Centre for Independent Studies

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is an Australian libertarian think tank. It was founded in 1976 by Greg Lindsay.^[1] The CIS focuses on libertarian issues such as free market economics and reducing the size and scope of government. The CIS is endowed by donations, membership subscriptions, and book and event sales. According to the 2014 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania), CIS is number 101 (of 150) in the "Top Think Tanks Worldwide" and number 11 (of 60) in the "Top Think Tanks in Southeast Asia and the Pacific."^[2]

Philosophy

The Centre favours a "free enterprise economy and a free society under limited government where individuals can prosper and fully develop their talents".^[3] Many CIS scholars are self-described classical liberals. As classical liberalism is often critical of government intervention in the economy and personal life, the Centre does not accept government funding out of principle. Instead, the CIS is funded by private sector donations from individuals, companies and charitable trusts.^[4] It does not disclose the names of donors, and in 2016 received a rating of 'highly opaque', and zero out of five stars, in a survey by Transparify.^[5]

CIS scholars are often in conflict with other think tanks and welfare bodies, particularly those it considers centrist and left-wing, such as the Per Capita, The Australia Institute, the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, the Society of St Vincent de Paul, The Smith Family, and the Australian Council of Social Service.

Research programs

The CIS has research programs on:^[6]

• Social Policy (Welfare, Education, Population, Health, Indigenous Affairs)
• Economic Policy (Tax Policy, Infrastructure, Workplace reform, government spending)
• Foreign Policy (Foreign Aid, Asia-Pacific)
• Government and Politics (Federalism)
• Law (Property Rights, Civil Liberties, Free Speech)
• Ideas on Liberty

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.

Media

CIS researchers regularly comment in opinion pieces in Australian newspapers,^[7] online,^[8] on radio^[9] and on TV, with content mirrored on their YouTube channel.^[10]

The CIS also has a weekly newsletter ideas@thecentre.^[11]

Staff

Notable individuals in the CIS research staff include:^[12]

• Greg Lindsay, Executive Director
• Peter Saunders, Senior Fellow, Social Foundations Program
• Steven Schwartz, Senior Fellow
• Nick Cater, Visiting Fellow
• Oliver Marc Hartwich, Adjunct Scholar
• John Lee, Visiting Fellow, Foreign Policy

References

External links

• The Centre for Independent Studies
• Policy (quarterly journal) published by CIS
• Liberty and Society Conference