This background note provides a snap-shot of significant developments in refugee law and policy during the period September 2010 to the end of December 2011. On 14 September 2010, Julia Gillard was re-sworn in as Australia’s 27th Prime Minister following the 21 August 2010 federal election. When the Australian Labor Party (ALP) commenced its second...

This report examines the adequacy of Australia's current biosecurity and quarantine arrangements, including the adequacy of resourcing.

This paper examines productivity trends in the Australian utilities industry and highlights some significant issues relating to the measurement and interpretation of changes in measured productivity over time. Key findings: Multifactor productivity (MFP) growth in Australia’s market sector has been considerably below average since 2003-04. Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste services), have played a...

On 16 June 2011 the Parliament established the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network. Chapter 1 sets out the administrative arrangements for the inquiry and outlines the roles of the key organisations and government agencies involved in the immigration detention network. Chapter 2 provides an overview of Australia's current immigration detention network, summarises...

This report examines the effectiveness and efficiency of the current economic regulation and quality of service monitoring regime for airports and whether new arrangements are needed. In 2006, the Productivity Commission conducted a review of the regulatory arrangements for pricing airport services. The review examined the price monitoring regime that had replaced the price capping...