The Prodcast with Richard Aedy

PC Commissioner Selwyn Button and host Richard Aedy unpack the progress made towards the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Episode notes

The objective of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians. Read more: https://www.closingthegap.gov.au/national-agreement

The PC maintains and updates an online dashboard containing data and supporting materials on progress towards the targets and supporting indicators under the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/

The PC also publishes an annual report that tracks trends and contextual data on progress towards the targets under the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report/2026/

Every three years, the Productivity Commission is required to independently review how parties to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap are progressing towards their commitments. The PC is in the process of conducting the second comprehensive review of the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries-and-research/closing-the-gap-review-2026/

Prior to this was the Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review of the Agreement: https://www.coalitionofpeaks.org.au/independent-review-of-closing-the-gap

'Regulatory reform is as close you can get to a silver bullet for Australia's housing affordability challenge'

PC Chair Danielle Wood and host Richard Aedy discuss the interim report of the Australian Productivity Commission's housing supply regulations inquiry.

Episode notes

Interim report - Housing supply regulation | Productivity Commission

PC Commissioner Angela Jackson joins Richard Aedy to unpack the Australian Productivity Commissions' interim report of the GST distribution inquiry - discussing the horizontal fiscal equalisation principle, how the Australian Government collects and distributes the GST pool and the effects of the 2018 GST distribution reforms.

Episode notes

Read the interim report and share your feedback: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries-and-research/gst-reforms/interim/

PC Commissioner Alison Roberts tells Richard about the importance of care in our lives and the challenges with enhancing productivity in the care economy.

The Australian Productivity Commission (the PC), in its interim report 'Delivering quality care more efficiently', highlights that the care sector must be able to respond to our increasingly complex and overlapping care needs in a sustainable way. Alison and Richard discuss the report's draft recommendations to increase the connections across the care economy, improving quality for consumers and helping Australia provide high-quality care more efficiently.

Episode notes

• Read the interim report: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/quality-care/interim
• Building a skilled and adaptable workforce: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/adaptable-workforce/interim
• Harnessing data and digital technology: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/data-digital/interim
• Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero/interim
• Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy/interim
• Growth mindset: how to boost Australia's productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

In this episode, Commissioner Catherine de Fontenay and Richard discuss the focus of the PC's interim report - strengthening the adaptability of Australia’s workforce.

They explore the draft recommendations from the report 'Building a skilled and adaptable workforce' for building better foundational skills for school students; making it easier for people to go back to formal training; better resourcing work-based training for small business employees, and policy reform for better occupational entry rules.

Episode Notes

• Read the interim report: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/adaptable-workforce/interim
• Harnessing data and digital technology: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/data-digital/interim
• Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero/interim
• Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy/interim
• Growth mindset: how to boost Australia's productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

Richard Aedy is joined by Commissioners Stephen King and Julie Abramson to talk about potential productivity gains from unlocking the benefits of data and digital technology.

They breakdown the proposed reforms in the PC's interim report Harnessing data and digital technology.

The third of five pillars of productivity inquiries, the interim report recommends a growth-focused approach to regulating AI, new pathways to give people access to the data about themselves, and a shift to default digital financial reporting.

Episode notes

• Harnessing data and digital technology: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/data-digital/interim
• Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero/interim
• Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy/interim
• Growth mindset: how to boost Australia's productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

Commissioner Barry Sterland talks with Richard Aedy about the recommendations in the PC's interim report Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation and how more consistent emissions incentives, faster approvals and a focus on adaptation can drive the net zero transformation and support productivity.

Episode notes

• Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero/interim
• Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy/interim
• Growth mindset: how to boost Australia's productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

Deputy Chair of the PC Alex Robson talks sits down with Richard Aedy to discuss proposed reforms in our interim report on creating a more dynamic and resilient economy.

This is the first of the five pillars of productivity inquiries given to the PC by the Government, presenting practical, impactful reforms to get Australia back on the path to growth.

Episode notes

Read the interim report: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy/interim

Overview of 5 pillars of productivity inquiries: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

In this episode Richard Aedy sits down with PC Chair Danielle Wood to talk about why Australia's productivity has been in the doldrums and why it's important to turn it around.

They also discuss some of the PC's proposed reforms for boosting productivity ahead of the release of our interim inquiry reports on the Australian Government's ‘five pillars’ of productivity policy.

Episode notes

Growth mindset: how to boost Australia’s productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/five-productivity-inquiries

Proposed US tariff hikes have sent shockwaves through the global economy. So how will they affect Australia?

In the latest episode of The Prodcast, PC Deputy Chair Alex Robson talks through modelling in our latest annual report - Trade and Assistance Review (TAR) - that shows what the tariffs could do to Australia’s economy and how we should respond. They also discuss Australia's 'nuisance tariffs' and the role of industry policy in the Australian economy.

Episode notes

Trade and Assistance Review: https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/trade-assistance

Governments need to work together to improve outcomes for people using mental health and suicide prevention services. That's the purpose of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement that Commonwealth, state and territory governments signed up to in 2022.

But the interim report of the PC's review of the Agreement has found it is not fit for purpose and the next agreement should take a new approach.

In this episode, Richard speaks with PC Commissioner Selwyn Button about what the PC's review has uncovered so far and what the road ahead looks like for Australia's mental health and suicide prevention services.

If this content raises issues for you, help is available:

• Lifeline Australia 13 11 14

• Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467

• 13 YARN 13 92 76

• Kids Help Line 1800 551 800

• BeyondBlue 1300 224 636

• eHeadspace 1800 650 890

• Carer Gateway 1800 422 737

The PC is not in a position to provide advice or make recommendations on individual circumstances. Our focus is on the broad issues raised in response to the inquiry terms of reference.

If you need specific help or advice, please contact one of the services above.

Episode notes

• Interim report: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement Review - Public inquiry - Productivity Commission
• Next episode: Trade and Assistance Review - https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/tar

You might have heard about the Productivity Commission but what does it do? Richard Aedy speaks with PC Chair Danielle Wood about the work of the PC and how it helps inform government policy. They also discuss the importance of productivity and what Australia can do to get it moving again.

Episode notes

What does the PC do?

• Inquiries: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries
• Self-initiated research: https://www.pc.gov.au/research
• Ongoing performance reporting and benchmarking: https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing
• Competitive neutrality complaints: https://www.pc.gov.au/about/core-functions/competitive-neutrality

Completed research

• Housing construction productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/housing-construction
• 2025 Report on Government Services: https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services
• Closing the Gap Information Repository: https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data
• Competitive neutrality investigation report - Australia Post: https://www.pc.gov.au/competitive-neutrality/investigations/australia-post
• Advances in measuring healthcare productivity: https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/measuring-healthcare-productivity

Coming soon

• Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/mental-health-review#interim

• Pillars of Productivity Growth

• Creating a dynamic and resilient economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/resilient-economy#interim

• Building a skilled and adaptable workforce: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/adaptable-workforce#interim

• Harnessing data and digital technology: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/data-digital#interim

• Delivering quality care more efficiently: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/quality-care#interim

• Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/net-zero#interim

• Opportunities in the circular economy: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/circular-economy#report