Opinion & Commentary

Opinion and Commentary contains media articles written by CIS researchers.
Categories
Our right to silence is too important to lose
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
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
New Poker Machine laws are impeding people’s freedom Read More
Greens boycott is anti-Semitic
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
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
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
Gay marriage dissenters deserve the same respect as advocates Read More
Getting the nanny state out of alcohol retail
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?
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
Sometimes, even a politician's smile is more important than his or her policies. Read More
Let’s ignore snobs of Old Europe
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
Lefties are smarter than righties, but could righties be happier. Read More

