Opinion & Commentary

Opinion and Commentary contains media articles written by CIS researchers.

Our right to silence is too important to lose

01 Oct 2012 | The Conversation

The move to dilute the right to silence in NSW is unjust, constitutionally questionable and unnecessary. Read More

Religious freedom must not be taken for granted

24 Feb 2012 | ABC Online

The importance of religious belief is both derided and attacked in our public debates. Tony Abbott's Christian faith is often used as a stick with which to poke, if not beat, the Opposition Leader Read More

Don’t gamble with people’s freedom

29 Sep 2011 | The Drum

New Poker Machine laws are impeding people’s freedom Read More

Greens boycott is anti-Semitic

06 Sep 2011 | The Canberra Times

Recently the Greens have refused to back a motion in the Senate condemning efforts by protesters from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign to bar would-be customers from entering... Read More

If only phone hacking were the real scandal

20 Aug 2011 | The Spectator

For all the tankers of ink that have been spilt analysing Rupert Murdoch’s recent travails, nobody has seen fit to mention the dark irony at the heart of the phone-hacking scandal. Which is that the... Read More

Brits recoil from teaching respect for authority at home or school

15 Aug 2011 | The Australian

Following last week's riots in Britain, politicians and commentators have similarly been asking the wrong question. What caused thousands of (mainly) young males to torch buildings where they live, loot... Read More

Beware pink totalitarianism

15 Jul 2011 | The Spectator

Gay marriage dissenters deserve the same respect as advocates Read More

Getting the nanny state out of alcohol retail

28 Mar 2011 | Online Opinion

To Australian regulators, beer, wine and spirits seem to be in the same danger category as guns and porn – and thus have to be hidden from the public's view in specialised stores. Read More

Should we have an absolute freedom of speech?

26 Mar 2011 | The Sydney Morning Herald

So it is easy to be for free speech in principle. It is far less obvious what this will mean in practice. Read More

Most voters just want a pretty face

17 Mar 2011 | The Australian

Sometimes, even a politician's smile is more important than his or her policies. Read More

Let’s ignore snobs of Old Europe

Jens Schroeder | 13 Apr 2010 | The Sydney Morning Herald

Proudly plebeian, Australia has no need to apologise for its egalitarianism and should celebrate its achievements more self-consciously. Read More

Unhappy lefties tend to be too clever by half

Oliver Marc Hartwich | 18 Mar 2010 | The Australian

Lefties are smarter than righties, but could righties be happier. Read More

Publications

A Fair Go: Fact or Fiction?

Benjamin Herscovitch | 09 May 2013 | Policy Monographs

The Australian ideal of a fair go is fact rather than fiction. By offering all individuals the opportunity to capitalise... Read More...
Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State

Andrew Baker | 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Research Papers

The welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...
TARGET30 SNAPSHOT: Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State

Andrew Baker | 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Snapshots

The welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...
Australia and the Asian Ascendancy: Why Upskilling is Not Necessary to Reap the Rewards

Benjamin Herscovitch | 19 Feb 2013 | Issue Analysis

Government programs to upskill the Australian workforce for the Asian Century are a solution to a non-problem. With more... Read More...
Leadership, Liberty and the Crisis of Authority

Frank Furedi | 15 Oct 2012 | Occasional Papers

In the 27th John Bonython Lecture, Frank Furedi discussed the distinct lack of leadership needed to deal with the many crises... Read More...

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