Major projects are a vital source of Australia’s future prosperity. They lift national income, create employment opportunities, raise productivity and generate revenue for governments. However, they can also have negative impacts on community amenity, the environment, public health and our heritage assets. Australian governments regulate major projects through development assessment and approvals processes to promote...

This issues paper was released to assist the public in preparing submissions for the Productivity Commission's inquiry into childcare and early childhood learning. The Australian Government’s objectives in commissioning this Inquiry are to examine and identify future options for a child care and early childhood learning system that: supports workforce participation, particularly for women addresses...

This draft report, which the Productivity Commission is seeking public comment on, argues that geographic labour mobility is helping the economy adjust to major structural change, and has enabled wealth to be spread across the country. Key points:

The Australian Government has asked the Productivity Commission (the Commission) to undertake a broad-ranging inquiry into public infrastructure, comprising two broad streams of work: the provision, funding, and financing of major public infrastructure the scope for reducing the costs associated with such infrastructure. As spelt out in more detail in the terms of reference, the...

This report examines the effects of ageing on economic output (underpinned by changes in population, participation and productivity) and the resulting implications for government budgets were current policy settings to be maintained. Key points: Australia's population will both grow strongly and become older. Such slow but profound shifts in the nature of a society do...