During the Covid-19 pandemic, state and territory leaders afforded great responsibility for decisions about managing both the impact of the virus and the expectations of a fearful public to unelected public health experts. Severe restrictions imposed on movement and association at the behest of these experts — Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) — lasted for many months.The exceptional circumstances of the pandemic hardly formed part of the regular routine of government. Indeed, so exceptional was the pandemic that dependence on advisors with medical and public health expertise might well have been unavoidable if government was to be effective.Faced with the need to assuage public fears, there was also a need for the public to hear what medical experts made of the pandemic and the dangers it posed. Most Australians readily complied with state-imposed edicts, apparently confident that governments were acting only in the best interests of citizens.However, many expressed concern that as the pandemic ran its course, political leaders appeared to be doing one of two things. Either they followed the advice of medical experts blindly and without regard to the social, economic and community impact of the imposed measures; or they ignored expert medical advice because of concerns about its likely impact would fuel worries that they were not doing enough to keep citizens ‘safe’.[1]These concerns only compounded as, during the course of the pandemic, medical experts began to fall out with one another, thereby dissolving any notion of universal medical consensus about how best to manage contagion.[2] As the pandemic ran its course, populations bowed to the dictates of chief medical officers. The will and wishes of the demos were subordinated to the opinions and directions of the knowledgeable few.While the Covid-19 pandemic provides a rare, if egregious, example, of their doing so, the ceding by elected representatives of decision-making to health bureaucrats is just one example of the problem that Adrian Pabst, a political scientist, has described as double delegation — “whereby representatives elected by citizens delegate power to unelected officials who are part of a professional political class.”Read the rest of the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/authority-expertise-and-democracy-should-we-trust-the-experts/5YSGGR2Q2GNZSKOF

During the Covid-19 pandemic, state and territory leaders afforded great responsibility for decisions about managing both the impact of the virus and the expectations of a fearful public to unelected public health experts. Severe restrictions imposed on movement and association at the behest of these experts — Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) — lasted for many months. The exceptional circumstances of the pandemic hardly formed part of the regular routine of government. Indeed, so exceptional was the pandemic that dependence on advisors with medical and public health expertise might well have been unavoidable if government was to be effective. Faced with the need to assuage public fears, there was also a need for the public to hear what medical experts made of the pandemic and the dangers it posed. Most Australians readily complied with state-imposed edicts, apparently confident that governments were acting only in the best interests of citizens. However, many expressed concern that as the pandemic ran its course, political leaders appeared to be doing one of two things. Either they followed the advice of medical experts blindly and without regard to the social, economic and community impact of the imposed measures; or they ignored expert medical advice because of concerns about its likely impact would fuel worries that they were not doing enough to keep citizens ‘safe’.[1] These concerns only compounded as, during the course of the pandemic, medical experts began to fall out with one another, thereby dissolving any notion of universal medical consensus about how best to manage contagion.[2] As the pandemic ran its course, populations bowed to the dictates of chief medical officers. The will and wishes of the demos were subordinated to the opinions and directions of the knowledgeable few. While the Covid-19 pandemic provides a rare, if egregious, example, of their doing so, the ceding by elected representatives of decision-making to health bureaucrats is just one example of the problem that Adrian Pabst, a political scientist, has described as double delegation — “whereby representatives elected by citizens delegate power to unelected officials who are part of a professional political class.” Read the rest of the paper here: <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/publication/authority-expertise-and-democracy-should-we-trust-the-experts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/publication/authority-expertise-and-democracy-should-we-trust-the-experts/</a> 5YSGGR2Q2GNZSKOF

What You Need To Know About... Heeding expert advice

Robert Carling

At the time of recording, the details of the proposal are still not known in full. However, enough was revealed at the time of the government’s original March 1 announcement and in subsequent elaboration, that we are able to sketch an outline of the new tax.The proposal is that beginning with fiscal year 2025-26, every individual’s total superannuation balance aggregated across as many super fund interests as they may have will be tested against a $3 million threshold.If the government perseveres with this, the proposal needs substantial modification to remove its more draconian features.Read our research here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/superannuation-tax-why-the-total-balance-threshold-should-be-shelved/Check out the CIS at - https://www.cis.org.au/   Subscribe to CIS mailing list- https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/  Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/support/  Join the CIS as a member at - https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/  Follow CIS on Socials  Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/

At the time of recording, the details of the proposal are still not known in full. However, enough was revealed at the time of the government’s original March 1 announcement and in subsequent elaboration, that we are able to sketch an outline of the new tax. The proposal is that beginning with fiscal year 2025-26, every individual’s total superannuation balance aggregated across as many super fund interests as they may have will be tested against a $3 million threshold. If the government perseveres with this, the proposal needs substantial modification to remove its more draconian features. Read our research here: <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/publication/superannuation-tax-why-the-total-balance-threshold-should-be-shelved/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/publication/superannuation-tax-why-the-total-balance-threshold-should-be-shelved/</a> Check out the CIS at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/</a>  Subscribe to CIS mailing list- <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/</a> Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/support/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/support/</a> Join the CIS as a member at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/</a> Follow CIS on Socials Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/CISOZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/CISOZ</a> Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/</a> Linkedin - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/</a>

What You Need To Know About... The New Superannuation Tax with Robert Carling

Simon Cowan

In this TARGET 30 Research Report CIS modelling shows that reforming the pension could deliver income gains of more than $5,900 a year to almost 98% of pensioners. These reforms would also reduce the cost of the pension by $14.5 billion a year.“With four out of every five retirees on the pension, and pensioners with over a million dollars in assets getting the same payment as those with almost nothing, the pension clearly needs reform,” says Simon Cowan, research fellow and co-author of the report,The Age Old Problem of Old Age: Fixing the Pension.Read more here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-age-old-problem-of-old-age-fixing-the-pension-2/Join our telegram channel here: https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies5YSGGR2Q2GNZSKOF

In this TARGET 30 Research Report CIS modelling shows that reforming the pension could deliver income gains of more than $5,900 a year to almost 98% of pensioners. These reforms would also reduce the cost of the pension by $14.5 billion a year. “With four out of every five retirees on the pension, and pensioners with over a million dollars in assets getting the same payment as those with almost nothing, the pension clearly needs reform,” says Simon Cowan, research fellow and co-author of the report,The Age Old Problem of Old Age: Fixing the Pension. Read more here: <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-age-old-problem-of-old-age-fixing-the-pension-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-age-old-problem-of-old-age-fixing-the-pension-2/</a> Join our telegram channel here: <a href="https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies</a> 5YSGGR2Q2GNZSKOF

What You Need to Know About… The raised pension age, with Simon Cowan

Daniel Willingham

Glenn Fahey

Why we must learn lessons about how we learn? CIS welcomed world-leading education researcher, cognitive psychologist and Ask a Cognitive Scientist columnist Dan Willingham to discuss how we learn and why this matters. While researchers have learned vastly more about how we learn, this isn’t always reflected in teaching within schools or in how students study. Many practices for teaching and self-study are based on outdated theories, misconceptions, neuro-myths, anecdotes, and trial-and-error. But increasingly scientifically-informed practice can optimize teaching and study time – ultimately helping students to be more effective, efficient, and engaged learners. What are the key lessons from how we learn? How should cognitive science inform teaching and learning practice? Can we train our brains to be better learners? Why do so many teaching and learning fads not work in practice? Why are misconceptions about learning so persistent and hard to shake? Daniel T. Willingham is Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, with expertise in cognitive psychology and neuroscience as it applies to school education. He is author of the Ask a Cognitive Scientist column of the American Educator journal, as well as several books, including Why Don't Students Like School?, When Can You Trust the Experts?, and Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy. This discussion is convened by CIS program director in education policy, Glenn Fahey. Glenn is co-author of the report, Failing to teach the teacher: An analysis of mathematics Initial Teacher Education (CIS, 2021).

Why we must learn lessons about how we learn? CIS welcomed world-leading education researcher, cognitive psychologist and Ask a Cognitive Scientist columnist Dan Willingham to discuss how we learn and why this matters. While researchers have learned vastly more about how we learn, this isn’t always reflected in teaching within schools or in how students study. Many practices for teaching and self-study are based on outdated theories, misconceptions, neuro-myths, anecdotes, and trial-and-error. But increasingly scientifically-informed practice can optimize teaching and study time – ultimately helping students to be more effective, efficient, and engaged learners. What are the key lessons from how we learn? How should cognitive science inform teaching and learning practice? Can we train our brains to be better learners? Why do so many teaching and learning fads not work in practice? Why are misconceptions about learning so persistent and hard to shake? Daniel T. Willingham is Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, with expertise in cognitive psychology and neuroscience as it applies to school education. He is author of the Ask a Cognitive Scientist column of the American Educator journal, as well as several books, including Why Don't Students Like School?, When Can You Trust the Experts?, and Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy. This discussion is convened by CIS program director in education policy, Glenn Fahey. Glenn is co-author of the report, Failing to teach the teacher: An analysis of mathematics Initial Teacher Education (CIS, 2021).

Outsmart Your Brain | Daniel Willingham | Glenn Fahey

On April 4, CIS hosted and broadcasted an Oxford-style debate on the motion “The Voice to Parliament is needed to address Indigenous matters.”This year Australia will hold a referendum on whether to change the constitution and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ views are better represented in Parliament. Is the Voice about giving Indigenous Australians a right to express their views on policy through representatives elected by their communities? Or would the Voice provide cover for an activist government to legislate radical policy with no genuine democratic consent?On the affirmative side were Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel, Anthony McAvoy, and constitutional lawyer Shireen Morris. Against the proposition were Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and head of CIS Indigenous Forum Nyunggai Warren Mundine.Referendum question: The question to be put to the Australian people at the 2023 referendum will be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is a Country Liberal Senator for The Northern Territory and former Deputy-Mayor of Alice Springs.Dr Shireen Morris is a constitutional lawyer and teaches constitutional law, constitutional reform and Indigenous constitutional recognition at Macquarie University. She is co-author of the book A Rightful Place: A Road Map to Recognition (Black Inc.).Nyunggai Warren Mundine is director of the Indigenous Forum at CIS. He is an author of several books including Warren Mundine in Black and White: Race, Politics and Changing Australia (Pantera Press) and editor of Beyond Belief – Rethinking the Voice to Parliament (Connor Court).Anthony McAvoy is Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel and between 2011 and 2013, Tony was an Acting Part-Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court. He was also Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner from the period of Dec 2021 to June 2022.

On April 4, CIS hosted and broadcasted an Oxford-style debate on the motion “The Voice to Parliament is needed to address Indigenous matters.” This year Australia will hold a referendum on whether to change the constitution and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ views are better represented in Parliament. Is the Voice about giving Indigenous Australians a right to express their views on policy through representatives elected by their communities? Or would the Voice provide cover for an activist government to legislate radical policy with no genuine democratic consent? On the affirmative side were Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel, Anthony McAvoy, and constitutional lawyer Shireen Morris. Against the proposition were Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and head of CIS Indigenous Forum Nyunggai Warren Mundine. Referendum question: The question to be put to the Australian people at the 2023 referendum will be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?” Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is a Country Liberal Senator for The Northern Territory and former Deputy-Mayor of Alice Springs. Dr Shireen Morris is a constitutional lawyer and teaches constitutional law, constitutional reform and Indigenous constitutional recognition at Macquarie University. She is co-author of the book A Rightful Place: A Road Map to Recognition (Black Inc.). Nyunggai Warren Mundine is director of the Indigenous Forum at CIS. He is an author of several books including Warren Mundine in Black and White: Race, Politics and Changing Australia (Pantera Press) and editor of Beyond Belief – Rethinking the Voice to Parliament (Connor Court). Anthony McAvoy is Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel and between 2011 and 2013, Tony was an Acting Part-Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court. He was also Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner from the period of Dec 2021 to June 2022.

The Voice To Parliament Debate

Andrew Neil

Andrew Neil joins Tom Switzer for a conversation about political and public-policy subjects — from British politics and the travails of the Royal family to the energy transition and the changing media industry to the Ukraine crisis and the rise of China.Andrew Neil is one of the world’s most prominent print and broadcast journalists, having been a long-time editor of the Sunday Times and chief political interviewer on the BBC. He is chairman of Press Holdings Media Group, which publishes The Spectator and Spectator Australia magazines.

Andrew Neil joins Tom Switzer for a conversation about political and public-policy subjects — from British politics and the travails of the Royal family to the energy transition and the changing media industry to the Ukraine crisis and the rise of China. Andrew Neil is one of the world’s most prominent print and broadcast journalists, having been a long-time editor of the Sunday Times and chief political interviewer on the BBC. He is chairman of Press Holdings Media Group, which publishes The Spectator and Spectator Australia magazines.

Conversation With Andrew Neil at CIS

Matt Taylor

Salvatore Babones returns to discuss the new CIS Intergenerational research program with Program Director Matt Taylor.Despite the 30-year economic boom that preceded the Covid pandemic, there is growing evidence that younger Australians have not shared in the benefits to the same extent as generations before them. These younger generations will bear the brunt of paying back the $617 billion of government debt incurred in the wake of the government response to Covid, debt that is set to peak at an eyewatering $1.2 trillion in 2025-26. As the cost of financing government debt and expenditures arising from an ageing Australia climb to historic levels, there will be fewer and fewer working age Australians per retiree. Since younger Australian will face far greater fiscal challenges compared to earlier generations, it is imperative that the Australian electorate — especially younger voters — make informed decisions at the ballot box. The CIS Intergeneration program will focus on policy reform that will ensure an equitable distribution of the burden of budget repair. Matt and Salvatore discuss the research the Intergenerational program will undertake, the challenges facing younger Australians and the extent of intergenerational income mobility in Australia.

Salvatore Babones returns to discuss the new CIS Intergenerational research program with Program Director Matt Taylor. Despite the 30-year economic boom that preceded the Covid pandemic, there is growing evidence that younger Australians have not shared in the benefits to the same extent as generations before them. These younger generations will bear the brunt of paying back the $617 billion of government debt incurred in the wake of the government response to Covid, debt that is set to peak at an eyewatering $1.2 trillion in 2025-26. As the cost of financing government debt and expenditures arising from an ageing Australia climb to historic levels, there will be fewer and fewer working age Australians per retiree. Since younger Australian will face far greater fiscal challenges compared to earlier generations, it is imperative that the Australian electorate — especially younger voters — make informed decisions at the ballot box. The CIS Intergeneration program will focus on policy reform that will ensure an equitable distribution of the burden of budget repair. Matt and Salvatore discuss the research the Intergenerational program will undertake, the challenges facing younger Australians and the extent of intergenerational income mobility in Australia.

On Liberty EP104 | Matt Taylor | The Intergenerational Challenge

Lorraine Finlay

Rob chats to Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission, about the importance and nature of human rights. A convinced believer is liberalism, Lorraine understands human rights as absolutely important which give is our humanity. She is also aware that they are not inevitable. Nor do they come from government but are only expressed through government.

S3E9 | Lorraine Finlay 'human rights that give us our humanity'

Guest host Glenn Fahey returns to discuss challenges facing new immigrants to Australia with Melissa Monteiro, CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre. As a community practitioner, Melissa has worked to ensure peoples from worn-torn nations are able to find community and start life new, particularly those immigrants from less-developed countries who settle in Western Sydney. In a report from 2016 from the Forum on the Settlement of Syrian and Iraqi Refugees, it showed that over 30 agencies representing government, local services, schools, religious and civil society organisations were brought together to focus on the key settlement issues that will confront this particular cohort of Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian entrants. Focusing on areas such as education, employment training, health and short- and long-term housing. It takes an incredible amount of community resources manpower to set up resettlements for newly arriving migrants. Are we seeing a greater influx of migrants then previously before? What is the most efficient and effective way to resettle humanitarian migrant entrants? What resources are available for those seeking asylum in Australia? Are local communities having to pick the slack for Government failures on immigration?

Guest host Glenn Fahey returns to discuss challenges facing new immigrants to Australia with Melissa Monteiro, CEO of the Community Migrant Resource Centre. As a community practitioner, Melissa has worked to ensure peoples from worn-torn nations are able to find community and start life new, particularly those immigrants from less-developed countries who settle in Western Sydney. In a report from 2016 from the Forum on the Settlement of Syrian and Iraqi Refugees, it showed that over 30 agencies representing government, local services, schools, religious and civil society organisations were brought together to focus on the key settlement issues that will confront this particular cohort of Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian entrants. Focusing on areas such as education, employment training, health and short- and long-term housing. It takes an incredible amount of community resources manpower to set up resettlements for newly arriving migrants. Are we seeing a greater influx of migrants then previously before? What is the most efficient and effective way to resettle humanitarian migrant entrants? What resources are available for those seeking asylum in Australia? Are local communities having to pick the slack for Government failures on immigration?

On Liberty EP103 | Melissa Montiero | Migrant Communities In Australia

Guest host Simon Cowan reenters the budget bunker to discuss the second federal budget in 2022 with Australian Financial Review Economics editor in Parliament House, Canberra John Kehoe. Simon and John break down the budget and cover what the mainstream media has missed.It's Labor's turn. After a victory in the Federal Election in part due to the former Liberal Government's mishandling of the economy, the new Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to deliver his 'wellness' budget. Are we set for more big government spending? Can Labor turn around Australia's deficit woes? Will Labor keep their promise of additional funding to health and defence?

Guest host Simon Cowan reenters the budget bunker to discuss the second federal budget in 2022 with Australian Financial Review Economics editor in Parliament House, Canberra John Kehoe. Simon and John break down the budget and cover what the mainstream media has missed. It's Labor's turn. After a victory in the Federal Election in part due to the former Liberal Government's mishandling of the economy, the new Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to deliver his 'wellness' budget. Are we set for more big government spending? Can Labor turn around Australia's deficit woes? Will Labor keep their promise of additional funding to health and defence?

On Liberty EP102 | John Kehoe | 2022 Federal Budget Recap Part 2

Let's share good ideas. 💡The Centre for Independent Studies promotes free choice and individual liberty and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can prosper.

Let's share good ideas. 💡 The Centre for Independent Studies promotes free choice and individual liberty and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can prosper.

Centre for Independent Studies

Robert McLean

Managing Partner of McKinsey, Robert McLean AM and Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor of the University of Sydney were at the CIS for the launch of Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything (Wiley). Co-authored by CIS director Robert McLean AM and Charles Conn."Navigating ambiguity and solving complex problems creatively is the truth test for humans to complement rather than substitute the artificial intelligence of computers. Without much better approaches to teach those skills, our schools risk preparing second class robots rather than first class humans. Rob McLean and Charles Conn show that this can be done and provide an intuitive roadmap for how to do this, with lots of real-world examples that make it fun" – Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, OECDFollow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

Managing Partner of McKinsey, Robert McLean AM and Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor of the University of Sydney were at the CIS for the launch of Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything (Wiley). Co-authored by CIS director Robert McLean AM and Charles Conn. "Navigating ambiguity and solving complex problems creatively is the truth test for humans to complement rather than substitute the artificial intelligence of computers. Without much better approaches to teach those skills, our schools risk preparing second class robots rather than first class humans. Rob McLean and Charles Conn show that this can be done and provide an intuitive roadmap for how to do this, with lots of real-world examples that make it fun" – Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, OECD Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Bulletproof Problem Solving - Robert McLean

US midterm elections are usually bad for the President’s party, but amid a booming economy this year’s congressional races are more difficult to predict.The jobless rate recently fell to 3.7 per cent (the lowest since 1969) and the stock market (shrugging off the Trump tariffs) keeps surging to new highs. Meanwhile, both Republicans and Democrats will use Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court to fuel enthusiasm and turnout for the midterms.Watch Tom Switzer alongside panelists: Greg Sheridan is foreign editor of The Australian; Bob Carr, a former foreign minister, is director of the Australia-China Relations Institute; and April Palmerlee is chief executive officer of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia - discussing on elections' night the results of the midterms and what they mean for American politics and foreign policy.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.cis.org.au

US midterm elections are usually bad for the President’s party, but amid a booming economy this year’s congressional races are more difficult to predict. The jobless rate recently fell to 3.7 per cent (the lowest since 1969) and the stock market (shrugging off the Trump tariffs) keeps surging to new highs. Meanwhile, both Republicans and Democrats will use Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court to fuel enthusiasm and turnout for the midterms. Watch Tom Switzer alongside panelists: Greg Sheridan is foreign editor of The Australian; Bob Carr, a former foreign minister, is director of the Australia-China Relations Institute; and April Palmerlee is chief executive officer of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia - discussing on elections' night the results of the midterms and what they mean for American politics and foreign policy. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cis.org.au</a>

A Democratic wave or Trump triumph? US Mid Terms 2018 Elections Results

Geoffrey Lehmann

Join former High Court justice Michael Kirby and Geoffrey Lehmann for the launch of Leeward: A Memoir (NewSouth) at the CIS.Geoffrey Lehmann has been one of Australia’s leading poets and tax lawyers for several decades. A partner of PwC and chairman of the Australian Tax Research Foundation, he was involved in the design of Australia’s GST and other tax legislation. He was also short-listed for the T S Eliot Prize. His poetry has appeared in the New Yorker and in 2015 his Poems 1957-2013 won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award (Poetry). His Australian Poetry Since 1788, co-edited with Robert Gray, was one of The Economist’s best books of 2011.In his frank memoir, Geoffrey describes how he was the late child of a bookish mother and a working-class father. Much to his mother’s surprise, his father, who was a launch driver, bought three houses on the waterfront at McMahons Point and became a slum landlord in the era of rent control. As a 10-year-old child, reading the begging letters from dozens of would-be tenants, Geoffrey became an economic rationalist and an atheist.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.cis.org.au

Join former High Court justice Michael Kirby and Geoffrey Lehmann for the launch of Leeward: A Memoir (NewSouth) at the CIS. Geoffrey Lehmann has been one of Australia’s leading poets and tax lawyers for several decades. A partner of PwC and chairman of the Australian Tax Research Foundation, he was involved in the design of Australia’s GST and other tax legislation. He was also short-listed for the T S Eliot Prize. His poetry has appeared in the New Yorker and in 2015 his Poems 1957-2013 won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award (Poetry). His Australian Poetry Since 1788, co-edited with Robert Gray, was one of The Economist’s best books of 2011. In his frank memoir, Geoffrey describes how he was the late child of a bookish mother and a working-class father. Much to his mother’s surprise, his father, who was a launch driver, bought three houses on the waterfront at McMahons Point and became a slum landlord in the era of rent control. As a 10-year-old child, reading the begging letters from dozens of would-be tenants, Geoffrey became an economic rationalist and an atheist. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cis.org.au</a>

Leeward: A Memoir: Geoffrey Lehmann

Nick Greiner

Bob Carr

As NSW prepares for the March 23 election, the “premier state” is in reasonably good condition. Retail spending and business investment are up, the budget is at $1.1 billion surplus and unemployment is at 4.3 per cent. Meanwhile, Sydney’s major public projects — from the new Sydney Metro to the WestConnex underground motorway scheme and Sydney Light Rail — are well underway.And yet opinion polls show that the Coalition and Labor are neck and neck. Why? Are federal factors at play? What distinguishes Liberal premier Gladys Berejiklian from the Labor Opposition leader Michael Daley? Is either party committed to productivity-enhancing economic reform?Nick Greiner, former NSW Liberal premier from 1988 to 1992, Bob Carr, former NSW Labor premier from 1995 to 2005 and host Brigid Glanville, ABC’s NSW political reporter, were at the CIS to discuss the state of the state.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.cis.org.au

As NSW prepares for the March 23 election, the “premier state” is in reasonably good condition. Retail spending and business investment are up, the budget is at $1.1 billion surplus and unemployment is at 4.3 per cent. Meanwhile, Sydney’s major public projects — from the new Sydney Metro to the WestConnex underground motorway scheme and Sydney Light Rail — are well underway. And yet opinion polls show that the Coalition and Labor are neck and neck. Why? Are federal factors at play? What distinguishes Liberal premier Gladys Berejiklian from the Labor Opposition leader Michael Daley? Is either party committed to productivity-enhancing economic reform? Nick Greiner, former NSW Liberal premier from 1988 to 1992, Bob Carr, former NSW Labor premier from 1995 to 2005 and host Brigid Glanville, ABC’s NSW political reporter, were at the CIS to discuss the state of the state. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cis.org.au</a>

NSW State election preview: Nick Greiner & Bob Carr

Amanda Stoker

Queensland LNP Senator Amanda Stoker visited the CIS for our first Leadership Lunch of 2019.With a strong desire to see Australia return to a country of opportunity based on centre-right beliefs, Senator Stoker hopes to actively engage with Australian’s on social issues and not just on its traditional economic strengths, suggesting that Australia’s current cultural trends reflect the centre-right’s abdication of this responsibility over the last two decades. Senator Stoker represents the young, fresh face of free speech and traditional values in a party she says has ‘vacated the field’ out of shame.Amanda Stoker has been a LNP senator for Queensland since March 2018.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

Queensland LNP Senator Amanda Stoker visited the CIS for our first Leadership Lunch of 2019. With a strong desire to see Australia return to a country of opportunity based on centre-right beliefs, Senator Stoker hopes to actively engage with Australian’s on social issues and not just on its traditional economic strengths, suggesting that Australia’s current cultural trends reflect the centre-right’s abdication of this responsibility over the last two decades. Senator Stoker represents the young, fresh face of free speech and traditional values in a party she says has ‘vacated the field’ out of shame. Amanda Stoker has been a LNP senator for Queensland since March 2018. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Amanda Stoker: The future of Liberalism

Alan Dupont

The downhill slide in relations between China and the US is a dangerous development. The friction does not just reflect a bullying Communist regime’s opacity concerning the outbreak of Covid-19. Nor is it the result of a chaotic Trump administration trying to distract attention from its own failures in curbing the virus. Something much deeper and much worse is at stake: a potential clash between what two great powers perceive to be their vital interests. According to one of Australia’s leading strategic thinkers Alan Dupont, the US-China standoff over trade, technology and strategy “has precipitated a new cold war.” Alans says, “In an epoch-defining clash for global leadership, the world’s two major powers are wrestling for strategic advantage in an increasingly bitter contest to determine which of them will be the pre-eminent state of the 21st century. No matter how cleverly spun, a trade deal is not going to get the relationship back on track because both countries have moved from a framework of cooperation to one of open rivalry and strategic competition.” The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) promotes free choice and individual liberty, and defends cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future. Check out the CIS at - https://www.cis.org.au/ Subscribe to CIS mailing list- https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/ Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/support/ Join the CIS as a member at - https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/ Follow CIS on Socials Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true

The downhill slide in relations between China and the US is a dangerous development. The friction does not just reflect a bullying Communist regime’s opacity concerning the outbreak of Covid-19. Nor is it the result of a chaotic Trump administration trying to distract attention from its own failures in curbing the virus. Something much deeper and much worse is at stake: a potential clash between what two great powers perceive to be their vital interests. According to one of Australia’s leading strategic thinkers Alan Dupont, the US-China standoff over trade, technology and strategy “has precipitated a new cold war.” Alans says, “In an epoch-defining clash for global leadership, the world’s two major powers are wrestling for strategic advantage in an increasingly bitter contest to determine which of them will be the pre-eminent state of the 21st century. No matter how cleverly spun, a trade deal is not going to get the relationship back on track because both countries have moved from a framework of cooperation to one of open rivalry and strategic competition.” The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) promotes free choice and individual liberty, and defends cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future. Check out the CIS at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/</a> Subscribe to CIS mailing list- <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/</a> Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/support/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/support/</a> Join the CIS as a member at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/</a> Follow CIS on Socials Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/CISOZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/CISOZ</a> Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/</a> Linkedin - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true</a>

Alan Dupont: Mitigating The New Cold War

At a time when tensions are running high, CIS Executive Director Tom Switzer asked Has China Won? Our debate between John Mearsheimer and Kishore Mahbubani, two of the world’s leading foreign policy intellectuals. Covid-19 has greatly raised tensions between China and the West. Washington and its allies express outrage at the Communist regime’s opacity concerning the outbreak of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, fears are growing that a pandemic that began in the Chinese city of Wuhan may end by increasing Beijing’s international influence and power. Kishore Mahbubani is author of Has China Won? The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy (just out, PublicAffairs) A former Singaporean ambassador to the United Nations (twice), he was the founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He was a guest of CIS in September 2018. John Mearsheimer is author of The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Yale University Press, 2019) and The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Norton, 2014.) He is professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. He was a guest of CIS in August 2019. The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) promotes free choice and individual liberty, and defends cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future. Check out the CIS at - https://www.cis.org.au/ Subscribe to CIS mailing list- https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/ Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/support/ Join the CIS as a member at - https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/ Follow CIS on Socials Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true

At a time when tensions are running high, CIS Executive Director Tom Switzer asked Has China Won? Our debate between John Mearsheimer and Kishore Mahbubani, two of the world’s leading foreign policy intellectuals. Covid-19 has greatly raised tensions between China and the West. Washington and its allies express outrage at the Communist regime’s opacity concerning the outbreak of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, fears are growing that a pandemic that began in the Chinese city of Wuhan may end by increasing Beijing’s international influence and power. Kishore Mahbubani is author of Has China Won? The Chinese Challenge to American Primacy (just out, PublicAffairs) A former Singaporean ambassador to the United Nations (twice), he was the founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He was a guest of CIS in September 2018. John Mearsheimer is author of The Great Delusion: Liberal Dreams and International Realities (Yale University Press, 2019) and The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Norton, 2014.) He is professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. He was a guest of CIS in August 2019. The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) promotes free choice and individual liberty, and defends cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future. Check out the CIS at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/</a> Subscribe to CIS mailing list- <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/</a> Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/support/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/support/</a> Join the CIS as a member at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/</a> Follow CIS on Socials Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/CISOZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/CISOZ</a> Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/</a> Linkedin - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true</a>

Has China Won? Mahbubani Vs Mearsheimer

On the show this week, Salvatore Babones was joined by April Palmerlee, CEO of the AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia. AmCham includes around 500 company members representing hundreds of thousands of employees operating throughout Australia.The United States is the biggest investor in Australia, full stop. No one else comes close, not even China. More than 100,000 people in Australia today were born in the United States, with many more claiming American citizenship by descent. American companies employ 420,000 people in Australia on a median salary of $115,000 per year. They spend a billion dollars a year locally on research and development. April talked to us about the many roles played by American companies in Australia and the importance of the US-Australian relationship for both countries.

On the show this week, Salvatore Babones was joined by April Palmerlee, CEO of the AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia. AmCham includes around 500 company members representing hundreds of thousands of employees operating throughout Australia. The United States is the biggest investor in Australia, full stop. No one else comes close, not even China. More than 100,000 people in Australia today were born in the United States, with many more claiming American citizenship by descent. American companies employ 420,000 people in Australia on a median salary of $115,000 per year. They spend a billion dollars a year locally on research and development. April talked to us about the many roles played by American companies in Australia and the importance of the US-Australian relationship for both countries.

8. On Liberty Importance Of The USA And Australia Relationship

Salvatore Babones speaks with Jacinta Price, Director of the Indigenous Program at the Centre for Independent Studies. Jacinta joins us live from Alice Springs, where she serves as a Town Councillor, to discuss how lockdown compares in remote communities.They discussed what 'social distancing' means in the wide-open spaces of remote Australia, where local quarantines and 'biosecurity zones' are a way of life. Jacinta will explain the government's efforts to keep the coronavirus out of remote settlements with rudimentary medical facilities, and how the pandemic has affected the daily lives of people living in some of Australia's most challenging environments. Are aboriginal communities complying with restrictions? How do we get the indigenous economy moving again after such a set back?

Salvatore Babones speaks with Jacinta Price, Director of the Indigenous Program at the Centre for Independent Studies. Jacinta joins us live from Alice Springs, where she serves as a Town Councillor, to discuss how lockdown compares in remote communities. They discussed what 'social distancing' means in the wide-open spaces of remote Australia, where local quarantines and 'biosecurity zones' are a way of life. Jacinta will explain the government's efforts to keep the coronavirus out of remote settlements with rudimentary medical facilities, and how the pandemic has affected the daily lives of people living in some of Australia's most challenging environments. Are aboriginal communities complying with restrictions? How do we get the indigenous economy moving again after such a set back?

5. On Liberty Jacinta Price: Lockdown And Indigenous Communities

Doug Bandow

For the past seventy or so years, the United States of America has been the bastion of freedom and democracy, shining the light of its noble ideals around the world and championing those ideals whenever they came under threat. Since the end of the Cold War, American political leaders and policymakers have unashamedly championed U.S. global leadership – from Asia and Europe to the Persian Gulf. However, a few libertarians and classical liberals warned an ambitious foreign policy inspired by vision and sense of mission was fraught with the danger of unintended consequences. It would also represent the kind of foreign policy that has been instrumental in building up the power of states throughout history.CIS’s scholar in residence for 2020, Doug Bandow, is one of those critics — opposing various U.S. ventures, most notably the US-led wars on terror after September 11, 2001. But the circumstances are changing. In the Trump and Bernie Sanders era, calls for abandoning America’s ambitions of global pre-eminence are growing. If these views prevail, what are the consequences for long-standing U.S. treaty allies, such as Australia?Doug Bandow is CIS scholar in residence in 2020, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington and a former special assistant to president Ronald Reagan.

For the past seventy or so years, the United States of America has been the bastion of freedom and democracy, shining the light of its noble ideals around the world and championing those ideals whenever they came under threat. Since the end of the Cold War, American political leaders and policymakers have unashamedly championed U.S. global leadership – from Asia and Europe to the Persian Gulf. However, a few libertarians and classical liberals warned an ambitious foreign policy inspired by vision and sense of mission was fraught with the danger of unintended consequences. It would also represent the kind of foreign policy that has been instrumental in building up the power of states throughout history. CIS’s scholar in residence for 2020, Doug Bandow, is one of those critics — opposing various U.S. ventures, most notably the US-led wars on terror after September 11, 2001. But the circumstances are changing. In the Trump and Bernie Sanders era, calls for abandoning America’s ambitions of global pre-eminence are growing. If these views prevail, what are the consequences for long-standing U.S. treaty allies, such as Australia? Doug Bandow is CIS scholar in residence in 2020, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington and a former special assistant to president Ronald Reagan.

Doug Bandow: The End Of Pax Americana?

Australia isn’t the only country exposed to a novel coronavirus recession in China. The COVID-19 epidemic is first and foremost a human tragedy, but it also has raised fears about the performance of the Chinese economy and everyone who supplies it. According to some scholars, such as Minxin Pei, the outbreak of the new and deadly epidemic is exposing the vulnerabilities of China’s top-down regime. He calls it a disease of Chinese autocracy. Coronavirus, the argument goes, highlights the already low levels of trust in party-state media reporting. Others disagree, arguing that Beijing has handled the crisis better than anyone had expected compared with two decades ago. After all, Beijing has been more transparent than it was with the SARS epidemic of 2002-03. And in response to the crisis, the regime has locked down cities, cut transport links and is rapidly building new hospitals and medical facilities. But what happens if the virus can’t be suppressed? How significant will the economic loss and severe travel restrictions be for China? Has coronavirus changed the political calculus on Australia-China relations? Or are these concerns overblown? Speakers; Doug Bandow is CIS scholar in residence in 2020, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington and a former special assistant to president Ronald Reagan. Natasha Kassam is research fellow in the diplomacy and public opinion program at the Lowy Institute. Sue Windybank is the director of the CIS project on China and free societies. Vicky Xu is a journalist, a comedian and a researcher for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Cyber Policy Centre. Salvatore Babones is an adjunct scholar at CIS and professor of sociology at the University of Sydney. Check out the CIS at - https://www.cis.org.au/  Subscribe to our mailing list - https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/ Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/donate/  Join the CIS as a member at - https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/ YouTube -  youtube.com/user/CISAus/ Twitter - twitter.com/cisoz/ Facebook - facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/  Linkedin - au.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies

Australia isn’t the only country exposed to a novel coronavirus recession in China. The COVID-19 epidemic is first and foremost a human tragedy, but it also has raised fears about the performance of the Chinese economy and everyone who supplies it. According to some scholars, such as Minxin Pei, the outbreak of the new and deadly epidemic is exposing the vulnerabilities of China’s top-down regime. He calls it a disease of Chinese autocracy. Coronavirus, the argument goes, highlights the already low levels of trust in party-state media reporting. Others disagree, arguing that Beijing has handled the crisis better than anyone had expected compared with two decades ago. After all, Beijing has been more transparent than it was with the SARS epidemic of 2002-03. And in response to the crisis, the regime has locked down cities, cut transport links and is rapidly building new hospitals and medical facilities. But what happens if the virus can’t be suppressed? How significant will the economic loss and severe travel restrictions be for China? Has coronavirus changed the political calculus on Australia-China relations? Or are these concerns overblown? Speakers; Doug Bandow is CIS scholar in residence in 2020, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington and a former special assistant to president Ronald Reagan. Natasha Kassam is research fellow in the diplomacy and public opinion program at the Lowy Institute. Sue Windybank is the director of the CIS project on China and free societies. Vicky Xu is a journalist, a comedian and a researcher for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Cyber Policy Centre. Salvatore Babones is an adjunct scholar at CIS and professor of sociology at the University of Sydney. Check out the CIS at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/</a> Subscribe to our mailing list - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/</a> Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/donate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/donate/</a> Join the CIS as a member at - <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/</a> YouTube - <a href="http://youtube.com/user/CISAus/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/user/CISAus/</a> Twitter - <a href="http://twitter.com/cisoz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter.com/cisoz/</a> Facebook - <a href="http://facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/</a> Linkedin - <a href="http://au.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">au.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies</a>

The Next Pandemic: China's COVID-19 coronavirus

To launch Restoring Hope: Practical Policies to Revitalise the Australian Economy by Andrew Stone, CIS welcomed former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, editor-at-large for the Australian, Paul Kelly and CIS executive director, Tom Switzer. Andrew, Tony, Paul and Tom sat down to have a conversation on Australia’s economic outlook for 2020, climate policy and immigration, the panel also took questions from the audience.It was also at this forum which former Prime Minister Tony Abbott called for middle-class women to have more children, saying current rates of childbirth among this group were a "real problem". https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abbott-calls-for-middle-class-women-to-have-more-children-20200128-p53vkx.htmlSince the Howard government, Australia’s per capita growth rate has slumped and wage growth has been anaemic, while housing prices have skyrocketed relative to household incomes. Commonwealth net debt has surged and Australia has become much more vulnerable to an economic shock than prior to the Global Financial Crisis. This volume prescribes practical policy remedies covering immigration, the housing market, higher education reform, federal-State relations, energy policy, workforce participation, welfare reform, budget repair, monetary policy and financial system regulation.Subscribe to the CIS Newsletter: https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/Follow the CIS on: http://www.cis.org.auTwitter: https://twitter.com/CISOZFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudiesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/For all of the CIS Economic Policy research click here: https://www.cis.org.au/research/economic-policy/

To launch Restoring Hope: Practical Policies to Revitalise the Australian Economy by Andrew Stone, CIS welcomed former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, editor-at-large for the Australian, Paul Kelly and CIS executive director, Tom Switzer. Andrew, Tony, Paul and Tom sat down to have a conversation on Australia’s economic outlook for 2020, climate policy and immigration, the panel also took questions from the audience. It was also at this forum which former Prime Minister Tony Abbott called for middle-class women to have more children, saying current rates of childbirth among this group were a "real problem". <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abbott-calls-for-middle-class-women-to-have-more-children-20200128-p53vkx.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/abbott-calls-for-middle-class-women-to-have-more-children-20200128-p53vkx.html</a> Since the Howard government, Australia’s per capita growth rate has slumped and wage growth has been anaemic, while housing prices have skyrocketed relative to household incomes. Commonwealth net debt has surged and Australia has become much more vulnerable to an economic shock than prior to the Global Financial Crisis. This volume prescribes practical policy remedies covering immigration, the housing market, higher education reform, federal-State relations, energy policy, workforce participation, welfare reform, budget repair, monetary policy and financial system regulation. Subscribe to the CIS Newsletter: <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/</a> Follow the CIS on: <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/CISOZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/CISOZ</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies</a> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/</a> For all of the CIS Economic Policy research click here: <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/research/economic-policy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cis.org.au/research/economic-policy/</a>

Restoring Hope: Practical Policies to Revitalise the Australian Economy

The 2019 CIS Nanny Awards take a look back at the year's best and most absurd attempts of the state to try to meddle and infringe on our daily lives. Presented by CIS Executive Director, Tom Switzer and Emeritus Professor Steven Schwartz.1st; The Australian Federal Government's bash ban. 2nd; New South Wales Police ban dancing at Sydney’s Fringe Festival.Equal 3rd; Nanny state risking our right to cheese and the City of Bunbury bans mermaids from public swimming pools.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

The 2019 CIS Nanny Awards take a look back at the year's best and most absurd attempts of the state to try to meddle and infringe on our daily lives. Presented by CIS Executive Director, Tom Switzer and Emeritus Professor Steven Schwartz. 1st; The Australian Federal Government's bash ban. 2nd; New South Wales Police ban dancing at Sydney’s Fringe Festival. Equal 3rd; Nanny state risking our right to cheese and the City of Bunbury bans mermaids from public swimming pools. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

The 2019 CIS Nanny Awards

On Thursday, 5 December we launched Richard Alston’s new book, More to Life than Politics (Connor Court). Alston, a renowned former cabinet minister of the Howard Government and high commissioner in London was joined by former Prime Minister John Howard, they sat down to conversation led by Tom Switzer. In his book, the former diplomat, barrister, cabinet minister and veteran Liberal senator details among other things his role in the major national debates about privatisation, innovation, information technology, the Arts and the ABC.“A brilliant politician in exactly the right place when the Internet arrived.” Ziggy Switkowski, CEO, Telstra (1999-05)“His obvious intellect and his love of the Arts laid the foundations for today’s successes.” David Gonski, Chancellor, UNSW (2005 – Present)“An outstanding communications minister, who really understood the industry.” John Howard, Prime Minister (1996-07)Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

On Thursday, 5 December we launched Richard Alston’s new book, More to Life than Politics (Connor Court). Alston, a renowned former cabinet minister of the Howard Government and high commissioner in London was joined by former Prime Minister John Howard, they sat down to conversation led by Tom Switzer. In his book, the former diplomat, barrister, cabinet minister and veteran Liberal senator details among other things his role in the major national debates about privatisation, innovation, information technology, the Arts and the ABC. “A brilliant politician in exactly the right place when the Internet arrived.” Ziggy Switkowski, CEO, Telstra (1999-05) “His obvious intellect and his love of the Arts laid the foundations for today’s successes.” David Gonski, Chancellor, UNSW (2005 – Present) “An outstanding communications minister, who really understood the industry.” John Howard, Prime Minister (1996-07) Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Howard & Alston: Is there more to life than politics?

China has become a key nation for Australia’s future – for our security, economy and identity. But what are China’s intentions when it comes to Australia? In the Xi Jinping era, Beijing has stepped up its campaign for influence, over hearts and minds, mineral and agricultural resources, media outlets and sea lanes. Yet the Communist regime wants more — as much power and influence over Australia as it can possibly get, using fair means or foul.However, what Beijing can get is limited not just by China’s abilities, but also by Australia’s will. In each case, where Chinese officials or agents attempted to intrude, they met Australian resistance. And they failed. For all its power, China is neither all-powerful nor irresistible. Australia can shape its engagement with Beijing.Peter Hartcher is political editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and author of Quarterly Essay’s “Red Flag, Waking up to the China Challenge”Julie Bishop was foreign minister of Australia from 2013 to 2018 and federal Liberal Member for Curtin from 1998 to 2019. Bishop was also the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018.

China has become a key nation for Australia’s future – for our security, economy and identity. But what are China’s intentions when it comes to Australia? In the Xi Jinping era, Beijing has stepped up its campaign for influence, over hearts and minds, mineral and agricultural resources, media outlets and sea lanes. Yet the Communist regime wants more — as much power and influence over Australia as it can possibly get, using fair means or foul. However, what Beijing can get is limited not just by China’s abilities, but also by Australia’s will. In each case, where Chinese officials or agents attempted to intrude, they met Australian resistance. And they failed. For all its power, China is neither all-powerful nor irresistible. Australia can shape its engagement with Beijing. Peter Hartcher is political editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and author of Quarterly Essay’s “Red Flag, Waking up to the China Challenge” Julie Bishop was foreign minister of Australia from 2013 to 2018 and federal Liberal Member for Curtin from 1998 to 2019. Bishop was also the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018.

Waking Up To the China Challenge

Claire Fox

Brexit Party MEP and Director of the Academy of Ideas Claire Fox discusses how the Remainer elite have delegitimised the Brexit vote. Ever since the British people voted to leave the European Union in 2016, Remainers have actively tried to thwart the will of the people. They constantly spin a narrative, that Brexit voters were stupid and gullible to know what they voted for. If this process has shown one thing, it is how thin democracy is, and how easily same and willing to throw it away when they don't win. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

Brexit Party MEP and Director of the Academy of Ideas Claire Fox discusses how the Remainer elite have delegitimised the Brexit vote. Ever since the British people voted to leave the European Union in 2016, Remainers have actively tried to thwart the will of the people. They constantly spin a narrative, that Brexit voters were stupid and gullible to know what they voted for. If this process has shown one thing, it is how thin democracy is, and how easily same and willing to throw it away when they don't win. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Democracy is thin? Claire Fox on Brexit: "Democracy is thin."

In conversation with Sue Windybank, Geoff Raby discusses the internal and external problems plaguing China. Unrest in Hong Kong threatens Beijing's authority. Whereas, economic challenges and a trade war with the US risk future economic growth. Raby has been a vocal critic of Australia's approach to the PRC and believes inflamed rhetoric risks this important bilateral relationship. What does the future of China/Australia relations look like? And, can Australia reset their foreign policy in the Asia region?   Australian economist and diplomat Geoff Raby discusses the potential fallout from the Hong Kong protests. After more than four months, it appears there is no solution to the Hong Kong crisis. The longer the protests continue the more Beijing will see Hong Kong as a threat to their authority. At home, Beijing needs to ensure its economic growth continues. What will the next stage of Chinese development look like?   Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

In conversation with Sue Windybank, Geoff Raby discusses the internal and external problems plaguing China. Unrest in Hong Kong threatens Beijing's authority. Whereas, economic challenges and a trade war with the US risk future economic growth. Raby has been a vocal critic of Australia's approach to the PRC and believes inflamed rhetoric risks this important bilateral relationship. What does the future of China/Australia relations look like? And, can Australia reset their foreign policy in the Asia region? Australian economist and diplomat Geoff Raby discusses the potential fallout from the Hong Kong protests. After more than four months, it appears there is no solution to the Hong Kong crisis. The longer the protests continue the more Beijing will see Hong Kong as a threat to their authority. At home, Beijing needs to ensure its economic growth continues. What will the next stage of Chinese development look like? Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Hong Kong will never be the same

In his book, Ten Remarkable Australians, Ian Macfarlane pens biographical essays about ten Australians, who were once prominent and well known for their achievements on the world stage, but whose images have faded from the national memory. Written in the tradition of the eminent historian Geoffrey Blainey, Macfarlane salutes the Australia of this period and its talented expatriates.Ian Macfarlane and Tom Switzer – host a discussion on this fascinating new book. Macfarlane hopes to rekindle interest in our history among the broader community and aims to give the modern reader an opportunity to discover these individuals.Tom Switzer is executive director of the Centre for Independent Studies and a former editor of the Spectator Australia.Ian Macfarlane was governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1996 to 2006. His book is Ten Remarkable Australians: They made their mark on the world but were forgotten (Connor Court).“This is a journey into Australia’s forgotten past, a series of compelling portraits of astonishing figures whose lives deserve to be recalled and celebrated.” – Paul KellyFollow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

In his book, Ten Remarkable Australians, Ian Macfarlane pens biographical essays about ten Australians, who were once prominent and well known for their achievements on the world stage, but whose images have faded from the national memory. Written in the tradition of the eminent historian Geoffrey Blainey, Macfarlane salutes the Australia of this period and its talented expatriates. Ian Macfarlane and Tom Switzer – host a discussion on this fascinating new book. Macfarlane hopes to rekindle interest in our history among the broader community and aims to give the modern reader an opportunity to discover these individuals. Tom Switzer is executive director of the Centre for Independent Studies and a former editor of the Spectator Australia. Ian Macfarlane was governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1996 to 2006. His book is Ten Remarkable Australians: They made their mark on the world but were forgotten (Connor Court). “This is a journey into Australia’s forgotten past, a series of compelling portraits of astonishing figures whose lives deserve to be recalled and celebrated.” – Paul Kelly Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Book Launch: Ten Remarkable Australians

Hear from Simon Heffer, a leading conservative commentator who has known Boris Johnson for three decades, as we discuss the UK’s newest and most enigmatic leader.The British Conservative grassroots have voted Boris Johnson for leader in large numbers because they believe he has the charisma, showmanship and, incidentally, views on Brexit to ensure Britain leaves the European Union successfully on October 31. As a result, the Tory rank-and-file members believe their re-born party will win the next general election handsomely.However, Simon Heffer has serious doubts. Boris is not a lovable rogue, nor is he likely to unite the Conservative party. No one, according to Professor Heffer, should bet on the new Prime Minister shaping the destiny of Britain and her people for much more than a brief, and possibly deeply troubling, interlude.Simon Heffer is a columnist for The Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, London, and professor of modern British history at the University of Buckingham. He is author of, among other influential books, High Minds: The Victorians and the Birth of Modern Britain and The Age of Decadence: Britain 1880 to 1914.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

Hear from Simon Heffer, a leading conservative commentator who has known Boris Johnson for three decades, as we discuss the UK’s newest and most enigmatic leader. The British Conservative grassroots have voted Boris Johnson for leader in large numbers because they believe he has the charisma, showmanship and, incidentally, views on Brexit to ensure Britain leaves the European Union successfully on October 31. As a result, the Tory rank-and-file members believe their re-born party will win the next general election handsomely. However, Simon Heffer has serious doubts. Boris is not a lovable rogue, nor is he likely to unite the Conservative party. No one, according to Professor Heffer, should bet on the new Prime Minister shaping the destiny of Britain and her people for much more than a brief, and possibly deeply troubling, interlude. Simon Heffer is a columnist for The Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, London, and professor of modern British history at the University of Buckingham. He is author of, among other influential books, High Minds: The Victorians and the Birth of Modern Britain and The Age of Decadence: Britain 1880 to 1914. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Boris Johnson and British Conservatism

Lionel Shriver

The arts are battered and boxed in by the proliferating dos and don’ts of political correctness, the predations of gotcha identity politics and the hypersensitivities of the #MeToo movement.The John Bonython Lecture is the annual Gala event for the Centre for Independent Studies. Designed to advance the principles of free choice, individual liberty, defend cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas – this year’s lecture was no different.Award winning American author and opinion writer Lionel Shriver delivered this year’s lecture. She eviscerated the modern-day obsession with identity politics, political correctness and the hypersensitivities of the #MeToo movement that are threatening creativity.Shriver’s breakout novel We Need to Talk About Kevin has sold over 1 million copies and was made into a feature film starring Tilda Swinton.Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates.http://www.cis.org.au

The arts are battered and boxed in by the proliferating dos and don’ts of political correctness, the predations of gotcha identity politics and the hypersensitivities of the #MeToo movement. The John Bonython Lecture is the annual Gala event for the Centre for Independent Studies. Designed to advance the principles of free choice, individual liberty, defend cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas – this year’s lecture was no different. Award winning American author and opinion writer Lionel Shriver delivered this year’s lecture. She eviscerated the modern-day obsession with identity politics, political correctness and the hypersensitivities of the #MeToo movement that are threatening creativity. Shriver’s breakout novel We Need to Talk About Kevin has sold over 1 million copies and was made into a feature film starring Tilda Swinton. Follow the CIS on Twitter @CISOZ or find us on Facebook 'The Centre for Independent Studies' for more updates. <a href="http://www.cis.org.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cis.org.au</a>

Lionel Shriver: Identity Politics, Political Correctness and #MeToo

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