The Commission was asked to review the National Third Party Access Regime for Natural Gas Pipelines. The review sought to assess the benefits and costs of the Regime, including its effects on investment. The Commission’s preliminary findings were released for public comment in December 2003...

The Productivity Commission released its final research report into 'Rural Water Use and the Environment: The Role of Market Mechanisms' in August 2006. The report indicates that there is scope for markets to play a greater role in improving the efficient use of water, including for...

Extract from the key points: The Australian anti-dumping system, which is based on agreed WTO rules and procedures, benefits a small number of import competing firms, but imposes greater costs on the rest of the economy. However, this net economic cost is likely to be very small. And the ability...

A report released by the Productivity Commission – Performance Benchmarking of Australian Business Regulation: Occupational Health and Safety – has identified significant differences in regulation and in the actions of regulators across the jurisdictions that are hard to justify. While OHS...

Key Points extract: • The Australian Government’s statutory paid parental leave scheme should be taxpayer-funded, and should: – provide paid postnatal leave for a total of 18 weeks that can be shared by eligible parents, with an additional two weeks of paternity leave reserved for the...

The Productivity Commission's report on regulatory burdens on the primary sector - released today - identifies a number of ways to reduce unnecessary burdens on farmers and miners and other primary sector producers arising from Commonwealth regulations. The report - Annual Review of Regulatory...