Nanny State
Ideas & Liberty / Nanny State
A core focus of the Institute of Public Affairs is examining paternalist government regulation. Much contemporary social regulation is designed to shield individuals from voluntary risk-taking behaviour. However, having the government assume the role of risk manager is damaging to the principle of individual responsiblity.
News
Pre-commitment policy will punish all gamblers
One of the criticisms of proposals to restrict the use of poker machines is that it will hurt non-problem gamblers in the cause of helping problem...
It's time for tax reform
Australians are over-taxed. And, to paraphrase Kerry Packer's immortal phrase, governments don't spend our money well enough to deserve any more of...
One savings account we don't need
How could a Liberal support a sovereign wealth fund? A number of Liberal MPs have recently been publicly floating the idea of a sovereign wealth...
Is the nostalgia surrounding the Button Steel Plan misguided?
In late August, BlueScope Steel announced it would close a blast furnace in Port Kembla and a hot strip mill in Hastings, southern Victoria, as...
Have the media watchers undermined press freedom?
It's not hard to see where the media inquiry is headed. The terms of reference were released last week. The inquiry will look at "the effectiveness...
The Government's costly mining mistake
The first mistake the Gillard Government made was on the mining tax. The Rudd government had come undone by an audacious tax grab and Gillard...
Publications
Gambling away perspective? A review of the evidence justifying electronic gaming regulations
There is no dispute that some people bet beyond their reasonable means when gambling. But this doesn't necessarily justify government intervention, in and of itself. The extent to which governments regulate to protect citizens from themselves...
New poll: More Australians agree we are becoming a nanny state, 70% think food, tobacco & alcohol plain packs ineffective
‘A new poll shows the number of people who strongly agree Australia is becoming a nanny state has increased by a fifth over the past year, with 55% believing Australia is a nanny state and more than 70% thinking plain packaging won't be an...
Let kids be kids
An absurd over-protectiveness of our children is being encouraged by our media, culture and government. Our outdoor lifestyle, rugged country and self-reliant mindset served our elders well through tough times. Those being raised to fear a skinned...
