Centre for Independent Studies

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a libertarian think tank founded in April 1976 by Executive Director Greg Lindsay. The CIS is one of six think tanks recognised by the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA) in Tokyo, Japan. In 2005, it also opened offices in New Zealand.

Philosophy

The Centre favours a "free enterprise economy and a free society under limited government where individuals can prosper and fully develop their talents". Many CIS scholars, such as Andrew Norton, 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.

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 programmes on:

• Social Policy (Welfare, Education)
• Economic Policy (Tax Policy)
• Foreign Policy (Foreign Aid, Asia-Pacific)
• Government and Politics (Federalism)
• Law (Property Rights, Civil Liberties)
• Ideas on Liberty
• New Zealand Policy Unit

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.

Lecture series and seminars

• John Bonython (annual)
• Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom (annual)
• CIS Lectures
• Bert Kelly
• Consilium annual conference for leading policy makers and thinkers
• Liberty and Society annual conference for students and recent graduates

Publications (examples)

CIS Policy Monographs

• Conspicuous Compassion: Why Sometimes it Really is Cruel to be Kind, Patrick West
• Australia's Welfare Habit: and how to kick it, Peter Saunders (Director of Social Research)

Occasional Papers (OPs)

• Issue Analysis series (recent)
  • No. 57: The $85 Billion Tax/Welfare Churn, Peter Saunders
  • No. 56: Universities In A State: The Federal Case Against Commonwealth Control Of Universities, Andrew Norton
  • No. 54: A New Deal For Aborigines And Torres Strait Islanders In Remote Communities, Helen Hughes And Jenness Warin
  • No. 51: Only 18% Why ACOSS Is Wrong To Be Complacent About Welfare Dependency, Peter Saunders

References

• "Surfing the wave of ideas", The Independent Weekly (Adelaide, South Australia), 22 May 2005

See also

• Emeritus Professor Peter Saunders

External links

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