Gorillas in the Mist: How Government Obscures Its Spending | Gene Tunny

The Centre for Independent Studies Research Collection

In Gorillas in the Mist: How Government Obscures Its Spending, Gene Tunny examines how Australian governments increasingly rely on off-budget mechanisms—such as loans, equity injections, and special investment funds—to finance major policy initiatives without those costs appearing in the core budget balance. These tactics allow governments to maintain the appearance of fiscal discipline while accumulating hidden financial risks. The paper details the rapid growth of off-budget measures, evaluates their impact on transparency, accountability, and inflation, and calls for greater scrutiny to ensure public money is managed responsibly.
Read the paper here: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/gorillas-in-the-mist-how-government-obscures-its-spending/
Audio Produced by: Randall Evans
Subscribe to all our shows:
What You Need to Know About delivers concise insights from CIS experts, breaking down complex topics like policy, economics, and societal challenges. Subscribe here: https://whatyouneedtoknowabout.podbean.com/

The CIS Research Collection delivers our research papers in an audio format so that you can listen to them on the go. Subscribe here: https://cisresearch.podbean.com/
Liberalism in Question features thought-provoking interviews with world experts in politics and culture from a Classical Liberal perspective. Subscribe here: https://liberalisminquestion.podbean.com/
CIS Events Experience: From the studios of CIS our events team brings you engaging discussions from our live events, featuring lectures, panel discussions, and conversations with leading experts: https://cisevents.podbean.com/