In January 2011, the Rural Research and Development Council ('the Council') released a draft National Strategic Rural Research and Development Investment Plan ('the draft plan'). The Council invited public comment on this draft plan, including from the Productivity Commission, before preparing a final version for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

This study is completed. The final research report was released on 13 December 2010. On 27 November 2009, the Australian Government requested that the Productivity Commission undertake a study into the impact of bilateral and regional trade agreements on trade and investment barriers, and on Australia's trade and economic performance, including their contribution to efforts...

Examines the Vocational Education and Training sector, the context in which it operates and the implications this has for workforce composition and development. The Productivity Commission has been asked by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), through the Australian Government, to undertake a study of the workforces in the Vocational Education and Training (VET), Early...

This inquiry assessed the operation of the current wheat export marketing arrangements, including the costs and benefits, and now informs the Australian Government on the effectiveness of the arrangements. These key points were released with the Wheat Export Marketing Arrangements inquiry report on 28 October 2010. The transition to competition in the exporting of bulk...

This paper analyses the issue of childhood obesity within an economic policy framework. It also reviews the evidence of trends in obesity in children and provides an overview of recent and planned childhood obesity preventative health programs.