The argument that studying the arts boosts academic achievements in other subjects has been the subject of extensive research and the consensus view could be summed up as 'not proven'. But as Kate Oakley argues, there is stronger evidence for the relationship between arts education and a variety of social or 'non cognitive' skills, from...

The Strategic Industry Leaders Group formed four working groups, involving wider industry representatives, to investigate key areas where opportunities for and barriers to growth had been identified. These areas were investment, exports and international engagement, research and development, and skills and training. Intellectual property and statistics and standards were considered by all of the groups.

How do we like to spend our leisure time? This ABS reports indicates that 65% of people aged 15 years and over went to the movies at least once in 2005-06. Over one in five movie-goers (23%) went more than ten times. After the movies the next most popular activity with Australians was going to...

This is the text of a speech by the chair of the Productivity Commission, who also chairs the Regulation Taskforce, at the 2006 Australian Social and Economic Outlook Conference. He argues that there is considerable scope for regulation within Australia's federal system to work better in the national interest.​

Paid maternity leave was used by one-third (34%) of employed mothers-to-be, according to the first detailed ABS survey on the employment circumstances of women who had a child under two years of age. Paid leave of some sort was taken by just under half (47%) of women working while pregnant. For employed mothers-to-be who returned...