Finance, Banking, Monetary Systems
Our research explains and advocates why a sound financial and monetary system is critical for economic prosperity.
Publications
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…
TARGET30: Reducing the burden for future generations
David Murray, Maurice Newman, Simon Cowan
01 July 2013 | PF25
TARGET30 is a campaign promoting smaller government and cutting government spending to less than 30% of GDP in the next 10 years. This collection of speeches presented at the campaign’s launch focuses on ensuring that the crucial services Australians need are delivered efficiently and effectively…
Australia’s Future Fiscal Shock
Robert Carling
28 September 2012 | IA134
Australia’s Future Fiscal Shock. Robert Carling is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies.
Media & Commentary
Should the nanny state cap your calories?
Eugenie Joseph
18 January 2019 | Ideas@TheCentre
After a summer break filled with well-earned indulgence, you may be starting your New Year’s resolution to diet. But it could soon be the government’s responsibility to control your calorie…
Please, tech giants … take over my life
Monica Wilkie
14 December 2018 | Ideas@TheCentre
The ACCC this week released an alarming report into tech companies and digital giants, recommending greater regulation for companies such as Facebook and Google — deemed to be basically public…
Fiscal discipline as a victim of political disruption
Robert Carling
07 December 2018 | Ideas@TheCentre
It is often said that Australians have become complacent about what is needed to maintain the foundations for solid growth in the economy – jobs, real wages and living standards…
Proclaiming the good news on capitalism
Eugenie Joseph
30 November 2018 | Ideas@TheCentre
It is clear that capitalism is having a moral crisis, when even Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of a prosperous capitalist economy, terms it a “blatant failure”. But Australians have…
Budget surplus?
Simon Cowan
30 November 2018 | Ideas@TheCentre
The government has announced that the next Budget will deliver a surplus: the first in more than a decade. And unlike the “four years of surpluses” Wayne Swan announced in…