Review of National Competition Policy Reforms

The Productivity Commission’s inquiry report into the ‘Review of the National Competition Policy Reforms’ was released in April 2005. In 2004 the Australian Government asked the Productivity Commission to look at the impact on the economy and the community of NCP and related reforms and for areas which offer opportunities for significant gains. The Commission found that the benefits of NCP have greatly outweighed the costs. The benefits have flowed to both low and high income earners, and to country as well as city Australia. The Commission outlines how Australia’s ageing population and other international and domestic pressures necessitate further actions to raise productivity and sustainability. The Commission proposes a wide-ranging agenda for nationally coordinated reform, particularly in the areas of energy and water, freight transport, greenhouse gas abatement and consumer protection. An overarching review of the health system and further reform in vocational education and training are also needed.