartz on NDIS, Robert Carling and Peter Tulip on CGT
March 16, 2026

More taxes to cover Labor’s failures — across NewsCorp Economist Robert Carling, who authored a...

Four-day working week a 1970s echo
Michael StutchburyMarch 13, 2026

I’ve been banging on about the Centre for Independent Studies’ 50th year being an echo...

More coverage of Robert Carling’s paper on capital gains tax
March 12, 2026

Allegra Spender urges major tax overhaul to cut CGT discount — across NewsCorp The Centre...

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...

Drowning in a Sea of Diagnoses. How medicalising distress is overwhelming Australia’s mental health system and failing those most in need
Steven SchwartzFebruary 12, 2026AP100

Executive Summary At the centre of Australia’s mental health system lies a paradox. Government...

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...

Australia’s 2020 Federal Budget
Simon Cowan, Stephen Kirchner, Danielle WoodOctober 8, 2020

The Most Consequential Budget of our Generation. Covid-19 has blown an unprecedented hole in the...

On Liberty EP28 Analysis, commentary, and digest of Budget2020
Simon Cowan, Robert CarlingOctober 8, 2020On Liberty

We hosted a special Episode of On Liberty host by CIS Research Director Simon Cowan....

We need freedom to innovate
Matt Ridley, Tom SwitzerSeptember 28, 2020

“The argument that you need government funding to encourage innovation is not true”, Matt Ridley....

On Liberty EP25 Education reforms to boost productivity
Glenn Fahey, Peter AchterstraatSeptember 22, 2020On Liberty

Hosted by CIS Research Fellow, Glenn Fahey. In this webinar, Glenn spoke with Peter Achterstraat...

On Liberty EP24 Red tape and regulation hurt economic growth
Salvatore Babones, Gene TunnySeptember 17, 2020On Liberty

We welcomed Gene Tunny, Founder and Director of Adept Economics. Tunny, with co-author Ben Scott,...

How to Fix Super
Andrew Bragg, James Pawluk, Simon CowanJuly 31, 2020

If there is one thing that almost everyone agrees on, it is that not everything...

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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