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Nanny State

To what extent should people's choices be limited because of the harm they could do to themselves? Here you will find the IPA's work on the Nanny State, or government regulations over areas that should be left up to the choice of the individual

Nanny State

Strange Times: Artful Dodgeball

James Bolt Started 9 August 2019 Education and skills, Nanny state,

This article by James Bolt appeared in the August 2019 IPA Review We live in divided times, but I always thought the one thing that could unite us all was our shared love of dodgeball. It...

IPA TODAY

Keep The ACCC Out Of Social Media

John Roskam 2 August 2019 Freedom of speech, Ipa today,

Nearly exactly the same things said about social media today could have been said in the middle of the 15th century about the development of movable type and the printing press. People will use...

Originally appeared in Australian Financial Review

Red Tape

Trick or Tax

James Bolt Started 1 December 2018 Nanny state, Red tape,

Nothing sets the scene for me in October quite like Halloween. I love nothing more than dressing up, throwing a few decorations around, and getting spooky. Which is why I was so happy to see the...

Freedom of Speech

Social Credit Score

James Bolt Started 1 October 2018 Freedom of speech, Nanny state,

China’s ‘Social Credit’ system gives people a score that determines their social standing. People with higher scores, which is influenced by decisions and actions they make, get better treatment...

IPA TODAY

Leaving Us Hungry

Simon Breheny 8 March 2018 Ipa today, Nanny state,

Food, nutrition and human behaviour are far too complex to be regulated with a star rating system Mandatory food labelling is a bureaucrat’s dream and a consumer’s nightmare. Just take...

Originally appeared in The Daily Telegraph

IPA TODAY

Malcolm Turnbull’s Sex Ban Signals All The Wrong Virtues

John Roskam 23 February 2018 Ipa today, Nanny state,

Before Malcolm Turnbull prohibited his ministers from having sexual relations with their staff, there’s a few dozen things he should have banned first. For example, he could have banned...

Originally appeared in Australian Financial Review

PUBLICATIONS

Alcohol Tax Hurts Us All — Not Just Boozers

Daniel Wild 8 January 2018 Ipa today, Nanny state,

Australians are expected to lose a record $404 billion in taxes in 2017-18. Yet this is not enough for some. Under plans submitted to the Turnbull government by anti-alcohol lobbyists, Australian...

Originally appeared in The Daily Telegraph

Opinion

Dan’s Ban On Plastic Bags Doesn’t Carry Any Weight

Gideon Rozner 1 November 2017 Ipa today, Nanny state,

When Woolworths and Coles announced in July that they were phasing out the use of plastic shopping bags, it was only a matter of time before our politicians got in on the act. So it was no...

Originally appeared in The Herald Sun

Opinion

Sugar Tax Leaves A Bitter Taste

Matthew Lesh 24 November 2016 Ipa today, Nanny state,

The Grattan Institute’s report demanding a new sugar tax on soft drinks is a blatant insult to the Australian people. Grattan, founded by the Rudd government, prides itself on...

UK Nanny State Bullies Family Restaurants

Matthew Lesh 1 October 2016 Ipa today, Nanny state,

The UK government’s nanny statist food ingredients and portion size policies are now being expanded to restaurants, cafés and pubs of all sizes. The government plans to set sugar reduction...

Way Too Much Fuss Over A Simple T-Shirt

Georgina Downer 7 September 2016 Freedom of speech, Nanny state,

This week Target became the latest target of the politically correct warriors. Target’s crime of political correctness was to sell a T-shirt. A pink T-shirt for girls. The t-shirt read...

Opinion

Time To Act: Curbs On Free Speech Must Go

Simon Breheny 19 August 2016 Freedom of speech, Ideas and liberty,

A free speech revolution is just over the horizon. Several recent events are demonstrating that Australians are sick and tired of a political class that gets to decide the limits of public debate...

Opinion

ABS Census Farce Reminds Us Statistics Are The ‘Eyes Of The Bureaucrat’

John Roskam 12 August 2016 Faith and society, Government services,

In 1961, Murray Rothbard, the most important libertarian economist of the 20th century, wrote about the evils of government statistics. “Statistics are the eyes and ears of the bureaucrat...

10 Worst Nanny State Policies

Chris Berg Started 5 August 2016 Ideas and liberty, Nanny state,

10: Plain packet cigarettes The argument for plain cigarette packaging is one of the most stark examples of how Nanny State regulations treat individuals as childish automatons. Plain packaging...

Opinion

A Pokemon In The Eye For Nanny State

Matthew Lesh 13 July 2016 Innovation and entrepreneurship, Nanny state,

A new app is doing what years of nanny state programs and millions of wasted taxpayer dollars failed to do – get people outside, on their feet and living healthier lifestyles. Pokemon GO was...

Red Tape

The Amount of Red Tape in Schools is Getting Stupid

James Bolt Started 1 April 2016 Nanny state, Red tape,

Hey readers would be familiar with Anthony Ruelas, a 15-year-old student in Texas, who broke his school’s code for dealing with asthma attacks by helping an asthmatic student to the school nurse...

Innovation Statement? The Government Doesn’t Even Allow Lemonade Stands

John Roskam 11 December 2015 Innovation and entrepreneurship, Nanny state,

The story of what happened to Chelsea-lee Downes reveals everything that’s wrong with Australia’s attitude to innovation and risk-taking. Malcolm Turnbull and Chris Pyne’s...

Opinion

End The Cotton Wool Culture For Kids

John Roskam 31 January 2014 Ideas and liberty, Ipa today,

A lot of nonsense has been written lately about young people, alcohol and violence. But there’s one particular bit of nonsense that stands out. It’s this statement from Michael Daube...

Originally appeared in The Australian Financial Review

Nanny State

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