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 inquiry report into the 'Conservation of Australia's Historic Heritage Places', was released on 21 July 2006. The Commission was asked to examine the policy framework and incentives for the conservation of Australia's historic built heritage places.Some key findings...

While Australia's consumer policy framework has considerable strengths, parts of it require an overhaul.The current division of responsibility for the framework between the Australian and State and Territory Governments leads to variable outcomes for consumers, added costs for businesses and a...

The Commission's modelling indicates that there would be economy-wide benefits from further reductions in assistance to the automotive sector, particularly for tariffs. It also suggests that the benefits would be larger under the current assistance reduction program than options entailing lesser...

The Productivity Commission has released an update on the financial performance of 85 Australian, State and Territory Government trading enterprises (GTEs). The report also examines the capital structures of GTEs and capital withdrawal by State and Territory governments. The 85 GTEs monitored in...

The commission research paper quot;The Role of Non-Traditional Work in the Australian Labour Marketquot; was released on 25 May 2006.There is continuing debate in Australia about the effects of labour market changes on the wellbeing of workers and their families. One such change has been the...

Aspects of Structural Change in Australia is the first of a series of research that will be undertaken by the Commission into the adjustment and regional consequences of economic change. The paper compares the direction and extent of structural change in Australia with a selection of OECD and...

Microecomic Reform and Australian Productivity: Exploring the Links provides a framework for exploring the nature and significance of the links between microeconomic reforms and productivity. It examines general trends and looks behind the aggregates into the detail of particular reforms and the...

This report examines selected work arrangements and assesses their implications for the performance of meat processing enterprises. The effects on employees are also considered, and the scope to achieve further necessary change is analysed. The study has drawn on information obtained from...

This study is part of a continuing program of research into the performance of economic infrastructure industries, which was commenced by the Bureau of Industry Economics. It is the third Waterfront Benchmarking report in the cycle. The study builds on the two previous waterfront studies by...