The Productivity Commission reports that local governments in Australia perform an important role through their provision of infrastructure, service delivery, and planning and regulatory activities. Amidst calls by local governments for increased funding from the Australian and State...

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 made recommendations on how the Australian Government's buyback of water entitlements in the Murray Darling Basin could be improved, in a report released today. The buyback and a larger irrigation infrastructure program are being used to recover water for the...

Many Australian farmers and rural communities have been experiencing hardship from the latest severe and prolonged drought. While this is not new to dryland farming, 'irrigation drought' is uncharted territory. Australia has always had a variable climate, with drought being a recurring feature....

This Productivity Commission inquiry report was released on 12 October 2012. Default superannuation arrangements for those employees who derive their default superannuation product in accordance with modern awards have provided market stability, and net returns of default funds have generally...

There is a need for wide-ranging reforms to remove unnecessary burdens and costs faced by the not-for-profit sector and improve its accountability. This is the key message of a research report released today by the Productivity Commission. Better regulation, improved funding arrangements and...

The study compares manufacturer prices in Australia and seven other countries for 150 pharmaceuticals listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), as at 30 June 2000. The comprehensive study found that prices in the USA are between 80 to 160 per cent higher than in Australia, and prices...

The Productivity Commission’s inquiry report — Australia’s Urban Water Sector — was released in October 2011. In recent times, the urban water sector has faced drought, growing populations and ageing assets. Governments have largely responded with prolonged and severe water restrictions...

The Productivity Commission inquiry report — Disability Care and Support — was released on 10 August 2011. Current disability support arrangements are inequitable, underfunded, fragmented, and inefficient and give people with a disability little choice. They provide no certainty that people...