One week into the job,Wood is also focused on making sure politicians and regular Australians remain across the important work done by the agency tasked with finding ways to improve the country’s standard of living.
New Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood.Alex Ellinghausen
“Certainly shorter reports might be part of that,” she said in an interview.
“It’s not,put out a report and leave it on the shelf,it’s actually making sure that we continue talking about why the recommendations are a good idea.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers expects a shake-up of the key economic institution under Wood.
The statement of expectations between Chalmers and Wood – the first such agreement between a treasurer and Productivity Commission chair – outlines directions for the commission’s future under Wood.
The government expects the commission to home in on major trends affecting productivity,diversify and improve its communications with other agencies and experts and update its analytic capabilities.
Wood said she was pleased the treasurer flagged in the statement that the green transition was an area he wanted the commission to focus on.
“There’s a lot of moving parts that go into making this a reality,and we clearly have an interest in making sure that happens in a way that’s as efficient and effective as possible,” she said.
“That was certainly something that I would have on my wish list for the commission to look into.”
Chalmers said the net zero transition was one of the largest challenges and opportunities the country faces,and he wants the commission to play a central role in navigating that.
“The policy advice from Danielle Wood and the PC will be critical to helping us realise the economic potential of cheaper,cleaner and more reliable energy and the broader opportunities presented by net zero,” he said.
Independent economist Nicki Hutley said living standards can only be improved with increases in workforce participation and productivity,and the Productivity Commission has the task of figuring out how to make those improvements.
“Basically,we’re all less well off – our living standards decline if we don’t have productivity growth,so everyone needs to be thinking about how do we get that benefit? How do we find smarter ways to do things?” Hutley said.
Wood said she saw the commission as being the angel on the government’s shoulder,trying to get it to do the good thing.
“If we are able to have more influence and shape the policy agenda,that will be a good thing for policy in Australia. And that means a good thing for Australians,” she said.
“To me,it’s about making sure that we continue to do the excellent high quality,rigorous practical work,that we make sure that it is usable for government ... and we keep putting it in front of them.”
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