Spend now. Pay later.

Labor’s reliance on bracket creep incentivises poor budget management. Ending it would limit the government’s ability to make long-term spending promises without explaining how they’ll be paid for. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenDecember 3, 2025Spend now

Stuck at 0.24%

The only achievement Labor has been able to show for its increased spending of $75 billion on renewables is emissions reduction at a rather paltry rate of 0.24% a year. By David Hughes.

Susan NguyenNovember 27, 2025Stuck at 0.24%

Restoring the Australian Dream

The intergenerational contract that once ensured that each generation was better off than the last is fraying. To maintain social cohesion and trust, Australia must restore balance to this contract and ensure that young people receive a fair chance at prosperity. By Freya Leach.

Centre for Youth PolicySusan NguyenNovember 20, 2025Restoring the Australian Dream

A foreign state

The current predicament in Victoria is what happens when a long-term government puts politics before public interest. By David Hughes.

Susan NguyenOctober 27, 2025A foreign state

Make or break - the PM's first Trump test

In what could be the most important meeting of his Prime Ministership, Anthony Albanese needs to land as many wins as possible. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenOctober 10, 2025Make or Break

Equal access, unequal outcomes: The great NDIS divide

The Menzies Research Centre has conducted detailed analysis of NDIS data to highlight potential avenues for reform. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenSeptember 15, 2025Equal access

MRC analysis: The suburbs where 1 in 25 people are on the NDIS

MRC analysis by Chief Economist Nico Louw reveals significant geographic disparities in NDIS participation rates, which are much higher in lower socioeconomic areas.

Susan NguyenSeptember 5, 2025

Albanese's long game on reform

Although there is a broad consensus that we cannot tax and spend our way to prosperity, there is a significant risk that this remains Albanese’s preferred approach. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenSeptember 1, 2025Albanese's long game on reform

Indexation - A cure for bracket creep

Indexing income tax to inflation is fair, affordable and long overdue. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenAugust 11, 2025Indexation a cure for bracket creep

How the Left plans to rebrand growth

Progressives are embracing the merits of economic growth, and want to own it. This poses a profound threat to the political message that has underpinned conservative political success for decades. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenAugust 2, 2025Abundance Agenda

Government grows, growth slows

Australia leads the world with the highest share of workers in the public sector. While public and community services are expanding rapidly, they are not doing so efficiently. By David Hughes.

Susan NguyenJuly 31, 2025Government grows growth slows

A lesson for Canberra—From Athens

Once labelled the sick man of Europe, Greece is now hailed as a model for combining fiscal discipline with pro-growth policies. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenJuly 21, 2025Athens

Hawke led. Albanese follows.

The Hawke Government once led the world in modernising its workplace laws. Now, under Albanese, we are regressing. By David Hughes

Susan NguyenJuly 7, 2025Hawke

Dithering on Defence

The attitude of the PM and his Government to the strategic competition we face is deeply concerning. They seem determined to simply pay lip service to this challenge, while pretending it doesn’t exist to focus on domestic politics and how to deliver Labor priorities. By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenJune 23, 2025Defence Policy

A country worth inheriting?

Whether by design or incompetence, the Government is creating a system where dependence replaces aspiration. By David Hughes

Susan NguyenJune 19, 2025Intergenerational Inequality

Losing the next generation

A new MRC project on intergenerational inequality will demonstrate how big government, growing debt and a failure to take on economic reform will hurt young people in the long run. By Freya Leach.

Centre for Youth PolicySusan NguyenJune 11, 2025Losing the next generation

Time for economic reform

Economic reform is overdue. Does the Government continue to choose the safe option of small-target policies and incremental change, or do they finally cut out the Greens once and for all and work with the Coalition to enact real economic reforms? By Nico Louw.

Susan NguyenMay 19, 2025Economic Reform