The construction industry is vital to Australia's productivity. However, this report identifies a range of contributing factors to its underperformance, including tax settings, regulation, lack of technology adoption, lack of innovation, unpredictable pipelines of work, poor collaboration, a fragmented sector and small firm size. It calls for policies to lift productivity in construction.

This paper looks at how households are benefitting from working from home; focusing on the time and money saved when workers commute less, as well as the ability to work more hours or get a job. It finds that the clearest direct savings are from reduced time and money spent on commuting.

People who value working from home (WFH) are making a trade-off between their wage and the benefits they see from the arrangement. This paper suggests employers can also make a trade-off: choosing either to accept the cost savings from WFH arrangements or to pay a premium to mandate office attendance.

The report looks at the key issues likely to shape economic and policy outcomes in the year ahead. It examines setting Australia up for long-term success, why the labour market must work harder this year, working from home and productivity, and the energy transition.