Centre for Independent Studies

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is an Australian libertarian think tank founded in 1976 which specialises in public policy research. It is based in Sydney and focuses on classical liberal issues such as free markets and limited government.

The CIS is funded solely by donations, membership subscriptions, and book and event sales from individuals, companies and charitable trusts. It does not accept government funding. All research decisions are made by the research team and not by the donors.

Philosophy

The CIS describes itself as a "classical liberal think tank."

The CIS measures its performance by monitoring and analysing the output of research papers, events, presentations, opinion pieces and media mentions, changes in the policy environment, website page views and financial support.

CIS is affiliated with the United States-based Atlas Network, which advocates free market economic policies across the world.

Research programs

The CIS has research programs on:
* Education
* Economic policy (tax policy, infrastructure, workplace reform, government spending)
* Culture, prosperity and civil society
* Indigenous affairs
* China and free societies

Most policy research focuses upon the role of the free market in an open society, and how voluntary processes could be used to provide many of the goods and services normally supplied by the compulsory methods of government. Individual liberty and choice, including freedom of association, religion, speech and the right to property are also common themes.

A report dated 2 November 2016 on Australia’s health system by CIS stated “government restrictions, regulations, and other barriers to entry within the health care and medical insurance industries cripple ompetition�� and proposed setting up of “Health Innovation Communities”.

A June 2018 CIS report found that the overwhelming majority of Australian “ millennials” (defined as those born between 1980 and 1996) have a favourable view of socialism. The report was described as "a worried warning to Australia’s ruling elite of a political radicalisation among young people and the threat that it poses to the capitalist system."

Media

CIS researchers regularly comment in opinion pieces in Australian newspapers, online, on radio and on TV, with content mirrored on their YouTube channel.

The CIS also has a weekly newsletter ''ideas@thecentre'' and a weekly livestream interview show ''On Liberty''.

Staff

Tom Switzer
has been executive director of CIS since 2018, succeeding founder Greg Lindsay who had held the position for 42 years. In February 2019, Nicholas Moore was appointed Chairman of the CIS board succeeding Peter Mason.

Notable individuals in the CIS research staff include:

Simon Cowan
research director and senior research fellow

Greg Lindsay
senior fellow

Steven Schwartz
senior fellow

Peter Kurti
director of Culture, Prosperity & Civil Society Program

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
director of Indigenous Program

Robert Carling
senior fellow in economics
* Salvatore Babones, adjunct scholar

Blaise Joseph
research fellow in Education Program

References

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External links

The Centre for Independent Studies

Liberty and Society Conference

Think tanks based in Australia
Libertarianism in Australia
Political advocacy groups in Australia
Libertarian think tanks
Think tanks established in 1976
1976 establishments in Australia
Political and economic think tanks based in Australia