The following is a list of all completed Public inquiries and commissioned studies undertaken by the Commission.

National Competition Policy analysis

01 / 11 / 2024

This project supports the current National Competition Policy process by estimating the likely economy-wide and fiscal effects of a broad agenda of policy reforms.

Early childhood education and care

18 / 09 / 2024

This inquiry examined the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, including centre-based day care, preschools, family day care, outside school hours care and in home care. The Commission considered cost and availability barriers that affect access to ECEC services, and ways to support better outcomes for children and families.

Philanthropy

18 / 07 / 2024

The Productivity Commission was asked to analyse motivations for philanthropic giving in Australia and identify opportunities to grow it further.

National Water Reform 2024

28 / 05 / 2024

The Commission has advised on the progress of all Australian governments in achieving the objectives, outcomes and timelines anticipated under the 2004 Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative (NWI).

Murray-Darling Basin Plan: Implementation review 2023

26 / 02 / 2024

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), the Commission is required to undertake an inquiry every five years into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and water resource plans. This is the second such inquiry conducted by the Commission.

Closing the Gap review

07 / 02 / 2024

This is the first review to be conducted every three years. It is to inform the ongoing implementation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to highlight areas of improvement and emphasising where additional effort is required.

Future Drought Fund

26 / 09 / 2023

This inquiry examined the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of Part 3 of the Future Drought Fund Act 2019. Part 3 covers the processes for allocating funding to activities that support drought resilience.

Carer leave

15 / 09 / 2023

This inquiry examined the economic and social impacts of allowing informal carers to take extended unpaid leave from their work to care for older people who are frail and living at home.

Productivity inquiry (2023)

17 / 03 / 2023

The Productivity Commission was asked to review Australia's productivity performance and recommend an actionable roadmap to assist governments to make productivity-enhancing reforms.

National School Reform Agreement

20 / 01 / 2023

This study examined how well national policy initiatives by the Australian, State and Territory Governments have achieved the objectives and outcomes set out in the National School Reform Agreement.

Australia's maritime logistics system

09 / 01 / 2023

This inquiry examined the structural issues affecting the productivity of Australia's maritime logistics system. Long term trends in system performance were analysed, and industrial relations, infrastructure constraints and technology uptake were areas of focus.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and crafts

13 / 12 / 2022

The Productivity Commission examined the value, nature and structure of markets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and crafts, and policies to address deficiencies in these markets.

Aged care employment

21 / 10 / 2022

This study examined employment models in aged care and the effects that policies and procedures to preference the direct employment of aged care workers would have on the aged care sector.

Housing and Homelessness Agreement review

30 / 09 / 2022

This study was a review of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement. It examined how well the Australian, State and Territory Governments have achieved the objectives, outcomes and outputs set out in the Agreement, and the suitability of the Agreement for the future. The review also looked at the impact of social and economic factors, including the coronavirus pandemic, on housing and homelessness in Australia.

Register of foreign-owned water entitlements

02 / 12 / 2021

This inquiry examined the effectiveness, costs and benefits of the Register of Foreign Ownership of Water Entitlements. The Register was established in 2017 to provide greater transparency on the level of foreign ownership of water entitlements in Australia.

Right to repair

29 / 10 / 2021

The focus of this inquiry was on consumers' ability to repair faulty goods, or to access repair services, at a competitive price. We were asked to look at the barriers and enablers of repair and the costs and benefits of a regulated 'right to repair' in Australia.

National Water Reform 2020

02 / 09 / 2021

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), the Commission is required to undertake three-yearly inquiries into the progress of reform in Australia's water resources sector. This is the second such inquiry, looking at Australian government's progress in achieving the objectives, outcomes and timelines under the Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative (NWI).

Vulnerable supply chains

13 / 08 / 2021

The Australian Government asked the Commission to examine the nature and source of risks to global supply chains. The Commission developed a framework for identifying supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption, identify imports of goods that might be vulnerable, and identify possible strategies to manage supply chains risks.

Skills and Workforce Development Agreement

21 / 01 / 2021

This study examined how well the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments have achieved their goals for the vocational education and training (VET) system as set out in the 'National Agreement for Skills and Workforce Development', and the suitability of this agreement for the future.

Resources sector regulation

10 / 12 / 2020

The Australian Government has asked the Commission to conduct a study to examine regulations affecting business investment in the resources sector in Australia.