Opinion & Commentary
Opinion and Commentary contains media articles written by CIS researchers.
Categories
Reduced defence spending may well be sound public policy
Australia is under US protection and the world is a more peaceful place now.... Read More
Independent body needed to preserve integrity of fiscal forecasts
Treasury has not gone wrong in its forecast for recovery, but in its expectations for the preceding downturn.... Read More
There are better ways to ensure State's future
The WA Future Fund announced in the State Budget last week is based on two related but fundamentally flawed ideas.... Read More
War-war when jaw-jaw fails?
Despite a United Nations and Arab League-sponsored ceasefire agreement and the deployment of growing numbers of UN observers, Syrian troops continue to fire on civilians.... Read More
Honesty the best policy for those in government
"HONESTY is the first chapter in the book of wisdom," said Thomas Jefferson. Without honesty there is no trust. Without trust, there is no confidence others will follow the rules. Abuse the virtue of...... Read More
Mistakes writ large if reading goes wrong
A flawed report shows the muddled state of literacy policy in NSW.... Read More
IR duplication hinders competitive federalism
Industrial relations matters should be left to the states.... Read More
Greens have got us tilting at windmills
The debate on climate change has less to do with scientific rationalism and more with the dogma of religious faith.... Read More
Top quality pre-school is child's play
High quality pre-school can significantly mediate the negative impact of a language and literacy-poor home environment, beginning at the age of three.... Read More
How taxing housing diminishes affordability
Australia’s under-supplied housing market and housing affordability problem is largely due to the tax burden on housing.... Read More
End the cargo-cult aid mentality that has ruined our neighbours
Pacific elites have appropriated the bulk of aid, mineral, forestry and other incomes to become immensely wealthy at the cost of villagers.... Read More
Let's start to expect greater outcomes
Fewer than half of Australians with a disability are employed. But we know that given the right help many people, even those with serious disabilities, can work.... Read More
Mandatory reporting has not failed children
Far from the failure it is made out to be, mandatory reporting by police, education and health professionals of children at risk of harm has worked incredibly well.... Read More
Egged on to heed Easter
Chocolate has taken over the Easter message.... Read More
Losing sight of the lucky country
Australia is a country that barely understands, let alone appreciates, its own luck.... Read More
Faith placed in Uncle Sam as neighbourhood warily welcomes China
Australians have become used to thinking about the rise of China, the role of America, and what the interplay between these two powers means for us. Related... Read More
Carmaker triumph or GM hypocrisy?
It's a product of public relations that Australians believe every government supports its own car industry, and looking at General Motors' ruthless cost-cutting of its European brands puts even more focus...... Read More
NSW health history shows Carr's feet of clay
If you believe the hype, Carr's entry into federal politics is a sign that the floundering incompetence which has typified the Rudd and Gillard administrations will now be replaced by the policy substance...... Read More
Opportunity for major reform
The highlight of the Gonski report is that it is student-centred; shifting the focus from the demands of schools to the needs of children. Where the report falls short is that it is not entirely sector-neutral.... Read More
Murray's Future Fund brace is broken
David Murray's defence of the Future Fund can only inspire doubt about the ability of sovereign wealth funds to enhance Australia's prosperity.... Read More
