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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.

Cut wasteful spending, not just public servants
Alexander PhilipatosOctober 18, 2013

Following a long-standing pre-election commitment to cull Canberra's bureaucracy, the Coalition government will cut 12,000...

Efficient markets in Nobel Prizes
Stephen KirchnerOctober 18, 2013

Remember the 2004 crash in Sydney house prices? Neither do I. But Robert Shiller, one...

America’s budget road-blocks
Robert CarlingOctober 11, 2013

The political conflict over America's federal budget and debt has economists and financial markets on...

One ‘last’ bailout for Holden
Simon CowanOctober 4, 2013

Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has toured the Holden plant this week as part of...

Credit controls won’t fix housing
Stephen KirchnerOctober 3, 2013The Australian Financial Review

News that capital city dwelling prices rose to new record highs in September has been...

Australia’s leaky submarine program
Simon CowanSeptember 27, 2013

This week some interesting leaks have suggested that Australia's six Collins Class submarines are facing...

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...

Decoding Science: Navigating Imperfections, Truths, and Challenges in COVID
Matt Ridley, Peter KurtiDecember 14, 2023

CIS welcomed Matt Ridley for a thought-provoking discussion on the critical role of Government in...

bracket creep, emilie dye, tax, hidden tax, bracket, tax bracket
Bracket Creep Explained: The hidden tax cutting into your earnings
Emilie Dye, Randall EvansDecember 12, 2023

Bracket Creep Explained: The hidden tax cutting into your earnings. Bracket creep chips away at...

Free to Grow: Unlocking Economic Prosperity
Professor John H. Cochrane, Gene TunnyNovember 29, 2023

On Tuesday, 26 September CIS hosted a special evening featuring Professor John Cochrane for a...

If everything was working out for everyone it would be a Miracle! Marian Tupy | Fraser Nelson
Fraser Nelson, Marian Tupy, Tom SwitzerNovember 10, 2023

This special event featured Marian Tupy and Fraser Nelson in a thought-provoking conversation, led by...

The New Superannuation Tax Targets Your Savings
Robert CarlingJuly 30, 2023
Complex tax changes always have unintended consequences, but in this case it is difficult to...
A million extra homes won’t fix housing affordability!
Maya KuranaJuly 23, 2023
The budget's announcement of one million houses over the next five years will do very...
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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