Media releases

The Australian Government should better align quality and safety regulation across the care economy, including through a national approach to screening care workers, the interim report of a Productivity Commission inquiry recommends.

Australia should introduce a single online platform for all teachers to access high-quality lesson plans, a national approach to education technologies including those involving AI, support flexible learning pathways for students and ongoing training in w

Australia can unlock the benefits of data and digital technology with a growth-focused approach to regulating AI, new pathways to give people access to the data about themselves, and a shift to digital financial reporting, according to the interim report

Australia should address the gaps and overlaps in emissions reduction incentives, speed up approvals for clean energy infrastructure, and create a resilience-rating system for all housing to meet our clean energy targets and adapt to climate change, the i

A Productivity Commission proposal to change the way businesses are taxed would boost Australia’s GDP by $14 billion with no net cost to the Budget over the medium term.

The latest Annual Data Compilation Report (ADCR), which tracks Australia’s performance towards the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, shows mixed progress, with four of 19 targets on track to be met.

The Productivity Commission has called on Australia to adopt a ‘growth mindset’ in an overview of five forthcoming interim reports of its inquiries into boosting Australia’s productivity.

New modelling shows that proposed US trade policy measures will have a marginal direct impact on the Australian economy, but the risks and uncertainty they have brought about may have far reaching costs.

The Commission has found the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement is fundamentally flawed. The interim report of the PC’s review of the agreement finds that achieving reform in the mental health and suicide prevention.

Australia's productivity continued to stagnate in the December quarter, suggesting that our productivity problem may be part of a long-term trend.

This paper unpacks the causes of the ‘productivity bubble’ and finds that it only served to mask the issues at the heart of Australia’s ongoing productivity problem.

The PC is seeking input on 15 priority reform areas under the five productivity inquiries to inform the draft recommendations in our interim reports.

Australia's productivity continued to stagnate in the December quarter, suggesting that our productivity problem may be part of a long-term trend.

The latest update of the Closing the Gap Dashboard adds a new year of data for eight of the 19 targets and 15 of the supporting indicators.

The interim report finds that despite an increased focus from business, government and the community, progress towards a more circular economy has been slow.

A creeping inefficiency and failure to push the boundaries of innovation has contributed to Australia’s poor productivity performance over the past two decades.

This paper examines productivity growth in the housing construction sector, with the Commission’s estimates telling a story of decades of poor performance.

Now in its 30th year, the Report on Government Services provides data directly from all Australian governments on the equity, efficiency and effectiveness of the services they provide.

Labour productivity declined by 0.5% in the September quarter and by 0.8% over the year, the Productivity Commission’s (PC) latest quarterly productivity bulletin shows.

The Productivity Commission is seeking ideas from everyday Australians to inform our policy recommendations to government.

Labour productivity fell by 0.8% across the economy in the June quarter, but rose by a modest 0.5% over the year to June 2024. This marks a return to the weak productivity growth trend of the five years leading up...

The report presents government with a roadmap to a high-quality universal early childhood education and care system that is accessible, within the means of all families, equitable and inclusive for all children.

The latest Annual Data Compilation Report (ADCR), which tracks progress towards the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, shows that five of 19 targets are on track to be met.

The 50th annual Trade and Assistance Review reports on the amount of support, financial or otherwise, that the Commonwealth government provided to Australian businesses over the past year.

The Australian Government has tabled the final report of the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into philanthropy in Australia: Future foundations for giving.

New research from the Productivity Commission shows Australia performs well on income mobility. ‘For most Australians, the amount your parents earned when you were young is not a life sentence,’ said Chair Danielle Wood.

The latest productivity bulletin shows labour productivity stagnated in the March quarter, with a 0.1% increase in output matched by a similar increase in hours worked.

Australian governments must renew and update the National Water Initiative (NWI) agreement to navigate water security challenges driven by climate change, growing and changing demand for water and the transition to net zero emissions.

New research has unpacked changes to income and wealth levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New research finds better integrating digital technology into healthcare could ease pressures on our healthcare system and save over $5 billion a year.

New research has found Australia's healthcare system delivers some of the best value for money of any in the world.

Governments must renew and update the National Water Initiative (NWI) to address the effects of climate change and growing and changing demand for water, according to the interim report of a review of the agreement.

Labour productivity increased for the second quarter in a row in the December 2023 quarter, suggesting a return to ‘productivity normal’ after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new report shows that labour productivity fell sharply in 2022-23, as a record-breaking increase in hours worked failed to generate a similar increase in economic output.

Governments have largely not fulfilled their commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and has made four recommendations to drive progress.

New research finds that artificial intelligence could significantly boost Australia’s productivity if governments implement well-directed policy and regulation.

The Report on Government Services provides important information to help governments and the community understand the efficiency and effectiveness of key services to the community.

Australia’s labour productivity has halted its decline but mostly because people worked fewer hours in the 2023 September quarter, according to Productivity Commission research.

The rise of industry levies – narrowly applied, sector-specific taxes – is creating an increasingly complex and inefficient tax system that risks limiting productivity growth, according to Productivity Commission research released today.

The Productivity Commission has proposed an overhaul of the system that determines which charities can receive tax-deductible donations. This is part of a package of reforms proposed in the draft report of their philanthropy inquiry.

The Australian Government should lead a coordinated effort to give every child access to three days a week of high-quality early childhood education and care, according to a Productivity Commission report.

The interim report of the 2023 Murray–Darling Basin Plan implementation review finds the Australian Government’s recently proposed extension of the Basin Plan timeframes is necessary but won’t be enough.

Productivity decreased by 2% in the June 2023 quarter, as record-high growth in hours worked outpaced output growth, according to the Productivity Commission’s latest Productivity Bulletin.

Australian governments do not appear to have grasped the nature and scale of change required to accelerate improvements in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Assistance to Australian industry – money spent by governments to support Australian businesses – rose to $13.8 billion in 2021-22, according to the Productivity Commission’s annual Trade and Assistance Review (TAR) released today.

The Productivity Commission today released the third Annual Data Compilation Report, which provides a point-in-time snapshot of progress against the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

The Productivity Commission’s 2023 Bulletin unpacks the 4.6% decline in labour productivity for the 12 months to March 2023, and finds that the decline could be driven in part by the unwinding of COVID-19 related effects...

The interim report invites further views on the Commission’s initial findings and recommendations on ways to improve the operation and design of the Future Drought Fund (FDF).

If Australia is to continue to grow its economy and increase individual prosperity, productivity policy should focus on key emerging trends like the shift towards service industries, according to the final report of the Productivity Commission…

Providing workers with an entitlement to extended unpaid carer leave would benefit a small number of workers and care recipients but would not make a material difference to Australia’s carer gap.

The Productivity Commission’s Review of theNational School Reform Agreement (NSRA) recommends redesigning the agreement to focus more attention on lifting students’ academic results and supporting students’ wellbeing.

The Productivity Commission is calling for the Australian Government to introduce legislation that will enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to protect important aspects of their cultures from being misappropriated in visual…

A new report by the Productivity Commission has found the use of independent contractors in aged care gives older Australians more choice and is helping them stay in their own homes longer.

The Productivity Commission’s sixth interim report in its 5-year Productivity Inquiry investigates how workers can boost the nation’s productivity.

High-quality school and tertiary education systems are vital for a productive workforce. But despite increased investment in schools, foundational skills such as writing and numeracy have stagnated. Employment rates for university and VET…

Australia has a housing affordability problem, with many Australians struggling to rent or buy a home, according to the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) released today.

Overcoming challenges presented by climate change and an increasingly unfavourable global trade and investment landscape will be necessary to reinvigorate Australia's business environment and accelerate productivity growth.

With only between one and two per cent of Australian businesses producing new to the world innovation, consideration must be given to how to help the other 98 per cent adopt and adapt existing technologies and practices to improve performance...

To lift student outcomes the Commonwealth and States and Territories need to forge a new agreement focused on driving effective change in our schools and classrooms.

Lifting productivity at our container ports could save business and consumers $605 million each year. Reform could achieve consistent, high performance, according to a draft report released by the Productivity Commission today.

Digital technologies and data are increasingly important for Australia’s economy. Policies that promote digital innovation and adoption are needed to drive productivity growth.

With the cost of living rapidly rising, Australia near full employment, and significant challenges to the global economic landscape, there has never been a more important time for the Commonwealth to ensure that assistance to industry is…

Productivity growth, based on the spread of new, useful ideas, is the key to Australia’s continued prosperity. But the future pattern of innovation and growth could look different from that of the 20th century, according to a report by...

The Productivity Commission today released the second Annual Data Compilation Report. It provides a point-in-time snapshot of data for monitoring progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, signed in July 2020.

Two in three Indigenous-style souvenirs are inauthentic, with no connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Commission is calling for mandatory labelling of inauthentic products to warn consumers, and other measures.

The Report on Government Services provides a public report card on the performance of Australian governments in the delivery of important services to the community.

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on public transport use in Australian cities, but the Productivity Commission has warned against knee jerk reactions like free travel or big fare reductions, in a new report.

The Productivity Commission has released the first comprehensive research report on wealth transfers in Australia to improve understanding of the impact inheritances and gifts on the distribution of wealth.

Despite falling crime rates, imprisonment in Australia is at a historic high. A report released today by the Productivity Commission says this is happening across all states and territories.

Changes to lending markets over the last decade means there are now a wide range of finance options available for small businesses that don’t require property as security, according to a new report by the Productivity Commission.

The shift to working from home caused by the pandemic is one of the greatest changes to the way we work in the last fifty years.

A draft report released by the Productivity Commission has found that the Register of foreign owned water provides the community with an authoritative source of information on the level and use of foreign water entitlements and should be…

Australia’s supply chains have been disrupted by COVID and trade tensions, but most essential supply chains have proven resilient, according to a report released today by the Productivity Commission.

The Productivity Commission today released the first Annual Data Compilation Report. It provides a point-in-time snapshot of measurement under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Significant new emergency assistance measures — including assistance provided to industry — were rolled out in 2019-20 to help prevent job losses and maintain viable businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on productivity was unprecedented. The effects varied across industries and are continuing to play out throughout Australia.

A draft report by the Productivity Commission on a ‘right to repair’ outlines some measures governments could take to assist consumers to get their products repaired.

Australia’s economy, like that of almost all other rich countries, is increasingly dominated by its service sector.

Only a small fraction of Australia’s imports are vulnerable to serious supply disruption, according to a new analysis released by the Productivity Commission.

Across Australia, innovations in healthcare are improving the lives of people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis.

Water is critical to the economy, our environment and the wellbeing of all Australians.

A new round of reform for the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system is needed to deliver a more productive workforce for Australia says the Productivity Commission.

The Report on Government Services provides a public report card on the performance of Australian governments in the delivery of important services to the community.

Better regulation of the resources sector across Australia would support future investment and build community trust.

The 2020 Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage (OID) report shows mixed outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Four years on from the previous Report there continues to be improvement in many areas of early child development,…

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated Australia’s worst recession since the Great Depression and brings to an end 28 years of continuous economic growth, making it a significant disruption in our history of economic growth.

The Productivity Commission today released a proposed Indigenous Evaluation Strategy. The Strategy, which has been delivered to the Government, sets out a new approach to evaluating Australian Government policies and programs.

The Productivity Commission found that Victoria’s commercial zoning arrangements illustrate the benefits of a more flexible approach to land use, with benefits for the broader community.

Young Australians’ incomes are declining while older Australians’ incomes grow. Young people are at risk of being left further behind by the COVID-19 crisis.

Young people have been struggling to find employment in their desired occupation, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and this could have a long-term effect on their career, according to a report released today by the Productivity Commission.

Foreign investment has always been important for Australia’s economy, for jobs, and is crucial for Australia’s COVID-19 recovery, the Productivity Commission finds in a new research report.

Australia’s Vocational, Education and Training (VET) sector is underperforming, excessively complicated and suffers from ad hoc policy approaches, says an interim report released today by the Productivity Commission.

The Productivity Commission today outlined a plan to improve the evaluation of policies and programs affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The rules-based global trading system is at risk due to the failure to appoint new judges to the World Trade Organisation’s Appellate Body, leaving it unable to rule on appeals, the Productivity Commission finds in its latest Trade and…

A report released today by the Productivity Commission calls for a fundamental change in approach to the way the Commonwealth and NT Governments fund children and family services.

Government commitment to improve regulation for mining and gas projects will have benefits for both industry and the wider community according to a Productivity Commission report released today.

Australian water policy faces major challenges in coming decades to maintain urban liveability and green open space according to a Productivity Commission report.

The final study report looks at the effects of the zone tax offset, remote area allowance and remote area concessions for fringe benefits tax on people and businesses in remote areas. The report makes recommendations on whether these remote area

The Report on Government Services is a vital tool in providing information to the community and holding all Australian governments accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency of government services.

Reform in the transport sector has been disappointingly slow and has not delivered the expected productivity gains, according to a draft report released today by the Productivity Commission.

A draft report released today by the Productivity Commission found that a fundamental change in approach is needed to better coordinate funding decisions between the two governments.

The Productivity Commission estimates that mental ill-health and suicide are costing Australia up to $180 billion per year and treatment and services are not meeting community expectations.

Private rental market affordability has remained steady in Australia, but there has been a rapid rise in the number of low-income renters.

The Commission has called for an overhaul of remote area tax concessions and payments so they are better targeted and fairer.

The ‘demand driven higher education system’ drove a surge in domestic undergraduate enrolments between 2010 and 2017.

The world trading system is under greater strain than at any time since the 1930s and can no longer be taken for granted, the Productivity Commission finds in its latest Trade and Assistance Review.

Australian airports are investing to meet soaring demand for travel, and operate efficiently by world standards, but Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports should be required to provide more information to the Australian Competition and…

The Productivity Commission has called for a new National Disability Agreement (NDA) between all Australian governments to promote cooperation, enhance accountability and clarify roles and responsibilities.

The Report on Government Services is a vital tool in providing information to the community and holding all Australian governments accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency of government services.

Australia’s veteran support system needs fundamental reform. It is an outdated, legal and administrative maze which adds to the stress of veterans and is not working in the interest of veterans, their families or the Australian community

The Productivity Commission has today sounded a warning bell to Basin Governments, with the release of its draft report into the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

A Commission-initiated Productivity Commission report on inequality shows that the past 27 years of sustained growth have delivered significantly improved living standards for the nation and for most of us individually but that poverty remains…

Australia’s $2.6 trillion super system has become an unlucky lottery for many Australian workers and their families. The system is working well for many members, but not for all,' Deputy Chair of the Productivity Commission Karen Chester said

Global trade policy appears to be at a dangerous cross-roads says the Productivity Commission in its latest Trade and Assistance Review.

The early 2000s was the last time Australia's financial system saw a period of fierce competition. If we are to see its like again, we will need a series of policy shifts, and a champion to own them

Australia has benefited substantially from the mining investment boom (ending around 2012), with gains still evident around the nation.

The report presents national and state and territory estimates of government expenditure on services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

In the future, we cannot rely on high commodity prices or, given an ageing Australia, labour participation rates, to drive national income.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a better way of providing disability support and care. Once fully implemented, it is expected that around 475 000 people with disability will receive individualised supports, at an estimated…

A renewed national water reform agenda is needed so we are prepared for our next severe drought, said a draft report released by the Productivity Commission today.

Australian industry received over $14 billion in assistance from the Australian Government in 2015-16, continuing the slight downward trend over recent years. Tariffs made up $6.8 billion of this figure; budgetary assistance $4.2 billion; and…

The Productivity Commission has today released a Commission research paper.

The Productivity Commission has today released an issues paper for its 12 month Inquiry into the Competitiveness and Efficiency of the Superannuation System.

In a position paper released today, the Commission finds that while it is early days in the transition to full scheme, the NDIS is on track in terms of costs.

The Productivity Commission has released a draft report that recommends moving to a single model of housing assistance across both social and private rental markets.

The Productivity Commission has released a draft report that identifies widespread changes are needed to end-of-life care in Australia.

Overall, Australia has benefited substantially from the mining boom, with gains still evident today around the nation

The Productivity Commission has released a draft report that identifies possible models to guide employees new to the superannuation system to preferred, simple default super products.

Today the Productivity Commission released an issues paper posing the questions they will ask and answer for their National Water Reform Inquiry.

Higher penalties, and a fast-tracked, more national approach to ban and recall unsafe products, such as the hoverboards that caused several house fires earlier this year, are among reforms in a Productivity Commission draft report released…

The Productivity Commission is recommending a modernised and forward looking approach to the subsidy and support arrangements that form universal telecommunications services in Australia.

The Productivity Commission has finalised its comprehensive framework to assess the efficiency and competitiveness of Australia's $2 trillion superannuation system.

The 2016 Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage (OID) report shows some positive trends in the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, but also shows outcomes have stagnated or worsened in some areas.

The Productivity Commission is recommending a major overhaul of Australia's data policy framework, including the introduction of a Comprehensive Right to give people more control over their data.

The Productivity Commission has identified six priority areas where the potential to give people a greater say over the human services they use could improve the effectiveness of those services.

The path to better education outcomes lies in strengthening the capability to identify and evaluate the policies, programs and teaching practices that work best, for whom and in what circumstances, and applying this across the nation's school…

Slow adoption of best practice in the management of commercial fisheries, and limited recognition of the impacts and value of recreational fishing, are imposing unnecessary costs, constraining community benefits from fisheries, and putting…

The Productivity Commission has released its proposed framework to assess the efficiency and competitiveness of Australia's $2 trillion superannuation system.

Australian industry received over $15 billion in assistance from the Australian Government in 2014-15, down slightly from last year.

The Productivity Commission released their draft report on Agriculture Regulation today.

The Productivity Commission today released more information about its inquiry into Human Services.

In a research paper released today, the Productivity Commission examines factors that influence the literacy and numeracy achievement of Indigenous primary school students.

The Productivity Commission today called on those interested in the future direction of telecommunications in Australia to contribute to its new public inquiry on the Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation.

Action must be taken to rebalance Australia's intellectual property (IP) arrangements, according to a wide-ranging draft report released by the Productivity Commission.

The Productivity Commission today invited academics, government agencies, private entities with large data holdings (including in finance and social media), organisations interested in data access and members of the community to contribute to…

As part of its inquiry into Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Productivity Commission will be meeting interested parties in Cairns on Tuesday 8 March and Wednesday 9 March 2016.

The Productivity Commission in a research report released today has found the underlying rationale for having an anti-dumping system is extremely weak, and exists to provide protection to a narrow range of Australian industries rather than to…

The Productivity Commission is asking people to share their views and knowledge of Australia's marine fishing and aquaculture sectors, both within state/territory and Commonwealth waters.

This year marks the twenty-first edition of the Report on Government Services. The Report is produced by the Productivity Commission for an inter-governmental Steering Committee.

As part of its inquiry into the regulation of agriculture, the Productivity Commission will be hosting meetings with interested parties in Rockhampton on Friday 29 January 2016

Commercial carriers are the most cost effective option for delivering a public safety mobile broadband capability to public safety agencies, according to a Productivity Commission report released today.

Prioritising domestic reform could see Australian services exporters capture a larger share of global demand for services such as financial services, tourism and education according to a report released today by the Productivity Commission.

It is becoming increasingly clear that a number of the 'Closing the Gap' targets will not be met according to a Productivity Commission report released today.

Many older Australians, especially the less wealthy, continue to save well into old age, increasing net wealth as they face increased health and aged care costs.

Australia's immigration system is not well suited to a price-based approach according to a draft inquiry report released by the Productivity Commission.

Australia's and New Zealand's mutual recognition schemes are unique in the world by their extensive scope and coverage. They make it easier to do business across borders and give consumers a wider and more competitive range of goods and…

Commercial carriers are the most cost effective option for deploying a public safety grade mobile broadband capability to public safety agencies according to a draft Productivity Commission report commissioned by Government and released today.

The opportunities for Australian service providers to participate in international trade are greater than ever before. Rising household incomes in Asia are one of the key drivers of increased global demand for services. The value of Australian…

The draft report is a broad-ranging assessment of Australia's workplace relations (WR) framework, considering current laws, institutions and practices. It uses an economywide approach, looking at possible reforms that, where merited, are likely…

The Productivity Commission today released the 2015 edition of the PC Productivity Update.

This research report considers two important aspects of retirement behaviour - when and how people access their superannuation.

Australia's and New Zealand's mutual recognition arrangements are generally working well, according to a draft Productivity Commission report released today.

Governments can do more to reduce impediments to setting up and closing businesses, according to a draft report released by the Productivity Commission today.

Governments can do more to reduce impediments to setting up and closing businesses, according to a draft report released by the Productivity Commission today.

This paper focuses on the two key policy levers the Government has at its disposal to influence International Education Services.

The Commission has identified significant opportunities to improve the efficiency of Australia's health care system, based on a roundtable it held with health policy experts.

A recommendation to move public housing tenants to market rents, while allowing them to receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA), has been made repeatedly over the past two decades.

The paper identifies substantial benefits from the ongoing integration of the eastern Australian gas market with the Asia-Pacific region as well as a number of transitional issues.

In releasing a research paper on Australia's international tourism industry today, Commissioner Warren Mundy said that 'while there has been strong growth in international tourism over the past two decades, the tourism industry will need both…

The Productivity Commission has today released a suite of five issues papers relating to its current public inquiry into the performance of the Australian workplace relations framework.

The 2014 Indigenous Expenditure Report was released on 12 December 2014. Total direct expenditure on services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in 2012-13 was estimated to be $30.3 billion, accounting for 6.1 per cent of…

The Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2014 report measures the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Australians. The latest edition was released on 19 November.

The Productivity Commission released today two reports into input costs and their policy implications, they are: Relative Cost of Doing Business in Australia: Dairy Product Manufacturing; and Relative Costs of Doing Business in Australia:…

The Commission is recommending financial support to the states and territories for natural disaster relief and recovery be reduced while mitigation funding be increased to encourage governments to manage natural disaster risks more sustainably…

The Commission's Trade and Assistance review found that in 2012-13 Australian industry received $15.6 billion gross in assistance from the Australian Government through budgetary outlays, tax concessions and import tariffs.

Australian adults are above the OECD average in literacy but only average in numeracy, according to a staff paper released by the Productivity Commission.

The Chairman of the Productivity Commission, Peter Harris, has released the 2014 edition of the PC Productivity Update. This edition provides the Commission's perspective on the latest developments underpinning Australia's productivity…