Centre for Independent Studies

All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies All Things Considered. Making Moral Sense of the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza by Nigel Biggar.Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/all-things-considered-making-moral-sense-of-the-wars-in-ukraine-and-gaza/ 
The pacifist answer to the problem of #war is straightforward. Any use of violent force by anybody in any circumstances is immoral and should cease. War is always worse than its alternatives; peace is always preferable. This is not a view to which I subscribe. We all want peace, but at what cost and to whom? If those who believe in the possibility of morally justified war have to reckon with the dreadful consequences of their position, so do pacifists. Not going to war in 1994 was good for Britons and Australians, but not so good for the Tutsi in Rwanda: our staying at peace left the Hutu at peace to slaughter 800,000 of them. Peace, like war, is morally complicated.
The war in #Ukraine has resulted in the widespread devastation of the country. Russian president Vladimir Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons hangs over it, and it seems unlikely that the Ukrainians can triumph over Russia. So, surely it would have been better, if Kyiv had not resisted in the first place. And would it not be best, if it were to stop resisting now?
Meanwhile in #Gaza the civilian casualties of the war between Israel and Hamas continue to mount. South Africa has accused Israel of genocide, and the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has applied for a warrant to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister. And yet, it was Hamas that began the current phase of the conflict with the horrendously deliberate and indiscriminate massacre of #Israeli civilians on October 7 last year. And it is Hamas that planned to make a battlefield out of a dense urban environment, building tunnels for its gunmen but no shelters for non-combatants. And it is Hamas that is constitutionally committed to eradicating #Israel. So how are we to make coherent moral sense of the situation?

Government spending and inflation with Robert Carling - Interviewed by Emilie Dye.That government expenditure in Australia has grown apace in recent years is well-known. The growth became gargantuan during the coronavirus pandemic. However, to a less dramatic extent, it was happening before the pandemic — and has continued since it ended.
Some observers welcome this growth to the extent it is a reflection of new spending programs and expansion of existing programs perceived to meet legitimate needs. But it is also a matter of serious concern for reasons that include the implications for higher taxation and public debt, the effect on incentives and the diversion of scarce resources away from alternative and higher productivity activities.
Recently, attention has turned to the impact of higher public spending on inflation as monetary policy struggles to restore inflation to its target. Specifically, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has spoken of the high level of aggregate demand relative to the economy’s potential output. The RBA has drawn attention to the relatively rapid growth of public final demand as a contributor to excessive aggregate demand —­ although the Governor has also stated that public sector demand “is not the main game” in the policy response to persistent inflation.
Here we talk about the key facts about public expenditure growth in recent years and discuss its contribution to inflation.You can also read the policy paper here:https://www.cis.org.au/publication/government-spending-and-inflation/ 

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/vNHk5nBeEbMAll our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies In this thought-provoking interview, Robert Forsyth sits down with Behnam Ben Taleblu, a renowned Iran expert and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), to discuss the evolving landscape of liberalism in Iran. Together, they explore the complexities of Iran's political culture, the rise of reformist and liberal movements, and the challenges posed by the ruling regime. What is the future of liberalism in Iran? Can the country embrace democratic values in the face of internal and external pressures? How do the people of Iran view their role in shaping the future? Robert and Behnam delve into these questions and more, offering unique insights on the current socio-political climate and potential pathways forward for Iran.

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/ybXvmRJ2nO0
The Australian nation began as one of the world's first social democracies. Today its political axis has shifted to make it one of the world's leading liberal countries, enjoying unparalleled prosperity - According to today's guest Bob Catley.
Are you looking for sound, thought-provoking conversations on current affairs, politics, and culture from a Classical Liberal perspective? If yes, you are in the right place. Liberalism in Question engages some of our society’s most prominent researchers, political figures, and free speech advocates --finding out their views on the state of Classical Liberalism.
All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies

Watch here: https://youtu.be/UtF9I1H2bNEJimmy Lai, a British citizen, owner of the independent newspaper Apple Daily and pro-democracy and human rights defender, has been detained and subjected to multiple Kafkaesque trials for fighting for freedom of speech and democracy in Hong Kong. His son, Sebastien Lai, and human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, sit down to talk about the trail and the diminishing freedom in Hong Kong.Are you looking for sound, thought-provoking conversations on current affairs, politics, and culture from a Classical Liberal perspective? If yes, you are in the right place. Liberalism in Question engages some of our society’s most prominent researchers, political figures, and free speech advocates --finding out their views on the state of Classical Liberalism.All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies

Watch here: https://youtu.be/Xzk6zYXxvQ4 Reflecting on his pivotal role in the development of a proposal to recognise Australia’s Indigenous peoples in the Constitution, Damien Freeman explains how something that started off as an exercise in settlement politics ended in a failed referendum.Damien Freeman is a visiting scholar at the PM Glynn Institute. He founded and directs the Governor-General's Prize for the Constitution Education Fund Australia. Together with Julian Leeser MP, he established Uphold and Recognise, a non-profit organisation committed to upholding the Australian Constitution and recognising Indigenous Australians. In 2015, Noel Pearson launched The Australian Declaration of Recognition, a pamphlet written by Freeman and Leeser. Damien lectures on ethics and aesthetics at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and convenes a public conversation series with Dr Simon Longstaff AO at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. He is currently working on a project investigating the conservative cast of mind in contemporary Australia, with particular reference to Tony Abbott.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/y9v7xJQCfowWhat would have happened if Israel did nothing on October 8th? Can the "war" in Gaza be called a "moral war"? Bret Stephens argues on this week's episode of Liberalism in Question that the "war" in Gaza is an "existential war" for the survival of Israel of the safety of Jewish people internationally. Bret Stephens is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, writing about foreign policy, domestic politics and cultural issues. Dive in as we explore the idea of liberalism in America and the greater conflicts in the Middle East.

International data have repeatedly shown many Australian school students struggle with mathematics. Around 10% of students achieve at a level that requires additional support (NAPLAN) or are below the international benchmark Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) — which is the equivalent of around 400,000 Australian students per year. More than a quarter of 15-year-olds are low performers in the subject. Learn what you need to know about Why Australia Needs Universal Early Numeracy Screening. Kelly Norris is a Senior Research Associate at CIS working on evidence-based identification and intervention processes for students with or at risk of maths difficulties. Prior to joining CIS in 2024, she has worked as a university lecturer, educational consultant, product developer, consultant teacher and classroom teacher with a particular focus on effective intervention within a multitiered system of support (MTSS). She holds a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Certificate of Education (learning difficulties) and Master of Education. In the latter research she investigated strategies and tools to improve identification and support for students with mathematical difficulties.#auspol 

Counting the Cost: Subsidies For Renewable Energy By Michael Wu.For all references and graphs, please download the publication at the centre for independent studies website where you can also become a member of CIS. As this paper is graph and data-heavy, it’s a good idea to have the paper open as you listen along. Download here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/counting-the-cost-subsidies-for-renewable-energy/CIS Membership - https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CISAus Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/Telegram - https://t.me/centreforindependentstudiesPodcasts - https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/centreindependentstudiesrq9trhf6 CIS - https://www.cis.org.au/ #auspol #nuclear #australiannuclear #energymarket 

The federal, state and territory Energy Ministers have introduced a shadow carbon price for the national electricity market. This ‘value of emissions reduction’ (VER) sets the value of carbon abatement at $66 per tonne in 2023, rising six-fold to $420 by 2050. Costs will be passed onto consumers through electricity network projects because the regulatory investment framework will now include the interim VER as a benefit in their cost benefit analyses. This change is likely to increase the assessed benefits of projects that claim to reduce emissions, projects which might otherwise have been deemed uneconomic.Read the rest of this research here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-impact-of-a-shadow-carbon-price-on-our-electricity-bills/Hosted by Karla Pincott, What You Need to Know About is the podcast that covers exactly that. Hear from CIS' experts on the key points of their research, providing you with concise and insightful overviews of complex topics. In each episode, we break down intricate policy issues, economic trends, social challenges, and more, delivering the essential information you need to stay informed in today's fast-paced world.
 
Join us as we cut through the noise and dive straight into the heart of matters that shape our society. Whether you're a policy enthusiast, a curious mind, or just someone looking to grasp the essentials without getting lost in the details, What You Need to Know About is your go-to source for bite-sized yet comprehensive insights.Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CISAus Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/  Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/  Telegram - https://t.me/centreforindependentstudies #auspol #nuclear #nuclearaustralia #australia #energymarket #energy #netzero #net0 #cis