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Federal
Non-corporate Commonwealth Entity
Finance and Treasury

Productivity Commission

Portfolio: Treasury

https://www.pc.gov.au

Annual Budget

$40M

2026-27 Budget (Budget Paper No. 4)
+3.3%vs prior year ($39M)
Total Revenue

$50M

2024-25 Total Revenue
Staff

200

Headcount (2024-25)
Major Digital Projects
17

Big Data, Timely Insights (BDTI)

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Tier 1
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$225M

Digital Budget

$133.1M

July 2023June 2030

BDTI Phase 2 provides a pathway off legacy ICT systems, ensuring the Australian Bureau of Statistics maximises the reuse of new tools and lessons across the organisation. The project involves rebuilding and securing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) ICT system, delivering a complete monthly measure of the CPI, building the business statistics production process in the cloud, replacing the legacy Business Register with an expanded Business Characteristics Asset in the cloud, and industrialising the Australian Bureau of Statistics cloud environment. At the time of preparing this report, this project is subject to the escalation protocols set out in the Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments. These protocols are designed to support agencies in the timely resolution of delivery challenges.

Counter Fraud Program (Protecting against fraud and strengthening system integrity)

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 1
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$187M

Digital Budget

$68.4M

July 2024June 2028

The Counter Fraud Program will strengthen the Australian Taxation Office’s ability to prevent, detect, contain and bring consequence to fraud and financial crime against the tax and superannuation systems.

Foreign Investment Digital Transformation (FIDT) Program

Department of the Treasury

Tier 1
DCA: Medium
Closed

Total Budget

$70M

Digital Budget

$68.8M

September 2020June 2025

The Treasury is undertaking a transformation program to support the government’s foreign investment framework and replace the current Foreign Investment Management System. This program will deliver a fully functional end-to-end case management system, a register of foreign ownership of Australian assets, and an improved analytics capability. On 25 June 2025, the FIDT Program was formally closed following the successful delivery of all approved program outcomes. As part of the program closure, Treasury successfully transitioned the capabilities into ongoing sustainment and support.

Payday Super Program

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 1
DCA: Medium-Low
Active

Total Budget

$403.3M

Digital Budget

$262.2M

September 2024June 2028

The Payday Super project will address the systemic issue of unpaid and underpaid super guarantee by employers, by moving the obligation to pay from a quarterly to payday cycle. The Australian Taxation Office is building and improving data matching capabilities to match employers’ payroll data with super contribution data, providing it with near real-time visibility as to whether employers have met their obligations. The government will also redesign the super guarantee legislation in line with the move to payday super. Penalties and charges will reflect the serious nature of unpaid or underpaid super guarantee and will be recalibrated to encourage prompt rectification of non-payment with scalable consequences to deter severe or repeated non-compliance. At the time of preparing this report, this project is subject to the escalation protocols set out in the Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments. These protocols are designed to support agencies in the timely resolution of delivery challenges. The delivery confidence of the program has improved following the passage of legislation in November 2025.

RegistryConnect Program

Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Tier 1
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$361.5M

Digital Budget

$288.4M

November 2023June 2030

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) RegistryConnect Program will deliver reliable, secure, trusted and efficient registry services to support the economy for the benefit of all Australians. The program’s objectives include: stabilising Registry technology to increase the security, reliability and performance of ASIC registers; modernising and uplifting the registers, user channels and interfaces; improving the quality and integrity of registry data; achieving policy and law reform; and developing enduring capabilities.

2026 Census - Addressing Risks and Delivering a High Quality, Trusted Census

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Tier 2
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$726M

Digital Budget

$164.4M

January 2022December 2027

The Census and Statistics Act 1905 requires the Australian Bureau of Statistics to conduct a Census every 5 years. The Census provides the base for official counts of Australians and the dwellings they live in. It is a snapshot of the economic, social and cultural make-up of the nation, and tells the story of how Australia is changing over time.

Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions (BTSC)

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 2
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$51.4M

Digital Budget

$28.6M

July 2023September 2027

The BTSC measure aims to reduce tax concessions for individuals with a total superannuation balance exceeding $3 million, effective from 1 July 2026. This project is enabling the delivery of this measure with first assessments expected to be issued in the second half of 2027–28.

Cyber Digital Transformation X (Cyber DTx)

Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$45.5M

Digital Budget

$45.5M

July 2024June 2028

The Cyber DTx Initiative will enhance existing cyber capabilities to secure ASIC’s existing and future networks, systems and data. The program will deliver a range of capabilities that secure ASIC regulatory systems and uplift maturity against the Cyber Essential Eight Maturity Model.

Data Acquisition Modernisation Program

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$98.1M

Digital Budget

$50.8M

January 2025June 2027

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Data Acquisition Modernisation program aims to: • improve the digital experience for key surveys and allow for modern, accessible, and secure data collection processes • transform and modernise the Australian Bureau of Statistics contact centre to improve the experience for our customers and staff • continue to modernise and replace legacy IT systems by transitioning key products and processes to a secure and scalable cloud environment.

Data and Technology Program – Governance Uplift and Investment in Data Enablement (GUIDE)

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority

Tier 2
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$73.2M

Digital Budget

$38M

July 2024June 2028

The GUIDE program is a multi-year strategic investment in data capabilities and security position of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), including APRA’s supervision management system. By investing in data governance, security and infrastructure, the program aims to ensure that APRA can continue to effectively fulfil its mandate, mitigate risks and support the stability and resilience of the Australian financial system.

Implementation of a Global and Domestic Minimum Tax (Pillar 2)

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 2
DCA: Medium-High
Active

Total Budget

$110.5M

Digital Budget

$33.6M

July 2023June 2028

The Global Minimum Tax and Domestic Minimum Tax are part of a coordinated effort to address tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy. Australia, along with more than 130 other jurisdictions, agreed to a statement that set out the framework for Pillar 2 (the Global Anti-Base Erosion [GloBE] Model Rules). Implementing Pillar 2 will further strengthen Australia’s ability to address multinational tax avoidance. The investment provides the Australian Taxation Office with the means to ensure resources are available for the ICT and data requirements to implement and administer this measure, as well as ensuring a strong ongoing compliance, advice and education focus to support the in-scope population. At the time of preparing this report, this project is subject to the escalation protocols set out in the Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments. These protocols are designed to support agencies in the timely resolution of delivery challenges.

Modernisation of Tax Administration systems (MTAS)

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$87.9M

Digital Budget

$69.7M

January 2025June 2029

Improvements to Australian Taxation Office systems will reduce compliance costs on an ongoing basis for trustees, beneficiaries and tax agents – making lodgement easier and enabling the vast majority of trust tax returns to be lodged electronically. The improvements will also enable prefill of trust income for beneficiaries, in the same way salary and wages, bank interest and other types of income are currently prefilled. Prefill capability will be enhanced by proposed legislative amendments that require trustees to report the Tax File Numbers of beneficiaries on the trust income tax return’s Statement of Distribution when they have an entitlement to trust income.

National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC)

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$80.5M

Digital Budget

$42.7M

July 2023June 2026

The NASC is a world-leading initiative to make Australia the hardest country for scammers to victimise citizens in. It will disincentivise scammers from targeting Australia and result in significantly less scam attempts.

Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$12M

Digital Budget

$2M

June 2024December 2029

The Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive were announced in the 2024–25 Budget under the measure, Future Made in Australia – Making Australia a Renewable Energy Superpower. The Australian Taxation Office is responsible for assessing tax claims under this project, including assessing payment eligibility, and processing tax payments, in consultation with Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

Cyber Security Program (previously Building Cyber Resilience)

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$136.4M

Digital Budget

$136.4M

January 2018December 2026

The program focuses on uplifting Cyber Essential Eight Maturity to Level 2, providing fit-for-purpose security services to protect the Australian Taxation Office’s digital ecosystem. The program’s outcomes will increase the Australian Taxation Office’s cyber maturity by delivering enhanced cyber capabilities and technologies.

Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive

Australian Taxation Office

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$9.5M

Digital Budget

$4.8M

June 2024December 2029

The Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive were announced in the 2024–25 Budget under the measure, Future Made in Australia – Making Australia a Renewable Energy Superpower. The Australian Taxation Office is responsible for assessing tax claims under this project, including assessing payment eligibility, and processing tax payments, in consultation with the Clean Energy Regulator.

Payment Times Reporting Scheme (PTRS) - ICT Infrastructure rebuild

Department of the Treasury

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$8.9M

Digital Budget

$8.9M

July 2024June 2026

This ICT infrastructure rebuild supports improved reporting following reforms to the Payment Times Reporting Scheme. A modern portal will streamline and reduce the regulatory burden of reporting, and the public will be able to search and interrogate payment times information, including the best and worst paying large businesses using new dashboards. Increasing the transparency of large businesses’ payment performance towards their small business suppliers can incentivise fairer and faster payments to small business.

Ideas relevant to this department

11 tagged

Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.

STRATEGY SUMMARY

To deliver independent, evidence-based advice that improves the wellbeing of all Australians. We do this by focusing on productivity – not as an abstract economic concept, but as a practical and powerful tool for sustainably lifting Australians’ living standards. [AR p.8]

VISION

Our independent research and advice helps government make informed policy decisions that benefit all Australians. [AR p.8]

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.8

PURPOSE

To deliver independent, evidence-based advice that improves the wellbeing of all Australians. We do this by focusing on productivity – not as an abstract economic concept, but as a practical and powerful tool for sustainably lifting Australians’ living standards. [AR p.8]

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.8

Strategic priorities

· 5

1

Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.14
2

Building a skilled and adaptable workforce

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.14
3

Harnessing data and digital technology

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.14
4

Delivering quality care more efficiently

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.14
5

Investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.14

Outcomes

· 8

Outcome 1: Productivity

We will build on the findings and recommendations of our Advancing Prosperity report as well as progress our current inquiries into the Australian Government’s 5 productivity pillars: 1. Creating a more dynamic and resilient economy 2. Building a 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. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Building on Advancing Prosperity report
  • Progressing inquiries into Australian Government’s 5 productivity pillars
  • Researching productivity in Australia

Outcome 2: Trade and industry

We will continue to deliver the annual Trade and Assistance Review, providing high levels of transparency around industry assistance and protection, and analysis about trade policies around the world as they affect Australian industries. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Delivering annual Trade and Assistance Review
  • Providing research and policy insights on industry and trade policy

Outcome 3: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy and reporting

We will make sure our work is guided by our responsibilities under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the priorities and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Guiding work under National Agreement on Closing the Gap
  • Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in research and reporting

Outcome 4: Competitive neutrality

We will continue to operate the Australian Government Competitive Neutrality Complaints Office (AGCNCO) and meet our legislative obligations in relation to competitive neutrality. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Operating AGCNCO
  • Meeting competitive neutrality obligations

Outcome 5: Data and digital

We will undertake research and provide insights and advice on policy arrangements to best leverage data and digital technology for the benefit of the economy and all Australians. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Researching data and digital technology policy
  • Providing insights and advice on data and digital technology

Outcome 6: Environment and water

We will continue to engage with governments, communities, industries, scientists and academics to broaden our impact in areas where environmental concerns and the economy interact. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Engaging with stakeholders on environment and water
  • Delivering assessments under Water Act 2007 and Future Drought Fund Act 2019

Outcome 7: Health and ageing

We will undertake research and provide policy insights on how to ease system pressures without sacrificing quality of care. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Researching health system pressures
  • Providing policy insights on health and ageing

Outcome 8: Report on Government Services

We will continue to provide information on the equity, effectiveness and efficiency of government services through the release of the RoGS. [CP p.14]

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Providing information on government services
  • Releasing Report on Government Services

Values

· 3

Evidence based

Operating independently

Our processes are transparent

Performance measures

· 14

CodeMeasureTarget 2025-26Latest resultStatus

PC01

% people who agree the PC generates research, analysis and advice that is robust, evidence-based and independent

>80%

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

76%

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Substantially achieved

PC02

# inquiry or commissioned study draft or final reports released

>6

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

5

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Partially achieved

PC03

# research papers, productivity bulletins, Trade and Assistance Review reports and other ongoing products released

>10

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

30

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC04

% commissioned work completed on time

100%

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

100%

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC05

% ongoing products delivered on time and to agreed scope

100%

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

100%

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC06

# report downloads

180,000

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

184,250

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC07

# academic citations

>250

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

340

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC08

# international engagements

>20

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

17

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC09

# media mentions

12,000

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

13,462

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC10

# articles and opinion pieces

20

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

16

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Partially achieved

PC11

# social media followers

32,000

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

24,037

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC12

# speeches and panels by Commissioners and Senior Executive Staff (SES)

150

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

163

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Achieved

PC13

# parliamentary mentions

155

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

94

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Not achieved

PC14

# parliamentary hearings

5

Corporate Plan 2025 · p.18

3

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.35
Not achieved

Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence

· 8

Data & Performance

Boost report downloads

Introduce a streamlined download process for reports to increase accessibility.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Procurement & Delivery

Expand international engagements

Increase the number of international engagements to enhance global policy influence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Public engagement plans

Mandatory preparation of public engagement plans for all inquiries.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Low
Small

2024-25.pdf

Risk & Assurance

Web accessibility compliance

Achieve Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA compliance.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Boost parliamentary mentions

Increase the number of parliamentary mentions and hearings to enhance policy influence.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Increase research paper publication

Publish more research papers to enhance the PC’s research output.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Enhance social media strategy

Develop a comprehensive social media strategy to improve engagement and outreach.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Medium

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Adopt international methodology

Implement an internationally recognised methodology for productivity analysis.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

association-worldbank.org-governance.txt

Data & Performance

Boost report downloads

Introduce a streamlined download process for reports to increase accessibility.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Procurement & Delivery

Expand international engagements

Increase the number of international engagements to enhance global policy influence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Public engagement plans

Mandatory preparation of public engagement plans for all inquiries.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Low
Small

2024-25.pdf

Risk & Assurance

Web accessibility compliance

Achieve Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA compliance.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Boost parliamentary mentions

Increase the number of parliamentary mentions and hearings to enhance policy influence.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Increase research paper publication

Publish more research papers to enhance the PC’s research output.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Medium
Small

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Enhance social media strategy

Develop a comprehensive social media strategy to improve engagement and outreach.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Medium

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Adopt international methodology

Implement an internationally recognised methodology for productivity analysis.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

association-worldbank.org-governance.txt

Legislation administered

· 8

Act

1998

Productivity Commission Act 1998

Establishes the functions, powers, structure and operations of the Productivity Commission.

Instrument

Trade and Assistance Review

Provides data, analysis and reporting around trade and industry policy settings as well as government assistance to industry.

Instrument

Report on Government Services

Provides data directly from all Australian governments on the equity, efficiency and effectiveness of the services they provide.

Instrument

National Agreement on Closing the Gap

Aims to eliminate inequality and improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Instrument

National Competition Policy reforms

Provides expert modelling advice to inform government decisions under the renewed National Competition Policy agreement.

Instrument

National Water Initiative

The Commission maintains an ongoing capability in water management policy in preparation for its regular review of the National Water Initiative.

Instrument

Murray–Darling Basin Plan

The Commission maintains an ongoing capability in water management policy in preparation for its regular review of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan.

Instrument

Australian Government Competitive Neutrality Complaints Office

Investigates and reports on competitive neutrality arrangements and complaints.

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