Liberalism in Question | CIS

Has Australia’s experiment with multiculturalism reached a breaking point?
In this episode of Liberalism in Question, economist and public intellectual Henry Ergas AO joins the conversation to examine one of the most sensitive and consequential questions facing classical liberalism in Australia today: how a free and open society can sustain social cohesion amid rapid demographic change, cultural fragmentation, and the rise of identity politics.
Ergas, a long-time columnist for The Australian, former OECD economist, and one of the country’s most rigorous public thinkers, argues that the post-Whitlam model of multiculturalism has shifted from a pragmatic policy of tolerance and integration to an ideology that celebrates difference while weakening the shared civic culture that once held Australia together. He explores the consequences for immigration policy, national identity, and the liberal order itself, including the alarming surge in antisemitism and the broader erosion of social trust.
A clear-eyed and unflinching conversation about culture, belonging, and the future of liberal democracy in Australia.
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In this episode of Liberalism in Question, Joseph Healy examines what Adam Smith would make of modern Australia.
Drawing on both The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of Moral Sentiments, he diagnoses today’s economic and social challenges and outlines a more balanced path forward.
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What are our shared values? | Rachael Kohn
From de Tocqueville to Lord Acton and beyond, the idea of Democracy has developed, not always ideally, and signs of its demise are evident in Australia, making its defence a priority.
Rachael Kohn AO FRSN is an author, commentator, and award-winning producer and broadcaster, best known for her long tenure at the ABC. She has written three books, edited a fourth, and holds a PhD in religious studies from a Canadian university.
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👉 Key points: 🔹Civic decline and identity-based education have fuelled the rise of antisemitism in Australia.🔹Antisemitism grows when Australians stop seeing each other first as equal citizens with shared civic obligations.🔹Rebuilding civic knowledge and a common national identity strengthens resistance to antisemitism and social division.
👉 Support CIS Research:🔹 Become a member:  https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ 🔹 Make a donation: https://www.cis.org.au/support/donate/today/ 🔹 Learn more: https://www.cis.org.au/ 
👉 Further reading: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/a-nation-of-strangers-how-a-civic-vacuum-enabled-antisemitism/

👉 Watch Part 1: https://youtu.be/zhxJXyavYzI
Is Islam compatible with liberalism? In this episode of Liberalism in Question, Dr Mark Durie joins the Centre for Independent Studies to examine the fundamental tensions between Islamic theology, sharia, and core liberal principles such as individual freedom, equality, and freedom of religion.
Mark Durie is a pastor and academic. He writes and speaks on a wide range of topics which include the connection between faith and culture, freedom of religion, the persecution of religious minorities, particularly non-Muslims living under the Islamic sharia, the origin and history of Islam, and discipling new Christians.
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Is Islam Compatible with Classical Liberalism? | Dr. Samir Mahmoud
What is the relationship between Islam and Classical Liberalism? Is there an incompatibility, or just a misunderstanding between manifestations of Islam on the margins? 
Dr. Samir Mahmoud is the Education Advisor to the Office of the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. He has a BA (Hons) in Anthropology & Politics with a focus on multicultural theory and comparative religion, and an MA in Architectural History, Theory & Urban Design with a focus on the traditional townscape from the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia. He also holds an MPhil in Theology & Religious Studies with a focus on comparative philosophy and aesthetics. He completed a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr. Timothy Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad).
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Watch here: https://youtu.be/zhxJXyavYzI

Watch here: https://youtu.be/pfX-nzrgFPM
"[Dahrendorf] had protected an idea: that intellectual work and practical engagement could combine without abandoning intellectual standards, that boundaries could be crossed with integrity intact."
Join Dr Oliver Hartwich for a conversation about Dahrendorf, Trump and the multitudes of intellectuals who have abandoned their principles. . 
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👉 Further reading: https://oliverhartwich.com/2026/02/27/the-temptations-of-unfreedom-revisited/

What classical liberals get wrong about the rest of the World | Alexandre LefebvreProfessor of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Sydney and author of Liberalism as a Way of Life, Alexandre Lefebvre explores how classical liberalism shapes not just politics, but our everyday values, ethics, and way of life.
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People have a lot of opinions and a lot of anecdotes that may not necessarily be true. Politicians deal with feelings. Economists and analysts should deal with facts. We have looked at the data and things are becoming cheaper, more affordable, more abundant in Australia... 
👉 Read more: 🔹 Humankind and the infinite resource base: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/humankind-and-the-infinite-resource-base/🔹 Hours, Not Dollars: Rethinking the cost-of-living debate: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/hours-not-dollars-rethinking-the-cost-of-living-debate/🔹 Growth that Builds: Beyond the immigration blame game: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/growth-that-builds-beyond-the-immigration-blame-game/🔹 In Conversation with Marian L. Tupy: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/in-conversation-with-marian-l-tupy/
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Over the past several decades, Australian society has undergone profound economic, social, and cultural change. Education pathways have lengthened, housing costs have far outpaced wages, family formation has been delayed or disrupted, and government intervention has expanded across nearly every stage of life. Public policy has attempted to keep pace with these changes. But there is a growing mismatch between the aspirations young Australians hold and the reality they experience.
This CIS research (https://www.cis.org.au/publication/generation-trapped-housing-handouts-and-the-collapse-of-young-australians-life-satisfaction/) examines the lives, aspirations, values, and perceived barriers of Australians aged 18–34. Drawing on original qualitative interviews using conversational AI and quantitative research conducted by Spectre Strategy on behalf of the Centre for Independent Studies, it finds young Australians do not aspire to radically different lives than previous generations. Financial security, home ownership, meaningful work, family, and children remain core goals. What has changed is the degree to which these goals feel attainable.
👉 Read the research: https://www.cis.org.au/tribes
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