Rooftop Solar: Paradise Lost | Zoe Hilton & Emilie Dye ​In this episode, we delve into the findings of the Centre for Independent Studies' recent report, "Rooftop Solar: Paradise Lost," co-authored by Zoe Hilton, Michael Wu, and Aidan Morrison. The report challenges the prevailing narrative that rooftop solar benefits all consumers, revealing that …

In "Super for Housing," Peter Tulip and Matthew Taylor explore allowing Australians to access their superannuation funds to purchase a home. He examines the rationale behind this idea, considering home equity and superannuation as alternative means of securing retirement. The paper analyzes potential impacts on housing demand and ownership rates, a…

In "Super for Housing," Peter Tulip and Matthew Taylor explore allowing Australians to access their superannuation funds to purchase a home. He examines the rationale behind this idea, considering home equity and superannuation as alternative means of securing retirement. The paper analyzes potential impacts on housing demand and ownership rates, a…

In this episode, we sit down with Peter Kurti to explore the ideas behind his latest work, Fractured Loyalties: Australian Citizenship and the Crisis of Civic Virtue. We discuss the fundamental role of tolerance in a diverse democracy, the rising threat of antisemitism in Australia, and how weakening civic virtues are impacting social cohesion. Kur…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/TgeMnPeo-Tc In this episode of Liberalism in Question, Rob sits down with historian and journalist Simon Heffer to explore the rich and complex history of liberalism. From the intellectual breakthroughs of the Scottish Enlightenment to the enduring influence of Adam Smith, we trace the evolution of liberal thought and i…

​In this episode, we delve into the proposal of allowing homebuyers to access their superannuation funds for purchasing a home. We explore how building housing equity and accumulating superannuation serve as alternative methods for ensuring financial security in retirement. The discussion highlights that while the government aims to ensure individu…

In "Fractured Loyalties: Australian Citizenship and the Crisis of Civic Virtue," Peter Kurti examines the foundational role of tolerance in secular liberal democracies, particularly in embracing religious diversity. He explores how this principle, integral to the liberal conception of citizenship, is under threat due to a concerning rise in antisem…

In "Fractured Loyalties: Australian Citizenship and the Crisis of Civic Virtue," Peter Kurti examines the foundational role of tolerance in secular liberal democracies, particularly in embracing religious diversity. He explores how this principle, integral to the liberal conception of citizenship, is under threat due to a concerning rise in antisem…

Interest, Usury and the Common Good by Ian Harper and Peter Kurti Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/interest-usury-and-the-common-good/ Listen to all our papers here: https://cisresearch.podbean.com/ Delve into the intricate history and ethical debates surrounding the practice of charging interest in "Interest, Usury, and the …

Interest, Usury and the Common Good by Ian Harper and Peter Kurti Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/interest-usury-and-the-common-good/ Listen to all our papers here: https://cisresearch.podbean.com/ Delve into the intricate history and ethical debates surrounding the practice of charging interest in "Interest, Usury, and the …

In this episode, we dive into New Zealand’s groundbreaking housing policy reforms and explore how they’ve successfully tackled the housing crisis. Join us as we unpack the findings of the Centre for Independent Studies’ report, Less Crowded Houses: The Success of NZ’s Housing Policy Reforms and Implications for Australia by Stuart Donovan. What les…

Less Crowded Houses. NZ’s housing policy success and implications for Australia by Stuart Donovan. Audio produced by Randall Evans. To read the paper: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/less-crowded-houses-the-success-of-nzs-housing-policy-reforms-and-implications-for-australia/ To become a member: https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ Introd…

Less Crowded Houses. NZ’s housing policy success and implications for Australia by Stuart Donovan. Audio produced by Randall Evans. To read the paper: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/less-crowded-houses-the-success-of-nzs-housing-policy-reforms-and-implications-for-australia/ To become a member: https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ Introd…

The Argument For Debate: how school debating can improve academic outcomes and foster a stronger democracy. This podcast audiobook explores the pivotal role of debate in addressing Australia’s educational and civic challenges. With academic achievement in decline and public confidence waning, the nation's 2024 Senate Inquiry into civics education u…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/0FS0cL7nqUk All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this episode of Liberalism in Question, David Kinley, Chair of Human Rights Law at the University of Sydney, joins us to explore the relationship between freedom, liberty, and responsibility. As the author of The Liberty Paradox, David delves in…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/EVmqHRwsooY All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this episode of Liberalism in Question, we are joined by Australian businessman, entrepreneur, and free-market advocate Ron Manners. As the founder of the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation and a vocal proponent of individual liberty, Manners…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/T6Ga9mjdFhs All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this compelling interview, Robert Forsyth engages in a deep conversation with Mary Eberstadt, acclaimed author and social commentator, on the profound effects of the sexual revolution and the critical importance of families in sustaining a healt…

All our Links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies Listen to this recording of our thought-provoking CIS event that explored the complexities of Australian identity, politics, and social cohesion. The event featured engaging discussions with special guests Nyunggai Warren Mundine, Dr. Tanveer Ahmed and Damien Freeman. Held after the histo…

The Rise of Activist Corporations: How activism agendas subsumed shareholder primacy by Peter Swan AO September 26, 2024 Australian companies have been shifting from a purely shareholder focus to a much vaguer, less accountable, and damaging stakeholder focus for many years. One important byproduct of this decline in shareholder focus has been form…

The Rise of Activist Corporations: How activism agendas subsumed shareholder primacy by Peter Swan AO September 26, 2024 Australian companies have been shifting from a purely shareholder focus to a much vaguer, less accountable, and damaging stakeholder focus for many years. One important byproduct of this decline in shareholder focus has been form…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/C45cbnu3Q1k All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this eye-opening interview, Robert Forsyth sits down with Nicholas Eberstadt, a leading expert on North Korea and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to dissect the origins and implications of North Korea's unique family dictat…

The Rise of Activist Corporations with Peter Swan - Interviewed by Emilie Dye. Australian companies have been shifting from a purely shareholder focus to a much vaguer, less accountable, and damaging stakeholder focus for many years. One important byproduct of this decline in shareholder focus has been former shareholder resources moving into ‘soci…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/vr3lSCpaK2o All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies Join Robert Forsyth in this enlightening interview with Dr. Jonathan Cole, a distinguished scholar and passionate advocate of classical liberalism. Dr. Cole shares his personal journey of conversion to classical liberalism, tracing the profound imp…

Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/government-spending-and-inflation/ That government expenditure in Australia has grown apace in recent years is well-known. The growth became gargantuan during the coronavirus pandemic. However, to a less dramatic extent, it was happening before the pandemic — and has continued since it ended. …

Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/government-spending-and-inflation/ That government expenditure in Australia has grown apace in recent years is well-known. The growth became gargantuan during the coronavirus pandemic. However, to a less dramatic extent, it was happening before the pandemic — and has continued since it ended. …

All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies All Things Considered. Making Moral Sense of the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza by Nigel Biggar. Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/all-things-considered-making-moral-sense-of-the-wars-in-ukraine-and-gaza/ The pacifist answer to the problem of #war is straightforward. Any u…

All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies All Things Considered. Making Moral Sense of the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza by Nigel Biggar. Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/all-things-considered-making-moral-sense-of-the-wars-in-ukraine-and-gaza/ The pacifist answer to the problem of #war is straightforward. Any u…

Government spending and inflation with Robert Carling - Interviewed by Emilie Dye. That government expenditure in Australia has grown apace in recent years is well-known. The growth became gargantuan during the coronavirus pandemic. However, to a less dramatic extent, it was happening before the pandemic — and has continued since it ended. Some obs…

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/vNHk5nBeEbM All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this thought-provoking interview, Robert Forsyth sits down with Behnam Ben Taleblu, a renowned Iran expert and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), to discuss the evolving landscape of liberalism in Iran. Together, t…

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/ybXvmRJ2nO0 The Australian nation began as one of the world's first social democracies. Today its political axis has shifted to make it one of the world's leading liberal countries, enjoying unparalleled prosperity - According to today's guest Bob Catley. Are you looking for sound, thought-provoking conversations on cur…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/UtF9I1H2bNE Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, owner of the independent newspaper Apple Daily and pro-democracy and human rights defender, has been detained and subjected to multiple Kafkaesque trials for fighting for freedom of speech and democracy in Hong Kong. His son, Sebastien Lai, and human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Ga…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/Xzk6zYXxvQ4 Reflecting on his pivotal role in the development of a proposal to recognise Australia’s Indigenous peoples in the Constitution, Damien Freeman explains how something that started off as an exercise in settlement politics ended in a failed referendum. Damien Freeman is a visiting scholar at the PM Glynn Inst…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/y9v7xJQCfow What would have happened if Israel did nothing on October 8th? Can the "war" in Gaza be called a "moral war"? Bret Stephens argues on this week's episode of Liberalism in Question that the "war" in Gaza is an "existential war" for the survival of Israel of the safety of Jewish people internationally. Bret St…

International data have repeatedly shown many Australian school students struggle with mathematics. Around 10% of students achieve at a level that requires additional support (NAPLAN) or are below the international benchmark Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) — which is the equivalent of around 400,000 Australian students per y…

Counting the Cost: Subsidies For Renewable Energy By Michael Wu. For all references and graphs, please download the publication at the centre for independent studies website where you can also become a member of CIS. As this paper is graph and data-heavy, it’s a good idea to have the paper open as you listen along. Download here: https://www.cis.or…

Counting the Cost: Subsidies For Renewable Energy By Michael Wu. For all references and graphs, please download the publication at the centre for independent studies website where you can also become a member of CIS. As this paper is graph and data-heavy, it’s a good idea to have the paper open as you listen along. Download here: https://www.cis.or…

The federal, state and territory Energy Ministers have introduced a shadow carbon price for the national electricity market. This ‘value of emissions reduction’ (VER) sets the value of carbon abatement at $66 per tonne in 2023, rising six-fold to $420 by 2050. Costs will be passed onto consumers through electricity network projects because the regu…

Oppositions hold governments to account, raise issues of public concern, represent aggrieved citizens, propose alternative policies. Having a viable and energetic opposition is an essential for the health of any democracy. The Art of Opposition is the first detailed published research study of Australian oppositions across all federal and state jur…

Watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/lYls1XLQG7s #auspol #freemarket #economics Robert Carling is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies. Robert is researching and writing about fiscal policy, taxation and federalism. Prior to joining the CIS, Robert was Executive Director, Economic and Fiscal at the New South Wales Treasury from…

The Australian Government wants to transition our electricity system to net zero carbon emissions by relying on wind and solar power – excluding alternatives such as small nuclear reactors. Its justification for this switch rests on the claim that a renewables-dominated system is environmentally beneficial and economically superior to using fossil …

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/pNLmQbvdnJc Matthew Ridley is a British science writer, journalist and businessman. He is known for his writings on science, the environment, and economics, and has been a regular contributor to The Times newspaper. Ridley was chairman of the UK bank Northern Rock from 2004 to 2007. Ridley is a libertarian, and a staunc…

How to Build Low-Cost Nuclear: Lessons from the world by Aidan Morrision. First published on April 11, 2024. For all references and graphs, please download the publication at the centre for independent studies website where you can also become a member of CIS. As this paper is graph and data-heavy, it’s a good idea to have the paper open as you lis…

How to Build Low-Cost Nuclear: Lessons from the world by Aidan Morrision. First published on April 11, 2024. For all references and graphs, please download the publication at the centre for independent studies website where you can also become a member of CIS. As this paper is graph and data-heavy, it’s a good idea to have the paper open as you lis…

In this episode, we delve into the concerning decline of proficiency in mathematics among Australian students over the past two decades. Join host Glenn Fahey, along with special guests Sarah Powell and Toni Hatten-Roberts, as they unravel the complexities behind this trend. Sarah Powell is Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education…

The science of learning represents an opportunity to design instruction in a way that is likely to lead to most students’ success with learning. The evidence suggests explicit instruction of a well-sequenced knowledge-focused curriculum will lead to that success. But, what is the science of learning? Let's dive in with Trisha Jha to find out. All o…

Leading economists Robert Carling and Warren Hogan discuss our true tax burden, which is higher than most people believe. They outline how it has grown, why the federal and state governments are not interested in relieving the burden on Australians — and what needs to be done to prevent us sliding into a very grim future. #auspol All our links: htt…

Follow this podcast here: https://liberalisminquestion.podbean.com/ Watch here: https://youtu.be/6uiMn9hRqQA In this episode, Rob chats with Marian Tupy, the editor of Human​Progress.org, a senior fellow the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, and co-author of The Simon Abundance Index. Marian argues that humanity has accompl…

Watch here: https://youtu.be/DHfbzSOM7Fw On this episode, Rob engages in a compelling conversation with Sherelle Jacobs, a columnist for the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. Sherelle contends that the Western world is at a tipping point, experiencing a decline marked by limitations on economic freedom, intellectual pursuits, and the freedom to demon…

Mind over matter. The philosophical arguments around AI, natural intelligence and memory. In this intriguing research paper by Professor John Sweller, he deftly navigates the complex intricacies surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), natural intelligence, and memory. The entry in the research series of the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), h…

Warren Hogan is an eminent economist, and the founder of EQ Economics, a Sydney-based micro advisory firm, with a focus on providing economic and strategic advice to businesses in Australia. Warren is a regular in Australian and international media, and a columnist for The Australian Financial Review. He has also published extensively in The Conver…