Centre for Independent Studies

We welcome Richard Alston former Liberal Senator for Victoria and senior cabinet minister in the Howard Coalition government. He is also author of recent CIS paper Reflections on the EU Project and its Flaws: A fatal conceit about markets and the real world. With worthwhile intentions, The EU, and its predecessor bodies, were set up with the aim of ending the long history of frequent and bloody wa...

We welcome Jordan Williams, executive director and co-founder of the New Zealand Tax Payer's Alliance. Buoyed by the support of the vast majority of voters, New Zealand had managed to shield itself from Covid-19, but what lies ahead for an isolated New Zealand? With a housing crisis playing out, an imminent interest rate rise and excessive government spending on vanity projects, how is the Ardern...

We welcome William Coleman, Reader at the Research School of Economics at ANU. He is the prize-winning author, or co-author, of eight books including recently, Their Firery Cross of Union; A Retelling of the Creation of the Australian Federation (Connor Court). Recently writing in The Sydney Morning Herald, Chris Uhlmann wrote 'Scott Morrison now cannot travel through the country he governs. The P...

We welcome Scott Prasser, senior policy advisor and CIS scholar. In his recent book, Scott argues hardly a day passes in Australia without a public inquiry or royal commission being appointed, a report being released, or someone calling for an inquiry to be appointed. Since federation, the Commonwealth alone has appointed nearly 140 royal commissions and some 500 other public inquiries. Some inqui...

We welcome Bridget McKenzie, Nationals Senator for Victoria since 2011. Senator McKenzie has held ministerial office in the Turnbull and Morrison Governments and has served as her party's Senate leader since 2019. In late 2020, McKenzie authored 'John McEwen: right man, right place, right time' (Connor Court), in this book she argues that his policies, known as ‘McEwenism,’ forged the nation’s pos...

Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani fled the country over the weekend, leading to a complete collapse in government administration and a rapid Taliban takeover of the entire country. A one-time Abu Dhabi based correspondent for CNN and former anchor for Al Jazeera in Doha, Australia's own Stan Grant brings a depth of in-region experience to the analysis of Afghan affairs. Today we ask Grant how t...

On the show this Wednesday, we welcome Ehud Yaari visiting expert at the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council and one of Israel's leading public affairs commentators. This episode will focus on the recently sworn in Bennett–Lapid Israeli Government, the Biden Administration's actions in the Middle East six months on from his inauguration, as well as a geopolitical overview of the region....

This episode focuses on Afghanistan’s future prospects given Australia’s recent closure of its embassy in Kabul, and the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan after 20 years. We'll discuss the implications of the US withdrawal, the ‘peace process’ that was supposed to flow from the US-Taliban agreement, and what scenarios could play out should the Taliban regain control.

We welcome podcast host, Bitcoin maximalist and co-founder of Ministry of Nodes, Stephan Liveria. This episode will focus on cryptocurrency and decentralised finance. Bitcoin started the year at an all-time high. Then, there was controversy after Elon Musk criticised the cryptocurrency for its allegedly damaging impact on the environment. Now, El Salvador has made Bitcoin one of its official curre...

We welcome French Consul (Commercial), Armelle Rebuffet. We'll discuss how BusinessFrance works to strengthen Franco-Australian relations, how covid-19 has impacted the way French companies view and engage with Australia and the main barriers and obstacles for Australian businesses looking to move. BusinessFrance works connecting French and Australian companies and how they assist Australian compa...

As Sydney starts another round of lockdown, we are pleased to say we will still be able to produce the weekly On Liberty -- fitting, considering it is the reason we started the show in the first place! This week we ask, if liberalism falls will that usher in a 'new dark age'? If so, what, exactly, will go dark? Freedom of speech and the press, democratic elections, and independent judiciaries are...

On the show this Wednesday, we welcome CIS contributor and Australian Catholic University academic, Dr Anthony Dillon. Writing in The Herald Sun recently, Anthony says proponents for truth-telling of Australia’s past selectively advance a sanitised version and are disinterested in inconvenient truths facing Indigenous Australians today. Anthony argues that truth-telling hasn’t extended to sensitiv...

Australia does a lot of great science, but has a poor record of translating that science into benefits for society. At least, that's what the education minister has been telling us. This week we talk to an eminent Australian scientist to hear about a home-grown translational medicine success story -- and to find out what barriers still stand between basic research and commercial applications. This...

With the Australian and Chinese governments arguing in increasingly shrill tones, has Australia really "hurt the feelings of the Chinese people"? In China's official view of the world, the Party and the people are one. But is that really true? And how is the Party's role in society changing in the 21st century?

Since last month’s federal budget, the Centre for Independent Studies has lamented that the Coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison has embraced the political left’s economic credentials as interventionists and big spenders. Will Canberra’s historic spending blowout lead to an inflation surge, prompting higher interest rates? Will it just steal economic growth from the future in retu...

With their sensationalist public questioning of Premier Gladys Berejiklian's private life the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has attracted renewed attention. Some may argue that ICAC must break a few eggs in order to obtain the proverbial, corruption-busting omelet. But has ICAC gone too far? Is the rule of law being undermined in NSW? Join us with Chris Merritt. Chris is vic...

On the show this Wednesday, we welcome Institute of Public Affairs’ Dr Bella d’Abrera. Speaking with The Australian recently, Bella reveals that new polling proves parents are concerned schooling has become overly politicised and out of step with mainstream values. Bella argues that, as a fundamentally egalitarian society, divisive ideologies like critical race theory, have no place in Australian...

Did the fall of the Soviet Union usher in the end of history for everyone, or only for a small class of comfortably well-off professionals in a few rich countries? How did big ideas replace practical politics, and what does it mean for our future now that politics have come roaring back? Was the presidency of Donald Trump an aberration, or a sign of things to come? And perhaps most importantly: is...

From childcare subsidies to jobseeker increases and big infrastructure spending this years' 2021 Federal Budget is being touted as one of the largest in our nation's history. While elevated iron ore prices will help to offset its impact we are staring down multiyear deficits and debt. Join guest host, Simon Cowan and CIS research associate, John Humphreys as they cover what the mainstream media ha...

As Myanmar's military takeover risks spinning into civil war, what can Australia do to help? Do "middle powers" matter? How secure is our region, and what can we do to improve it? If democracy really is threatened in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, what can Australia do to help preserve it? Join us for our 50th episode this week as we ask Mr Peter Khalil MP what Australia can do to promote...

Science fiction is often seen as the domain of - the nerds. But, the genre has a long and inextricable link with libertarianism. This is the argument made by podcaster, writer, and teacher, Jordan Alexander Hill in his brilliant Quillette essay, "The Libertarian History of Science Fiction." Jordan joins us to discuss his essay and we voyage from the early days of science fiction; the impact of the...

How can students be expected to develop into intellectual adults if they are never exposed to the best reading that the English language has to offer? The New South Wales curriculum acknowledges that English is the national language of Australia, but what is it actually doing to educate the state's children in its use? Join us this week as we "talk English" with educationalist Dr Fiona Mueller, au...

The Magna Carta has become an enduring symbol of freedom, a triumph over power and tyranny. But would you be surprised to learn that, not only did the great charter have many lives it, "was completely misrepresented?" This is the story, beautifully and methodical told, in historian Dr Zachary Gorman's latest book: Summoning Magna Carta: Freedom's Symbol over a Millennium. Through impeccable resear...

India is on everyone's agenda here in Australia, but do we really understand the country -- and the opportunities it offers? We're joined this week by Natasha Jha Bhaskar, general manager of Newland Global Group (NGG) and a frequent commentator on Australia-India relations. With 12 years of experience working in the Indian Parliament, Natasha now helps Australian organizations understand the India...

Many cultural forces continue to weed out books, tear down statues and shame celebrities, who buck fashionable opinion. As a result, the cultural putsch in many western institutions strikes at liberal values. We are told these purges are necessary to “prevent harm.” In any case, society has “moved on” from the past. But is cancel culture simply about fending off “harm”? Is it just about redressing...