Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s pledge to ‘Close the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health outcomes was perceived as a long overdue landmark, but its achievement will require more than yet another government strategy or more funding. The Rudd government is doing what previous administrations have always done — throwing more and more money at the...

Instead of centrally planning the future of Australian health care as recommended by the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission, the federal government should establish a national health voucher system and let choice, competition, and patient need determine the right supply of health services required in an ageing Australia. The final report of the National...

Capital gains tax raises little revenue, but at a substantial cost in terms of economic efficiency, says CIS Research Fellow Dr Stephen Kirchner in his new report. At best, CGT is an anti-avoidance measure. Yet CGT is itself readily avoided through the deferred realisation of capital gains.

Sydney's dated intercity train connections are not playing in the league of the world's great cities. Rail connections between Sydney and neighbouring cities need to improve substantially, and business class carriages would be a good first step. Every day, thousands of people travel between Sydney and the neighbouring urban centres of Wollongong, the Blue Mountains...

This paper argues that there is no bigger issue facing the Australian health system than what to do about public hospitals. Public hospitals provide 60% of the hospital care needed in Australia each year and treat the majority of the oldest, sickest and most complex patients. They also consumed $28 billion in 2007–08. This represents...