Finance, Banking, Monetary Systems
Our research explains and advocates why a sound financial and monetary system is critical for economic prosperity.
Publications
Millennials and Super: the case for voluntary superannuation
Simon Cowan
28 May 2019 | PP20
Superannuation is not a good deal for everyone. As a result of house prices increases, it has become much harder to save for a deposit and, as a result, homeownership percentages among younger workers have fallen. Superannuation, particularly future increases in the guarantee rate, is…
I, Mechanical Pencil: Why a socialist economy can never work
Steven Kates
06 February 2019 | PP14
Socialism brings poverty and oppression. The ignorance of so many as to why only a market economy is capable of bringing prosperity and political freedom is a major problem. Too many believe a socialist utopia can be achieved if only the right people took the…
The Major Bank Levy: We’re all going to be hit
Michael Potter
19 June 2017 | RR29
The major bank levy was proposed in the 2017–18 Budget. The levy has numerous flaws including: The costs of the levy will likely be passed on as higher interest rates for mortgages and business loans, harming households and business investment which is very weak. The…
Principles and recommendations for tax reform - CIS submission National Reform Summit
Simon Cowan, Robert Carling, Henry Ergas
27 August 2015 | CIS Submission
The slant towards cutting taxes before 2010 was welcome, but for such an approach to return in the foreseeable future, the growth of government spending will have to be curbed and the size of government as a share of GDP reduced. Although tax reform may…
Submission to the National Commission of Audit
Alexander Philipatos, Jennifer Buckingham, Jeremy Sammut, Robert Carling, Simon Cowan, Stephen Kirchner, Trisha Jha
01 April 2014 | T30.08
The federal government’s Commission of Audit (CoA) was established in 2013 to review the performance and role of government. This publication is an edited version of the CIS submission to the CoA listing practical solutions aimed at cutting government expenditure. The government should adopt a…
Media & Commentary
Truth is, not all tax cuts are created equal
John Humphreys
27 October 2019 | The Canberra Times
TREASURY’S flawed tax model has caused the government to underestimate the benefits and overestimate the budget cost of their long-term tax reforms. This has influenced the government to pursue the…
ASIC v Westpac
Simon Cowan
23 August 2019 | Ideas@TheCentre
The recent furore about Justice Perram’s remarks that “borrowers ditch wagyu steaks and shiraz for cheaper food” to meet loan repayments not only fundamentally misunderstands what he was saying —…
Whither structural economic reform?
Robert Carling
14 June 2019 | Ideas@TheCentre
Australia’s vaunted economic miracle is looking a bit ragged after another sluggish quarter. There is still growth, but barely enough to match population expansion; and not enough to stop unemployment…
Interest rate myths
Simon Cowan
14 June 2019 | Ideas@TheCentre
With last week’s cut, Australia’s cash rate has fallen to its lowest level in decades, possibly longer. Along with the usual roulette as to whether the banks will pass the…
Not a super idea to make saving for deposits hard
Simon Cowan
30 May 2019 | The Australian
Much about the recent election result came as something of a surprise, but the central importance of housing policy was not surprising in the least. Home ownership is not merely…