Adam Creighton
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Senior Fellow and Chief Economist, @TheIPA;
Columnist (ex Washington Correspondent), The @Australian;
@MarjorieDeane alum at The Economist; ex RBA, APRA, 🎼
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Articles by Adam Creighton
The glaring problems with Labor’s dreadful, appalling, terrible 2026 Budget
Few observers in Australia’s media have had a kind word for last month’s controversial Budget, as Alan Austin reports. CAREFUL DISTILLATION of the vociferous condemnations of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ fifth Budget handed down three weeks ago reveals six fundamental criticisms. 1.
Statement from Adam Creighton, Chief Economist – Treasurer Jim Chalmers Misrepresents IPA research
“Being fiercely independent, widely respected, and non-partisan, advocates for reform will naturally seize on our research to prosecute their case. Unfortunately this is not always done in good faith, as the Treasurer reminded us this week in Question Time,” said Adam Creighton, Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs.
Ambitious Closing the Gap hopes will stall as states benefit from failure
The alleged murder of five-year-old Indigenous girl Kumanjayi Little Baby last month was yet another grim reminder of how Northern Territory’s remote communities continue to suffer from egregious socio-economic dysfunction despite the billions of dollars a year spent to fix it.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 28 May 2026
Chris Smith: Senior fellow and chief economist with the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton, welcome. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Chris Smith: I’m sorry that you come on the back of that little argument. Adam Creighton: No, that’s all right. Chris Smith: But to say that the government, to believe the government when it says, “We did not help the ISIS brides,” I don’t believe that for one second, do you? Adam Creighton: No. No, look, I certainly don’t.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 27 May 2026
Sharri Markson: Good news today that we’re unlikely to have a rate rise at the next RBA board meeting after headline inflation fell from 4.6 to 4.2%. Although the IBA’s preferred measure of trimmed mean inflation has risen to 3.4%, which is the highest level since September 2024. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the fuel excise cut helped bring headline inflation down and of course the coalition, as you know, campaigned for this.
Adam Creighton on Opinionated Sky News Australia – 22 May 2026
Danica De Giorgio: Well, Labor’s disastrous budget has turned into the butt of all jokes as Aussies turned their backs on the government. MUSIC: The hills are alive with the sound of Albo’s bull(beep) with slogans that echo all day long Danica De Giorgio: Yeah, Labor’s budget is more like the sound of mucus. It’s a shocker. Labour tried to appeal to a young generation through intergenerational equity and tax changes, and it backfired.
A housing ‘fix’ that could hurt young savers the most
Wanting every worker to be able to afford to buy a home is a nice idea but it’s highly unrealistic, and increasing capital gains tax is unlikely to make much of a difference. However “unaffordable” dwellings have become homeownership in Australia remains at very high levels compared both with other countries and with our own history.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 21 May 2026
Chris Smith: Now, senior fellow and chief economist with the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton, is on the line right now. Good day, Adam. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Chris Smith: Not everyone agrees with you, but then they love going personal when they don’t agree with you. Adam Creighton: Yes, that’s… Well, yes, that’s not good. I’ve certainly experienced that myself a lot over the years. Chris Smith: I’ve always up for a fight on issues.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 20 May 2026
Sharri Markson: Welcome back. More than 740,000 wage and salary earners could be hit by the treasurer’s plan to axe the capital gains tax discount. Labour says this is about rewarding workers over investors, but the Australian’s analysis shows two thirds of people reporting capital gains are workers too, including teachers and paramedics who are trying to get ahead. And the IPA’s Chief Economist, Adam Creighton, joins me now. Adam, good to see you.
Adam Creighton on Power Hour – Sky News Australia – 19 May 2026
Gabrielle Power: Joining us now is Adam Creighton, Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs. Adam, it is great to see you. I mean, what’d you make of that interview? It’s certainly not a good look for the Labour Minister, Labour government. And also, can you explain this death tax to us? Adam Creighton: No. It’s… Well, look, I probably can’t in detail because it’s just so complicated.
Adam Creighton on The Media Show Sky News Australia – 15 May 2026
Jack Houghton: Well, joining me now is Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs, and of course, former Washington correspondent at The Australian, Adam Creighton. Welcome back to the show, Adam. Adam Creighton: Thanks, Jack. Great to be here. Jack Houghton: Now, that was a PBS package that we just played, and one thing that really stood out to me, it’s just this massive, this chasm between these two cultures.
Labor’s Renovation Republic abandons the ambitious young
If we had become a banana republic as Paul Keating warned 40 years ago, at least we could have proudly specialised in something useful to the world. Alas, the risk after the government’s latest budget is on the path to becoming a Renovation Republic, a sclerotic nation obsessed with buying and renovating principal residences on credit to harvest limitless tax-free capital gains.
2026-27 Budget: federal government to ramp up spending on failing net zero policies
“Federal government spending on failing net zero programmes is set to jump by roughly one-third, despite the finance minister claiming only days ago that such expenditure growth was ‘unsustainable’,” said Adam Creighton, Senior Fellow and Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs.
Why Labor’s CGT reform plan looms as another bungle
After last year’s federal election, I tried to look on the bright side: Perhaps a Labor government with a large majority might have the courage to simplify the tax system or slash federal spending, prioritising the nation’s long-term interests over the risk of losing a few far-left marginal seats in the capital cities.
Move over, Gough. PM’s spending addiction won’t age well
After almost four years of the Albanese government, it’s time to declare it worse than Gough Whitlam’s. The polarising former Labor leader led a chaotic, short-lived government in the early 1970s that ended spectacularly, but this government’s legacy will ultimately be worse, both culturally and economically. Nations can deteriorate for reasons beyond their control; invading foreign armies or, less dramatically, a severe slump in demand for their exports.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 23 April 2026
Sharri Markson: Well, joining me now, IPA Chief Economist Adam Creighton and former Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes. Great to see you both. So Hollie, I want to start with you on this because as a mother, you have dealt with the NDIS and as a politician. You’ve examined the policy very closely. What’s your response to Mark Butler’s proposal that he announced yesterday? Hollie Hughes: Look, a lot of this needs to be done. Absolutely. This needs to be cleaned up.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 23 April 2026
Chris Smith: I’ve got a senior fellow from the Institute of Public Affairs, chief economist with the IPA as well, columnist with The Australian newspaper, Adam Creighton, on the line. Good morning to you, Adam. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Chris Smith: Okay. I guess I’m asking you to put on your economics hat more than your political hat, but we’ve got some significant changes announced to the NDIS. I wonder whether they could have gone further and means-tested it.
Adam Creighton on the The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 22 April 2026
Rita Panahi: Joining me now is senior fellow and chief economist at the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton, and Sky News contributor, Louise Roberts. Louise, this dramatic search for supporting One Nation is enduring. Last year, the party attracted just 6.4% of the vote at the federal election. Now it’s out-polling the Coalition in every poll. And now in this poll equal with Labour. Louise Roberts: That’s right. And Labor’s decline I think here is entirely self-inflicted.
Adam Creighton on the Power Hour Sky News Australia – 21 April 2026
Gabriella Power: Joining us now is Chief Economist and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton. Adam, great to see you again. I want to start with the relationship between Australia and the United States, of course. Australia won’t be sending ships or jets to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, it’s signed onto a statement led by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act effectively after the war is over. We’ll get into Keir Starmer in a moment.
Total Australian government debt smashes past $1.6 trillion
“The fruits of reckless and irresponsible governments at all levels have been laid bare in new ABS data showing public sector debt blew past $1.6 trillion dollars in the 2025 financial year,” said Adam Creighton, Chief Economist and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs. Today, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its new Government Finance Statistics report with the reference period the financial year ending June 2025.
Our energy policy is in the hands of the incompetent
The spectacular fire at the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong is yet another reminder not only of our increasingly fragile fuel security but how pathetically we’ve been governed. A kakistocracy indeed. This is not some obscure facility. It supplies roughly half of Victoria’s petrol and about 10 per cent of the country’s. The fire wasn’t a co-called black swan event – something that couldn’t have been envisaged – but very much a white one.
State Economic Scorecard 2026
This research report is the third annual Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) State Economic Scorecard, which assesses and ranks the performance of each Australian state across ten key economic indicators. The measures are based on the most recently available data as of the time of writing, in February 2026.
IPA Facts: Volume 51 No.1 – 2026
In this issue of IPA Facts: • The size and cost of Australia’s public service • How the ABC spends your money
Adam Creighton on The Media Show Sky News Australia – 10 April 2026
Jack Houghton: Well, joining me to discuss is the Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs and, of course, former Washington correspondent for The Australian, Adam Creighton, joining me again on the show. Welcome back. Adam Creighton: Thanks, Jack. Great to be here. Jack Houghton: Now, this comment from Donald Trump, he obviously uses a lot of colourful rhetoric, but it was the particular “Annihilate a civilization” comment which has set off fireworks across the media.
Why more pollies in federal parliament just makes sense
When the Institute of Public Affairs and the left-wing Australia Institute agree on a policy, it’s likely a meritorious one that deserves consideration. It’s a reminder of how broken our political system has become when a proposal to increase the number of members of federal parliament was killed off by the Prime Minister late last month after the Coalition dared the government to publicly support it.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 10 April 2026
Chris Smith: His column is in the Australian newspaper today. He’s also a senior fellow and Chief Economist with the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton, welcome to the programme. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Great to be here. Chris Smith: Ceasefire. Did annihilate a civilization work, do you think?
Adam Creighton on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 9 April 2026
Rita Panahi: Joining me now is the Institute of Public Affairs Chief Economist, Adam Creighton, and former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint. Nicolle, I’ll start with you. The Australian Defence Force currently has 61,000 members. It wants to have 80,000 members by 2040. I don’t think that’s likely under the current circumstances, do you? Nicolle Flint: I don’t think it’s likely, Rita.
PM’s fuel excise cut just ignores our real energy problems
Whenever there is an outbreak of panic buying it’s common to read Charles Mackay’s famous line about how “men go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one”. That’s been true of financial markets over the centuries, from the tulip mania of the seventeenth century to the stock market “crash over nothing” in 1987. But in real product markets it’s rare to see behaviour without an underlying rational explanation – the latest example of “fuel hoarding” is a case-in-point.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 2 April 2026
Steve Price: Joining me now is the Institute of Public Affairs Chief Economist, Adam Creighton and Sky News host Caleb Bond. Caleb, you are a student of good speeches. Rate the three minutes of the Prime Minister last night for me out of 10. Caleb Bond: Zero, which is about as much as we learned from it as well.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 2 April 2026
Chris Smith: Paul, I appreciate that. I want to go to the IPA senior fellow and chief economist, Adam Creighton, who’s also a columnist with the Australian newspaper. He’s on the line right now. Adam, did you see the blast off? Adam Creighton: Yes, look, I certainly did. If you’re referring to the Alba address. Chris Smith: No, I meant the Artemis II launch. Adam Creighton: All channels, 7PM, 9, 7, ABC. It was like some sort of communist regime. The order had gone out. Everyone must hear.
Adam Creighton on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 1 April 2026
Rita Panahi: Joining me now is the Institute of Public Affairs Chief Economist, Adam Creighton, and Menzies Research Centre senior fellow Nick Cater. Adam, do you agree there with Martin Parkinson’s comments? Adam Creighton: Well, look, generally I do agree. We do need changes at the federal level, clearly. He was rather vague on what we need. He just said we need a more efficient tax system. Well, who would disagree with that? Rita Panahi: Yeah.
Immigration Archives
Caroline Marcus: Well, joining me now is the deputy executive director of...
Adam Creighton on Canberra Live with Leon Delaney 2CC – 27 March 2026
Leon Delaney: Chief Economist at the Institute of Public Affairs, Adam Creighton, good afternoon. Adam Creighton: Thanks very much for having me. Leon Delaney: Well, thanks for joining us today. What you’ve done here is essentially add in the one component that is mysteriously missing from the CPI official figures, and that is the cost of paying off a mortgage. Why is that not part of the CPI? Adam Creighton: Yeah, look, it’s an interesting one.
How CPI masks our real wages horror story
Ordinary people scoff when you tell them the inflation rate is 3.7 per cent. Sure, even the official rate is higher than normal – and rising – but I’m yet to find anyone who believes the CPI is a good indicator of their day-to-day experience.
Australia’s inflation figures are a fiction – and they have hidden a collapse in real wages
“Australians are constantly told their real wages have risen over the past quarter century. In reality, once you account for housing, they’ve gone backwards,” said IPA Chief Economist Adam Creighton Australia’s official inflation statistics are fundamentally flawed, dramatically understating the true rise in the cost of living and misleading policymakers and the public, according to new research from the Institute of Public Affairs.
The CPI Myth: How official inflation statistics ignore house prices and hide a collapse in real wages
Australia’s official inflation measure, the Consumer Price Index, misses the biggest cost most households face or would like to be in a position to face —the cost of homeownership. Given decades of often rapid increases in house and apartment prices, the CPI has systematically understated the true rise in the cost of living. Since 1998, inflation would have been up to 40 percentage points higher if dwelling prices were included, not the 114 per cent shown in official CPI.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 26 March 2026
Sharri Markson: All right, we can now bring you an exclusive new report that examines real wages, and it reveals real wages are now lower than 30 years ago, so lower now than they were in 1998. In inflation, therefore maybe in a real sense, a lot higher than Australians have been led to believe. This is an Institute of Public Affairs report and its author, Chief Economist, Adam Creighton joins me now. Great to see you, Adam. Adam Creighton: Thanks, Sharri.
Adam Creighton on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia – 25 March 2026
Rita Panahi: Okay. Joining me now is the Institute of Public Affairs Chief Economist, Adam Creighton, and Menzies Research Centre Senior Fellow Nick Cater. Nick, I’ll start with you. You’ll be happy to learn that any rationing measures will only happen if Chris Bowen advises the federal government and the governor general on the need to declare a national liquid fuel emergency. We essentially have Labor’s worst performing minister handling this crisis.
Adam Creighton on Credlin Sky News Australia – 24 March 2026
Peta Credlin: But before that, I want to go to some new research from the Institute of Public Affairs, which suggests that Australia’s so-called 50% tax discount on capital gains is wildly misleading, with inflation punishing or pushing tax rates to real profits on 100% or more. The research also warns that cutting the discount could actually make our housing problems worse and further discourage investment, particularly private-sector holding of rental homes.
Reducing capital gains ‘discount’ a tax on investment
“Australia’s capital gains tax ‘discount’ is not a discount at all in a higher inflation environment, and can result in investors being taxed at rates exceeding 100 per cent on their real gains,” said Institute of Public Affairs Chief Economist Adam Creighton.
Discount or penalty? How high inflation turns the capital gains discount into a hidden tax on investment
Discount or penalty? How high inflation turns the capital gains discount into a hidden tax on investment
Rising rate of ignorance on money’s role in inflation
“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do, you’re misinformed,” is commonly attributed to Mark Twain. Whatever its provenance, it’s wholly accurate when it comes to the breathless nonsense that accompanies any change in official rates by the Reserve Bank, or any other central bank for that matter.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 19 March 2026
Chris Smith: Adam Creighton is the senior fellow and chief economist with the Institute of Public Affairs, columnist too with the Australian newspaper. Adam, good morning to you. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Chris Smith: What a day to have you on- Adam Creighton: Oh, thank you. Chris Smith: … considering how much coverage there is on economics, budgets, fuel, you name it, national cabinet on today over fuel and the selection of a fuel tsar.
Adam Creighton on Drive with Ali Moore ABC Melbourne – 18 March 2026
Ali Moore: Adam Creighton is the chief economist at the Institute of Public Affairs. Adam, hello. Adam Creighton: Thanks very much for having me. Ali Moore: What if we had income splitting? A good idea? Adam Creighton: Well, look, it’s a reasonable idea. The main problem with it is it costs a lot of money obviously, because it blows a big hole in the tax revenue, but certainly from an ideological point of view, a philosophical point of view, it’s reasonable to treat the family unit as a family.
Adam Creighton on The Media Show Sky News Australia – 13 March 2026
Jack Houghton: Well, joining me now to break down this coverage is the Institute of Public Affairs chief economist, and of course a former Washington correspondent for The Australian, Adam Creighton. Joining us for the first time on the desk in our new podcast studio. We got mics and everything. It’s a lot of fun. Adam Creighton: Indeed. Thank you very much for having me. Jack Houghton: Well, welcome. Adam Creighton: Great to be here for the first time in person. Thank you. Jack Houghton: Yes.
Central Banks Serve Two Masters: The Truth About Inflation | John Cochrane
Why did inflation surge across the world after COVID? And what role do governments and central banks really play? In this interview with the Institute of Public Affairs, leading economist John Cochrane, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Professor at Stanford explains the real drivers of inflation, the limits of central bank power, and why government deficits matter more than many economists admit.
Adam Creighton on Mornings with Chris Smith 2SM – 13 March 2026
Chris Smith: Let’s now get to Adam Creighton, senior fellow and chief economist with the Institute of Public Affairs and columnist with The Australian Newspaper. Adam, a very good morning to you, sir. Adam Creighton: Good morning, Chris. Chris Smith: Well, tell me whether this is possible. We’ve got war. We’ve got fuel shortages. We’ve got spikes in fuel prices. We’ve got high inflation. Some are now saying it could go high fours. I heard someone earlier in the week say five.
At last, Coalition fields its best economic team in decades
If academic achievements in economics counted politically, the Coalition would win in a landslide at the next election. Senator Matt Canavan’s elevation to Nationals leader this week has cemented – with Angus Taylor at the helm of the Liberals – the strongest Coalition leadership duo ever in terms of economic qualifications.
Adam Creighton on Sharri Sky News Australia – 11 March 2026
Sharri Markson: Well, it’s a big show tonight. I’ve got the former head of Mossad, counterintelligence coming up in a moment. But now let’s bring in former Victorian Liberal Party President, Michael Kroger, and IPA Chief Economist, Adam Creighton. Great to see you both. I just want to bring in some breaking news. This has just been reported that Dennis Richardson, who was leading an intelligence review as part of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism, has announced that he is standing down.
Adam Creighton on Power Hour Sky News Australia – 10 March 2026
Gabriella Power: Joining us now is Adam Creighton, chief economist and senior research fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs. Adam, it’s great to see you. I want to get into the war in the Middle East in a moment, but I want to talk to you about this alleged ISIS-inspired bomb threat rocking New York City. Two men, allegedly inspired by ISIS, tried to set off homemade bombs. They have now been charged.
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