Tasman Institute

Tasman Institute is a not-for-profit research institute associated with Tasman Asia Pacific (TAP) with the objectives to provide research, advice and strategies on a broad range of issues, including economic restructuring and reform in Australia, New Zealand and the region. Both TAP and Tasman Institute are chaired by Dr. Michael Porter. The 1990 founding Chairmen of Tasman Institute were S Baillieu Myer AC, and Sir Roger Douglas, former Finance Minister of New Zealand.

Tasman Institute (as with TAP) is an affiliated institution of the University of Melbourne and was formed from the key leadership of the Centre of Policy Studies, Faculty of Economics and Politics, Monash University in 1990..

The Tasman Institute is a privately funded non-profit think tank that has  specialised in areas such as economic policy and reform, efficient forms of government regulation and governance issues, economically efficient solutions to environmental challenges, infrastructure and taxation policy issues. The Institute is based in Melbourne, Australia. However, increasingly it is becoming a "virtual" think tank, e.g. with strong linkages to think tanks in the region, such as the Brighten Institute in Bogor, Java and a range of university groups. The Institute's objectives are to provide research, advice and strategies on a broad range of issues, including economic restructuring and reform in Australia, New Zealand and the region.

The Tasman Institute provided most of the policy expertise, particularly for infrastructure issues, for Project Victoria. Project Victoria developed a reform program for Victoria, which was funded by a consortium of private firms and employer organisations. Project Victoria's reform agenda underpins many of the economic reforms in Victoria, particularly in electricity and transport. The Institute was also instrumental in establishing the Infrastructure Forum (TIF) - a group of government business enterprises, private firms and government departments. A prime goal of TIF is to promote understanding of the roles government and commercial enterprises should play in infrastructure supply.