• This study assessesthe impacts of COAG reforms in two areas:
  • aspects of the 'Seamless National Economy' regulatory reform priorities
  • vocational education and training (VET).
• As most of the reforms being assessed have only just been implemented or are to be implemented, most benefits are yet to occur.
  • Forward looking (ex ante) assessments of potential changes, together with information obtained during this study, have been the starting point for determining likely impacts.
  • Given the early stage of most reforms, judgements have had to be made. This is particularly the case in estimating the progress and impact of the OHS reforms, given the uncertainties, including the dynamic effects.
• The Commission's assessment is that the reforms being considered could raise output and income in all jurisdictions.
• Seamless National Economy reforms are aimed at reducing the regulatory burden imposed on firms that operate in multiple jurisdictions. Full implementation could ultimately provide cost reductions to business of around $4 billion per year.
  • After a period of adjustment, national output (GDP) could be increased by nearly one half of a per cent (around $6 billion per year).
  • Based on current plans, the majority of these gains could accrue by 2020.
• Guided by achievement of reform milestones, reform reward payments should, as far as practicable, be linked to the achievement of reform outputs and outcomes.
• Vocational education and training reforms are aimed at improving the overall quality of the workforce and encouraging higher workforce participation, through increased VET provision and greater flexibility in courses offered.
  • Attainment of the COAG 2020 targets potentially could raise GDP by two per cent.
  • It would also assist in achieving COAG’s broader social inclusion goals.
• Increased efforts by governments will be required if the potential of the COAG agenda is to be realised.
• A number of areas offer opportunities for even better outcomes. In particular:
  • a more systematic approach to identifying and implementing business regulation reforms
  • initiatives to increase VET completion rates
  • ensuring VET reforms are sequenced so that the building blocks are in place for the successful transition to more contestable markets including:
    • strengthening quality control throughcost-effective independent validation and auditing of training organisations’assessment practices, as well as
    • making information available to students on the costs of training, quality and labour market outcomes for individual training organisations.

Volume 1: Overview

• Preliminaries
  • Cover, Copyright, Opportunity for further comment, Terms of reference, Contents, Preface and Abbreviations and explanations
• Overview - including key points
• Chapter 1 Introduction
  • 1.1 Background
  • 1.2 The Commission's assessment role in this study
  • 1.3 The approach
  • 1.4 Consultations
  • 1.5 Structure of this report
• Chapter 2 Reform in context
  • 2.1 Broad achievements of past reforms
  • 2.2 The broad economic context of further reform
  • 2.3 Potential gains from reform
• Chapter 3 Business regulation reforms
  • 3.1 The business regulation reforms in context
  • 3.2 Estimated direct impacts of the business regulation reforms
  • 3.3 Estimated economy-wide impacts of the business regulation reforms
  • 3.4 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 4 VET reforms
  • 4.1 What has the Commission been asked to do
  • 4.2 Scope of the COAG VET reform agenda
  • 4.3 The Commission's approach
  • 4.4 Assessment of reform impacts
  • 4.5 The Commission's analysis of youth transitions
  • 4.6 Achieving effective VET reform
• Appendix A Public consultation
• Appendix B The MMRF model
• References

Volume 2: Business Regulation

• Preliminaries
  • Cover, Copyright, Opportunity for further comment, Terms of reference, Contents, Preface and Abbreviations and explanations
• Chapter 1 Introduction and summary
  • 1.1 The Seamless National Economy reforms
  • 1.2 A broad snapshot of those affected by the reforms
  • 1.3 The economic environment in which reforms will be evaluated
  • 1.4 Structure of this volume
• Chapter 2 Consumer law and product safety
  • 2.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 2.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 2.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 2.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 2.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 2.6 Summary of effects
  • Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 3 Consumer credit
  • 3.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 3.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 3.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 3.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 3.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 3.6 Summary of effects
  • 3.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 4 Personal property securities
  • 4.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 4.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 4.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 4.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 4.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 4.6 Summary of effects
  • 4.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 5 Trustee corporations
  • 5.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 5.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 5.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 5.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 5.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 5.6 Summary of effects
  • 5.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 6 Standard business reporting
  • 6.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 6.2 Who and what are affected by the reform?
  • 6.3 What are the direct benefits of the reform?
  • 6.4 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 6.4 Summary of effects
  • 6.5 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 7 Payroll tax
  • 7.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 7.2 Who will be affected by the reform?
  • 7.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reform
  • 7.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 7.5 Indicative costs and revenue implications of achieving reform
  • 7.6 Summary of effects
  • 7.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 8 Occupational health and safety
  • 8.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 8.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 8.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 8.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 8.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 8.6 Summary of effects
  • 8.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 9 Rail Safety
  • 9.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 9.2 Who will be affected by the reform?
  • 9.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 9.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 9.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 9.6 Summary of effects
  • 9.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 10 Health workforce
  • 10.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 10.2 Who will be affected by the reform?
  • 10.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reform
  • 10.4 What are the direct impacts of the reform?
  • 10.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 10.6 Summary of effects
  • 10.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 11 Trade measurement
  • 11.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 11.2 Who or what will be affected by the reform?
  • 11.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reform
  • 11.4 Summary of effects
  • 11.5 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 12 Food regulation
  • 12.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 12.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 12.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 12.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 12.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 12.6 Summary of effects
  • 12.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 13 Wine labelling
  • 13.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 13.2 Who will be affected by the reform?
  • 13.3 Analysis of the impacts of the reform
  • 13.4 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 13.5 Summary of effects
  • 13.6 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 14 Development Assessment
  • 14.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 14.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 14.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 14.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 14.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 14.6 Summary of effects
  • 14.7 Opportunities for improvement
• Chapter 15 National Construction Code
  • 15.1 Reform objectives and changes
  • 15.2 Who will be affected by the reforms?
  • 15.3 Understanding the direct impacts of the reforms
  • 15.4 What are the direct impacts of the reforms?
  • 15.5 Indicative costs of achieving reform
  • 15.6 Summary of effects
  • 15.7 Opportunities for improvement
• References

Volume 3: VET

• Preliminaries
  • Cover, Copyright, Opportunity for further comment, Terms of reference, Contents, Preface, Acknowledgments and Abbreviations and explanations
• Overview - including key points
• Chapter 1 Introduction
  • 1.1 Request to the Commission
  • 1.2 What has the Commission been asked to do?
  • 1.3 The Commission's approach to youth transitions
  • 1.4 The COAG reform agenda - VET and transitions
  • 1.5 Key policy initiatives to be assessed
  • 1.6 Related Commission publications
  • 1.7 Structure of the report
• Chapter 2 Assessment framework
  • 2.1 The importance of equity and merit goods
  • 2.2 Possible distortions in the VET market
  • 2.3 Quantitative assessment of net social benefits
• Chapter 3 Impacts of COAG reforms
  • 3.1 Characteristics of the Commission's analysis
  • 3.2 Market-oriented reforms in Victoria
  • 3.3 National Partnership Agreement on Productivity Places Program
  • 3.4 Market-oriented reforms in South Australia
  • 3.5 Foundation skills
  • 3.6 Potential reform effects
  • 3.7 Youth transitions
• Chapter 4 Issues for further consideration
  • 4.1 Information available to students
  • 4.2 The quality of student outcomes
  • 4.3 Completion rates
  • 4.4 The importance of sequencing to successful policy initiatives
• Appendix A Benchmarking results from this report
• Appendix B The Education and Labour Market Outcomes model
• Appendix C Sources for ELMO parameters
• Appendix D Young learners
• Appendix E Mature learners
• Appendix F Foundation skills attainment
• Appendix G Youth transitions
• Appendix H Economy-wide modelling
• References