The federal government’s Universities Accord reforms set the policy vision for improved productivity in Australia’s education and research sector. This paper provides reasons to accelerate the government’s reforms, outlining 25 practical recommendations for lifting Australia’s productivity and building a resilient economy. It notes Australia’s productivity challenge requires coordinated action across education, industry and research.

This paper examines how AI is transforming labour markets and the policy responses needed to harness its transformative potential while mitigating its risks. It finds that adapting requires developing new skills aligned with evolving labour market demands and policymakers play an essential role in ensuring workers are equipped to thrive in an AI-driven economy.

The outlook looks at the latest labour market developments and prospects in OECD member countries. This edition highlights that the geography of opportunity matters. Local labour markets are also being reshaped by trade and technology shocks. The report highlights the need for policies that support regions and help workers adapt to change.

This latest edition provides insights into Australia’s labour market, including occupations, industries, skills needs, employment opportunities and education pathways. It is designed to support informed career, training and workforce decisions. The report includes analysis providing an overview of Australia’s diverse labour markets, with detail provided for each state and territory.

This report presents the findings of a research project to explore the factors influencing recruitment and retention of criminal lawyers in Tasmania. The report includes 20 recommendations and options for measures that one or more stakeholders could take to address attraction and retention issues and improve the supply of criminal lawyers in Tasmania.