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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.

Greedflation: Inflation with an Agenda – With Warren Hogan
March 12, 2024What You Need to Know About

Warren Hogan is an eminent economist, and the founder of EQ Economics, a Sydney-based micro...

Australian money
Labor’s $250m paid parental leave plan is not so super
Simon CowanMarch 9, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

The government has committed more than $250 million to expanding paid parental level. This is...

price gouging supermarket bill receipt 16x9
Maths show supermarkets not to blame for cost-of-living crisis
Robert CarlingFebruary 28, 2024AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

Supermarkets have clearly become the poster children for alleged ‘price gouging’ behaviour in the cost-of-living...

The government clearly doesn’t understand the consequences of its actions
Simon Cowan, Gene TunnyFebruary 24, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

Despite strenuous protests from the business community, it is hardly surprising that Workplace Relations Minister...

John Kehoe Image
Canberra’s fiscal ticking bomb
John Kehoe, Tom SwitzerFebruary 15, 2024
Join us on March 13 for a breakfast conversation with John Kehoe, exploring the challenges...
Jim Chalmers. treasurer, economics, tax, stage three tax cuts
Chalmers is doing a fantastic job … at ignoring the dire outlook
Tom SwitzerFebruary 13, 2024SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Chalmers is doing a fantastic job … at ignoring the dire outlook. We are only...

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...

Helping People in 100 Years VS Helping People Now
Bjorn LomborgFebruary 21, 2021

The world’s governments have picked 169 well-meaning targets, promising everything to everyone. But too many...

Let’s look at the Facts of the 2020 Australian Bush Fires
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 20, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

Will We All Drown If Global Warming Happens?
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 19, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

Islands are Moving Not Sinking!
Bjorn Lomborg, Tom SwitzerFebruary 18, 2021

Global warming is a problem that we should tackle… smartly. But climate change will not...

On Liberty EP33 Superannuation has Failed
Salvatore Babones, Emilie DyeNovember 12, 2020On Liberty

Superannuation has failed in its original goal: helping Australians to achieve financial independence in retirement....

Lower Company Tax to Resuscitate the Economy | Jacinta Price
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Randall EvansOctober 8, 2020

Lower Company Tax Rates! There is substantial international evidence as to the impacts of a...

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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