The Productivity Commission has identified 15 priority reform areas for further exploration under the five productivity inquiries commissioned by the Government. The commission is seeking input on these reform areas to inform the draft recommendations in its interim reports.

The reform areas the Productivity Commission is seeking input on include increasing business investment through reforms to corporate tax, getting clean energy infrastructure built faster by speeding up approvals, and promoting prevention in care industries through a framework to support government investment.

“Boosting productivity is the only sustainable way to improve Australians’ living standards, but productivity growth has stagnated in the past decade. It’s now at its lowest ebb in 60 years,” said Chair Danielle Wood.

“Productivity growth isn’t about working harder. And it’s not just about having more ‘stuff’. It means making the most of what we have – the skills and experience of our workforce, new technologies, and our resources – so we can get more out of our economy.”

“It’s about making it easier for businesses to harness new technologies like generative AI. It’s about giving our teachers the best resources and technology available to help our kids learn more. It’s about making it quicker and easier to build clean energy infrastructure.”

“The Government asked us for practical, impactful reforms under each of the five pillars of their productivity agenda. We have now identified key areas under those pillars where reform is both achievable and likely to boost productivity,” said Ms Wood.

“The reform areas we’re exploring are not recommendations. They are the starting point for the targeted research and consultation we are doing to ensure our recommendations are robust and implementable.”

These reform areas were informed by responses to ‘Australia’s Productivity Pitch’, where the Productivity Commission collected over 500 ideas from across Australia on barriers and opportunities to improve productivity across the economy. The commission combined this input with consultation with experts and stakeholders and own research and expertise.

Consultation on these reform areas will be open through to 6 June on the Productivity Commission website. The interim reports of these five inquiries will be delivered over July and August. The Productivity Commission will then conduct further consultation to inform the final inquiry reports to be delivered to government in December.

A full list of the five inquiries and the identified reform areas is included below.

1. Creating a dynamic and resilient economy

  • Support business investment through corporate tax reform
  • Reduce the impact of regulation on business dynamism

2. Building a skilled and adaptable workforce

  • Improve school student outcomes with the best available tools and resources
  • Support the workforce through a flexible post-secondary education and training sector
  • Balance service availability and quality through fit-for-purpose occupational entry regulations

3. Harnessing data and digital technology

  • Support innovation through an outcomes-based approach to privacy
  • Unlock the benefits of data through consumer access rights
  • Enhance reporting efficiency, transparency and accuracy through digital financial reporting
  • Enable AI’s productivity potential

4. Delivering quality care more efficiently

  • Reform quality and safety regulation to support a more cohesive care economy
  • Embed collaborative commissioning to increase the integration of services
  • A national framework to support government investment in prevention

5. Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation

  • Reduce the cost of meeting carbon targets
  • Speed up approvals for new energy infrastructure
  • Encourage adaptation by addressing barriers to private investment

 

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