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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.

Beware Canberra’s power bid
Robert CarlingMarch 26, 2008The Australian

Today's Council of Australian Governments meeting is the latest step in the Rudd Government's drive...

Throwing the baby bonus out with the bathwater
Peter SaundersMarch 25, 2008ABC News Online

The baby bonus was introduced by John Howard in 2004 to replace the maternity allowance....

State Tax Reform: Progress and Prospects
March 12, 2008

State Tax Reform: Progress and Prospects The Labor Government has set reform of federalism as...

Laugh or cry – you’ve lost your subsidy Queensland
Robert CarlingMarch 11, 2008Online Opinion

The supercharged Queensland economy passed another milestone this week, although it’s one that Queenslanders may...

State Tax Reform: Progress and Prospects
Robert CarlingMarch 10, 2008PM82

This paper analyses the state taxation issues in further detail. After reviewing various reform options,...

The politics of the big number
Robert CarlingFebruary 27, 2008The Australian Financial Review

True or false? The Commonwealth budget surplus is $62 billion. The Prime Minister’s salary is...

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...

“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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