The Centre for Independent Studies is Australasia's leading public policy research institute.

The CIS aims to promote:

• Individual liberty and choice, including freedom of association, religion, speech and the right to property
• An economy based on free markets
• Democratic government under the rule of law
• An autonomous and free civil society

Funding and Independence

CIS is funded solely by private sector donations-from individuals, companies and charitable trusts-as well as subscriptions and books sales 'Independent' in our name means:

• we are politically non-partisan
• our research is not directed by our supporters

Research

Since 1976, the CIS has conducted research into:

• Economics
• Social policy
• Law
• Government
• Environment
• Foreign affairs.

CIS research benefits from academics world wide and its reform recommendations regularly appear in the media and are discussed by academics and politicians.

Lectures and Seminars

The CIS has an ever growing number of lectures, workshops, seminars and conferences which are held at the CIS offices and around Australia.

• Consilium has become one of the premier conferences in Australia. This invitation only event examines wide ranging issues that affect our world.
• The John Bonython Lecture is the Centre's annual gala event, bringing the forefront of international intellectual opinion to Australia. The guest speaker in 2009 was P.J.O’Rourke.
• The annual Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom examines the contribution of religion to free societies.
• The CIS Policy Lectures and Crisis Commentaries aim to foster accessible public debate on economic and social policy issues.

Most events are made available to view on the CIS website.

Publishing

Publishing is a central part of the Centre's activities. Apart from books we publish a wide range of other publications. They are used by members of the media, policy analysts, academics, students, opinion makers and the general public

• Policy Monographs: PMs are produced as a result of extensive research and analysis
• Occasional Papers: OPs are often generated from lectures and seminars.
• Issue Analysis: IAs provides timely briefing papers on public policy issues to the media and those involved in policy formation.
• Policy: our quarterly journal has been published since 1985 and is a widely recognised reference for public policy formulation.
• ideas@thecentre: our weekly emailed thoughts of the week which will provoke great dinner party discussions.

Liberty and Society Programme

In 1996 the CIS began a programme of weekend seminars designed to challenge the brightest young minds in Australia and New Zealand. The purpose is to bring together a group of undergraduates and recent graduates to discuss the intellectual basis and practical aspects of a free society. By targeting directly the opinion-makers and policy-formers of tomorrow, the Centre will help shape economic and social thinking in Australia and New Zealand.