The report looks at structural reforms in policy areas that have been identified as priorities to lift growth in OECD and selected non-OECD countries. The selection of priorities is supported by a database of internationally comparable indicators that enable countries to assess their economic performance and structural policies in a wide range of areas.

By identifying the forces that have repeatedly undermined tax reform in Australia, this report explores whether a different approach could help Australia move beyond repeated false starts and build a more credible pathway for future change. It finds that reform failure over the last 25 years is rarely attributable to a single factor.

The Starting Better Guarantee was a national goal to make Australia the best place to be a child and raise a family. It proposed an entitlement to a set of high-quality, affordable and connected services in the early years. This report shows the wins achieved and the priorities ahead to realise the Guarantee in full.

In 2023 the Australian Government reformed the Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme to make it more flexible and gender neutral. A key objective of the reforms was to encourage both parents to share caring arrangements. This project explored how forms and websites support parents’ intentions to share their parental leave entitlements.

Large portions of spending by national governments can be considered mandatory. Drawing on practices from eight OECD countries, this paper examines how governments define, monitor and review mandatory spending. The analysis suggests that mandatory spending should be reviewed regularly, included in fiscal rules and budget processes, and be subject to clear accountabilities to parliament.