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Supporting research and data

Commission staff undertake supporting research and analysis, data compilation and model development in support of our inquiry and study activity.

Effective marginal tax rates on savings

21 / 12 / 2015

This working document provides an introduction to the concept of effective marginal tax rates on the return to savings.

National Indigenous Reform Agreement: Performance assessment 2013-14

02 / 12 / 2015

This report is the sixth in the series of performance assessments for the Closing the Gap targets. In making its assessments, the Commission has therefore sought to ensure an appropriate degree of comparability with the assessments made by the COAG Reform Council (CRC).

Effects of mutual recognition of imputation credits

21 / 04 / 2015

This paper by Tim Murray was released on 21 April 2015. It uses a small, custom-built, international computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyse the potential impacts of implementing the mutual recognition of imputation credits (MRIC) between Australia and New Zealand.

Incorporating household survey data into a CGE model

14 / 04 / 2015

This paper by Xiao-guang Zhang uses an Australian Household Expenditure Survey (HES) dataset as an example to describe a simple procedure to integrate an entire sample of households into a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model.

An introduction to entropy estimation of parameters in economic models

14 / 04 / 2015

This paper by Larry Cook and Philip Harslett provides an introductory guide to entropy estimation for economic modellers with a particular emphasis on estimating elasticities from limited time series data.

On productivity: Concepts and measurement

25 / 02 / 2015

This staff research note aims to shed light on productivity concepts and measurement issues.

National Agreement performance reporting

04 / 12 / 2014

In November 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed a new Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations (IGA) which included six new National Agreements. The Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision was requested by COAG to collate information relevant to the performance indicators in the National Agreements, and to provide it to the COAG Reform Council.

Competition policy review

27 / 06 / 2014

This submission was made to the Competition Policy Review on 25 June 2014 and publicly released on 27 June 2014. The submission draws on previous Commission work that addresses competition-related issues and policy processes for developing competition policy, and provides additional in-principle commentary.

Literacy and numeracy skills and labour market outcomes in Australia

29 / 05 / 2014

This paper by Anthony Shomos and Matt Forbes was released on 29 May 2014. It profiles the literacy and numeracy skills of Australia's adult population and assesses how important they are for two labour market outcomes - employment and wages.

Agricultural Competitiveness Taskforce

28 / 04 / 2014

This submission was made to the Agricultural Competitiveness Taskforce on 17 April 2014. The submission addresses a number of the issues and questions raised in the Agricultural Competitiveness Issues Paper, drawing on projects undertaken by the Commission of relevance to the agricultural sector, and for framing agricultural policy.

Regulator Audit Framework

19 / 03 / 2014

This paper was released on 19 March 2014 and provides a framework for auditing the performance of regulators.

Environmental policy analysis: A guide to non-market valuation

14 / 01 / 2014

The objective of this paper is to examine the validity and reliability of various non-market valuation methods, the case for using non-market valuation in environmental policy analysis, and how best use can be made of non-market valuation in developing environmental policy.

Productivity in manufacturing: Measurement and interpretation

06 / 12 / 2013

The objective of this paper is to examine recent productivity performance in Manufacturing, with particular focus on the causes of its decline.

On input-output tables: Uses and abuses

01 / 10 / 2013

This staff research note, released on 1 October 2013, describes the uses and abuses of input-output tables, with the aim of improving future utility of what is an important but sometimes misused resource.

Labour's share of growth in income and prosperity

26 / 09 / 2013

The paper is about the sources of growth in income in Australia and the effects of structural change on the distribution of income between labour and capital. The main objective is to find an explanation for the fall in the labour share of income in Australia in the 2000s.

Prevalence of transition pathways in Australia

29 / 08 / 2013

This paper by Jane Fry and Clare Boulton was released on 29 August 2013. The analysis in this paper identifies broad patterns - or pathways - in labour market and education activities associated with different life stages. It uses a novel approach - optimal matching combined with cluster analysis - to analyse 10 years of calendar data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey.

Deep and persistent disadvantage in Australia

11 / 07 / 2013

This paper is about disadvantage in Australia, and in particular, about Australians who experience deep and persistent disadvantage.

On productivity: The influence of natural resource inputs

11 / 06 / 2013

This staff research note, released on 11 June 2013, looks at the effect of one of these other possible sources of change - natural resource inputs.

On sustainability: an economic approach

14 / 05 / 2013

This staff research note, released on 14 May 2013, illustrates possible interpretations of sustainability and what they imply for policy analysis by using an economic framework for exploring the issues.

On efficiency and effectiveness: Some definitions

09 / 05 / 2013

This staff research note, released on 9 May 2013, sets out how the Productivity Commission defines these terms along with related concepts such as cost effectiveness and productivity.

 

About our research

The Commission has a statutory mandate to conduct a program of research to support its inquiries, annual reporting and other responsibilities, including promoting community awareness and understanding of various productivity and regulatory issues.

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