Archived publication for 2012
Recent publications
The economics of food
Have you ever not ordered something at a restaurant because it had strange ingredients, and ordered the roast chicken instead? Ever tried a restaurant because the social vibe of the place made you think it would be a great night out? They're safe...
The Chinese capitalist miracle
The Chinese economic miracle is the latest and most comprehensive success story since the end of World War II. Veteran economists Ronald Coase and Ning Wang explain how in the space of three decades one of the world's poorest countries became the...
Mining Tax branded an "unmitigated disaster"
The Minerals Resource Rent Tax has been an utter failure; not raising a cent in government revenue while increasing Australia's sovereign risk, according to John Shipp, Director of ANDEV/IPA North Australia Project. Mr Shipp's comments came as...
Razor cuts, not paper cuts
A framework for rightsizing commonwealth government employment
Gillard government job cuts barely dent growing federal bureaucracy
Analysis of trends on commonwealth government employment, released today by free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, shows that announced public service job cuts in the 2012 13 Budget will do little to dent the decade long growth of...
Inquiry into Clean Energy Amendments
Submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee
Tax reform = growth
Australia's tax system has its problems. Too complicated, too many special allowances and specific taxes, and too much money drained out of the pockets of working Australians. But things could be worse. Australia could have the British tax system,...
17 radical savings
If Tony Abbott is to win office at the next federal election in 2013 he has a massive savings task ahead of him. Despite Wayne Swan's insistence that a ‘wafer-thin' surplus will be achieved in the 2013-2014 budget, Australia will still be in...
The end of money as we know it
The Western world's post global financial crisis stagnation has shaken faith in the idea that central banking and monetary policy activism can resuscitate sick economies back to life. This has been reinforced by the fact that controversial...
Grocon right to reject Fair Work Australia recommendation
"The recommendation of Fair Work Australia to end the Grocon dispute is an indictment of the ‘above the law' culture of Australian workplace relations. The recommendation merely confirms how disconnected from the rule of law workplace...