The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government's principal review and advisory body on microeconomic policy and regulation. It is an independent statutory authority in the Treasury Portfolio and responds to references from the Treasurer. For example, its work includes: researching the economic implications of ageing in Australia, reviewing the gas access regime, the effects of the disability discrimination act, and the economic effects of removing tariffs on goods from least developed countries.
The reference from the Treasurer may require a commissioned study or a public inquiry. In a public inquiry the Productivity Commission (PC) will accept submissions from any member of the public, and will usually issue a 'draft' report on which further submissions are accepted. The PC also has responsibility for assessing the application of safeguard measures under the World Trade Organisation guidelines.
The guiding principles of the commission are to be independent of government and industry, and open to public participation. Its reports often form the basis of government policy. However, the Treasurer and government are not required to act on Productivity Commission recommendations and may give no response or refuse to act.
Famous quotes containing the words productivity and/or commission:
“It is ultimately in employers’ best interests to have their employees’ families functioning smoothly. In the long run, children who misbehave because they are inadequately supervised or marital partners who disapprove of their spouse’s work situation are productivity problems. Just as work affects parents and children, parents and children affect the workplace by influencing the employed parents’ morale, absenteeism, and productivity.”
—Ann C. Crouter (20th century)
“Children cannot eat rhetoric and they cannot be sheltered by commissions. I don’t want to see another commission that studies the needs of kids. We need to help them.”
—Marian Wright Edelman (b. 1939)