Family Life
An open and liberal society is characterised by a flourishing civil society, of which strong families are a fundamental part. The family unit should be valued and subject to minimal government interference, but there are challenges to this principle. To what extent should the state support the family? Is paternalistic intervention in dysfunctional families justified? How and when should the state act to strengthen the family? CIS research on family life works to address these issues.
Publications
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A Fair Go: Fact or Fiction?
| 09 May 2013 | Policy MonographsThe Australian ideal of a fair go is fact rather than fiction. By offering all individuals the opportunity to capitalise... Read More...
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Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State
| 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Research PapersThe welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...
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TARGET30 SNAPSHOT: Tax Welfare Churn and the Australian Welfare State
| 27 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 SnapshotsThe welfare state currently consumes $316 billion a year; however, much of this spending is not targeted at those who need... Read More...
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The Fraught Politics of Saying Sorry for Forced Adoption: Implications for Child Protection Policy in Australia
| 19 Mar 2013 | Issue AnalysisMany Australians will believe a national apology for forced adoption is overdue. But there is a danger that the apology will... Read More...
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TARGET30: Towards smaller government and future prosperity
| 06 Mar 2013 | TARGET30 Research PapersTARGET30 is a campaign promoting smaller government, supported by a series of research reports providing policy solutions... Read More...
Opinion & Commentary
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Our fear of adoptions is hurting vulnerable children
| 15 Jul 2013 | The DrumRather than further pursuing often futile parental rehabilitation programs, we need to get children out of harm's way through ... Read More
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The fair go is fact, not political platitude
| 16 May 2013 | ON LINE OpinionAustralia's social escalator moves so quickly that the poorest Australians can find fortune in just a few years. With the ... Read More
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The politics of apologies: Easy moralism for past sins, but ignorance about the present
| 26 Mar 2013 | ABC Religion & EthicsOfficial apologies tend to descend into simplistic condemnations of people and times past rather than criticising current ... Read More
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Why adoption should, in some cases, continue
| 22 Mar 2013 | CrikeyThe "never again" approach to separating parents from children because of previous forced adoption practices has implicatons ... Read More
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Apologise but allow adoption
| 19 Mar 2013 | The AustralianThe federal parliament cannot ignore the politics behind the national apology and implications for child protection policy, ... Read More
Ideas@TheCentre
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From parenting payment to prostitution?
| 12 Jul 2013Claims that people on welfare are being ‘forced’ into prostitution because of cuts to welfare should be treated with ...
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A tale of two houses
| 24 May 2013For years, excuses have been used to hide the discriminatory state and federal policies that deny individual property rights ...
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Fair go fear-mongering flies in the face of facts
| 10 May 2013Swan’s fair go fear-mongering is unfounded. Australians from even the poorest and least educated families are entering ...
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Easy moralism on forced adoption ‘sorry’
| 22 Mar 2013The apology on forced adoption condemned the sins of the past, while ignoring the current day sins of ‘enlightened’ social ...
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Fairness in the welfare state
| 15 Mar 2013The welfare state must stop rewarding irresponsible behaviour and distinguish between deserving and undeserving cases....
