THE Productivity Commission is seeking ideas from everyday Australians to inform our policy recommendations to government. 

“We are looking for practical policy ideas from people in all walks of life on how Australia can work smarter, more efficiently, and more productively,” Chair Danielle Wood said.

This initiative follows the Treasurer’s announcement of five new inquiries to be completed by the Productivity Commission:

1. Creating a dynamic and resilient economy.
2. Building a more skilled and adaptable workforce.
3. Harnessing data and digital technology.
4. Delivering quality care more efficiently.
5. Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

“Everything from our economic security to our living standards and the health of our families and the environment depends on getting these policy areas right,” Ms Wood said.

"The Productivity Commissionwill combine the public input with our own research to identify 3-5 policy reforms under each pillar to explore further.  

“If you have a clear, actionable policy idea that aligns with one or more of the five inquiry areas we want to hear about it. We want to hear from builders on how to overcome barriers on the job site, teachers on how government can better support their students, and aged and disability care workers on ideas for the care system,” Ms Wood said.

As the Federal Government’s leading independent economic advisory body, the Productivity Commission’s recommendations have helped shape policy for more than 20 years.

“The Productivity Commission has always depended on the input of Australians to inform its recommendations, but this is the first time it has sought out grassroots insights on every aspect of policy in Australia,” Ms Wood said. 

“We are throwing open the doors and asking all Australians for their best ideas on how governments can create the kind of growth and improvements in living standards we enjoyed in previous decades.

“We all have a stake in Australia’s future – the Productivity Commission is excited to hear first-hand from everyday people how government can shape that future for the better.” 

Comments are open until January 15, 2025 on https://engage.pc.gov.au/

The Productivity Commission will be seeking more detailed submissions on the new inquiries in 2025. 

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THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) will hear from Government entities and private sector organisations on Wednesday, December 4, for its inquiries into government contract management frameworks and the use of artificial intelligence systems by public sector entities.

JCPAA Chair, Linda Burney MP, said, "The committee looks forward to continuing to explore best practices in contract management, including discussions with the Department of Finance which administers the Australian Government Contract Management Guide."

Ms Burney said in relation to the public sector AI inquiry that "further discussions with government entities, that have specific and relevant oversight functions in addition to non-government stakeholders, will provide valuable additional insights to the committee on how this rapidly developing technology should be managed."

Program

Wednesday December 4, 2024

Committee Room 2R1

Parliament House

Inquiry into the contract management frameworks operated by Commonwealth entities

10.30am         ACTA (Australian Council of TESOL [Teaching English to speakers of other languages] Associations)  

11am         Department of Finance

Inquiry into the use and governance of artificial intelligence systems by public sector entities

12.30pm         National Archives of Australia

1:10pm           Australian Human Rights Commission

2pm           Community and Public Sector Union

2:30pm           Workday

Further details of the inquiries – including the submissions received and public hearings – are available on the inquiry websites (contract management; artificial intelligence).

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THE Australian Parliament’s Agriculture Committee has made 13 recommendations following an inquiry into the role of Australian agriculture in Southeast Asian markets.

The inquiry examined ways to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia in food and agriculture with reference to Invested: Australia’s Southeast Economic Strategy to 2040 (the Moore report).

Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said, "The Moore report emphasised the significance of Australia’s relationship with Southeast Asia at an economic level, but urged us to look beyond trade to a broader and more closely integrated relationship with the region.

"Australia has an important role to play in the food security of Southeast Asia through food exports and by building agriculture and food production capability in the region. Australian technology and production systems also have much to offer the region. Long-term investment in regional relationships will be vital to progressing both trade and regional collaboration," Ms Swanson said.

In addition to supporting the recommendations of the Moore report, the committee has recommended:

• resourcing agencies to implement trade agreements and address non-tariff barriers;
• making a long-term commitment to the Southeast Asia Business Exchange program;
• maintaining and enhancing the Agriculture Counsellor network;
• reinstating and resourcing the Agri-Business Expansion Initiative and the Agriculture Trade and Market Access Cooperation program;
• increasing the resources available for regional collaboration on biosecurity; and
• providing additional funding to ACIAR for its work in Southeast Asia.

The committee further supports the establishment of the Australian Agricultural Partnership and the extension of the PALM scheme to Southeast Asia.

Over the course of the inquiry, the Committee held seven public hearings and received 28 written submissions from industry, government and other interested stakeholders. 

The committee’s full report can be found on the inquiry webpage.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties yesterday tabled the report on its inquiry into the Agreement among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion (AUKUS agreement).

The report makes eight recommendations, including a recommendation that supports the agreement and recommends that the Australian Government take binding treaty action. The report was agreed to by all committee members.

The AUKUS agreement creates a framework to facilitate the communication and exchange of naval nuclear propulsion information between Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (US). The agreement also enables the transfer of nuclear material and equipment from the UK and the US to Australia for conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Committee Chair, Lisa Chesters MP, said, "The committee has heard a wide range of evidence throughout the inquiry and has determined the agreement to be in the national interest. Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines provides our nation with not only a strategic advantage, but also an opportunity to grow Australian jobs, education and infrastructure.

"The successful implementation of AUKUS will require upskilling the Australian workforce. This is an opportunity for our education sector and will create jobs that last for the life of the agreement and beyond. The 20,000 jobs added by the AUKUS program will diversify Australia’s workforce and will provide high-paying jobs for trades and tertiary educated workers alike.

"In addition to recommending binding treaty action, the committee has made recommendations that seek to ensure that the Australian people are continuously engaged and informed throughout the implementation of the agreement and resulting AUKUS program. These recommendations include expanding and enhancing community education activities to inform the community on how AUKUS will benefit Australia, and help to dispel a number of emerging AUKUS myths," Ms Chesters said.

The committee’s report also includes recommendations concerning infrastructure funding for local communities, enhanced engagement with First Nations peoples and local environmental groups, and parliamentary scrutiny of instruments resulting from the AUKUS agreement.

The report can be accessed online and further information about the inquiry is available on the Committee website.  

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) today presented its Annual Report of Committee Activities 2023-2024.

During the reporting period, the committee continued with a busy program of work. It was largely occupied with reviewing a range of prospective and existing national security legislation, in addition to its ongoing oversight activities.

Over the review period the Committee presented 14 reports, held 50 meetings and briefings, including eight public hearings, and worked on a total of 21 inquiries. These included annual reviews of the administration and expenditure of intelligence agencies, examination of bills before Parliament, statutory reviews of existing legislation and reviews of the listing and re-listing of terrorist organisations.

Legislative changes which took effect in August 2023 saw the committee’s membership increase from 11 to 13, and the appointment of two new members.

Committee Chair, Senator Raff Ciccone, said, "This annual report shows that the committee continues to manage a high workload in a diligent and bipartisan manner to fulfil its important oversight and inquiry functions, and to ensure that national security laws remain appropriate and effective.

"The committee thanks all who made contributions to the various inquiries and reviews undertaken during the 2023-2024 financial year," Senator Ciccone said.

Further information on the functions and role of the committee, a copy of the annual report and all the reports presented by the committee during the review period, can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on the Implementation of the National Redress Scheme has today tabled its report, following its inquiry into the operation of the National Redress Scheme. The report Redress: Journey to Justice was agreed to by all committee members.

Committee Chair, Senator Catryna Bilyk, said, "We acknowledge what the scheme has achieved for many survivors, as well as the hard work and effort that goes into administering the scheme. However, the committee’s unanimous findings have highlighted barriers to accessing the scheme, which need to be addressed to ensure no further harm is done to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse."

The Deputy Chair, Senator Dean Smith, said, "We thank the many members of the public who bravely shared their experiences with the committee. You have been heard and the report’s recommendations reflect your vital insights."

The report makes 29 recommendations, which focus on the accessibility, performance and effectiveness of the scheme. This includes whether the scheme is meeting the needs of victims and survivors who are seeking redress, whether those needs will be met before the scheme is due to cease in 2028, and whether the scheme fairly and accurately assesses the needs of each survivor seeking redress.

The committee has also recommended improving the accessibility of quality legal advice, and support services, for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse seeking redress.

The committee urged "all named institutions and governments to work together to continue National Redress Scheme reform".

The committee said it sincerely appreciated the contributions made by survivors to the inquiry.

The full report of the inquiry can be found on the committee’s inquiry webpage.

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FIRST NATIONS Australians are significant contributors to Australia’s economy but access to finance and capital is limiting their economic empowerment and financial wellbeing.

These are the findings of the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs report on its inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunities for First Nations Australians.

First Nations businesses and organisations are reported to have a higher social return on investment than many businesses working in mainstream industries – for every dollar of revenue spent, First Nations enterprises create about $4.41 of economic and social value. First Nations businesses are 40 to 100 times more likely to employ First Nations people.

Supported by research from the University of Melbourne, the inquiry received evidence showing First Nations businesses contribute $16.1 billion in revenue each year, pay $4.2 billion in wages, and employ more than 116,000 people.

The inquiry also put a spotlight on the structural barriers and systemic disadvantages to economic growth that First Nations people face. Evidence includes reported barriers to accessing finance and capital, starting a business, scaling up a business, leveraging land for economic purposes, as well as a lack of institutional trust, negative risk stereotypes, lower accrued intergenerational wealth and commercial acumen.

The report calls for a fundamental reframing of the First Nations economic narrative – one that embraces broader economic and fiscal policies. All levels of government, financial institutions, and investors must strengthen existing, and develop new, instruments to enhance First Nations people’s access to finance and capital. Financial institutions should remove impediments to responsible lending and capital flow to First Nations people.

The report makes 22 recommendations to the government including:

• strengthening existing, and developing new, instruments to enhance and fast track First Nations peoples’ access to finance and capital.
• capturing longitudinal First Nations economic and business data to support policy design and improve the institutional trust of First Nations enterprises.
• strengthening First Nations cultural and intellectual property laws to deliver significant commercial opportunities.
• considering capacity and capability support for First Nations communities to enable the growth of emerging industries and Australia’s economy.
• ensuring resourcing for Prescribed Bodies Corporates in the Native Title Act 1993 is sufficient to enable delivery of their full legislated potential.
• considering a target for First Nations project ownership and equity in clean energy.
• on completion of the Australian Law Reform Commission Future Acts Regime Review, considering whether a full review of Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) is required to deliver economic opportunities on the Indigenous estate.

Senator Jana Stewart and Committee Chair, a Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman, said the inquiry showed the contribution of First Nations people to Australia’s economy and local communities is significant, far reaching, and rapidly growing.

“Australia’s First Peoples, my ancestors, have been successful traders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and knowledge holders for more than 65,000 years," Senator Stewart said.

“Unlocking greater growth of Australia’s economy and transforming First Peoples to long-term generators of wealth and equity requires change from all levels of government, financial institutions, and investors.

“The future is bright with the right approach — one that embraces broader economic and fiscal policies, reshapes the public narrative, engages a strengths-based framework, stimulates investment and trade, and works in genuine partnership.”

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts is holding a public hearing tomorrow and on Monday for its inquiry into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry.

On Friday, the committee will hear from witnesses including Untitled Group, TEG and Oztix. Live Nation is scheduled to give evidence on Monday.

The Chair Brian Mitchell MP, said, "‘The committee has seen recent media reports relating to issues including dynamic ticket pricing and market settings for live music events in Australia.

"What has been reported captured popular attention and is very relevant to the committee’s inquiry into live music.

"We would like to examine these issues further and allow event promotors and ticketing businesses an opportunity to discuss their perspective."

Details of the public hearings are below, with the full programs and terms of reference available on the inquiry webpage. More information about the committee, including membership, may be found on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday, 22 November 2024
Time: 9am – around 11:40am AEDT
Location: Australian Parliament House, Committee Room 1R3

Date: Monday, 25 November 2024
Time: 9am – 10am AEDT
Location: Australian Parliament House, Committee Room 2R1

The hearings will be broadcast live @AUSParliamentLive .

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