pc.gov.au

You can stay updated on Productivity Commission (PC) inquiries and reports by subscribing for email alerts, following the PC on its social media channels, and checking the Inquiries and research and Ongoing reporting sections of pc.gov.au. These channels are described on the PC homepage, which states that the Commission posts about current inquiries, events and calls for submissions, as well as its findings and links to reporting as soon as they are released.

Subscribe for email alerts

The PC homepage includes an email subscription option under "Follow us for updates." The page states that the Commission posts about current inquiries, events and calls for submissions, as well as findings and links to reporting as soon as they are released.

To use it:

1. Enter your email address in the subscription field on the homepage.
2. Submit the form to receive email alerts.

The homepage does not state how often alerts are sent, whether subscription is free, or what personal information is collected. Check the PC's Privacy page before subscribing if those details matter to you.

Follow the PC on social media

The PC lists five social media channels on its homepage:

The homepage presents these as channels where updates are posted "as soon as it's released," but it does not describe differences in content or posting frequency between them.

Check the website sections directly

If you prefer not to subscribe or follow social media, the homepage points to several areas you can revisit:

• Inquiries and research – current and past inquiries and research work.
• Ongoing reporting – recurring reports, such as the Report on Government Services.
• Media and speeches – media releases and speeches.
• News – general news items.

The homepage also lists upcoming dates, which show what is coming next. Examples from the page include:

• Transforming government organisations – 16 Sept 2026
• Early childhood education and care system in rural, regional and remote communities – 8 Oct 2026
• Call for submissions – Business reporting requirements – 9 Sept 2026
• Call for submissions – Closing the Gap Review 2026 – 7 Sept 2026

Have your say in an inquiry

The homepage states that "open submissions and public hearings encourage you to have your say in Australia's public policy formation." It invites you to share issues you want raised and provide suggestions for ways forward, and links to a "How to make a submission" page. If you want to follow a specific inquiry rather than receive general updates, the Inquiries and research section is the place to find the relevant inquiry page and its submission or hearing details.

A practical routine

If you want to stay current without relying on a single channel:

1. Subscribe for email alerts so new releases reach you automatically.
2. Follow at least one social media channel for shorter, more frequent updates.
3. Check Inquiries and research and Ongoing reporting periodically, especially if you are tracking a specific inquiry or recurring report.
4. Watch the dates listed on the homepage for upcoming reports and submission deadlines.

The PC homepage does not specify how quickly email alerts are sent, whether all inquiries are covered by every channel, or whether any of these services require an account beyond an email address. Treat the homepage itself as the authoritative index of what is currently open and upcoming.

The Productivity Commission (PC) is an Australian government agency that provides independent research and advice to Government on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of all Australians. Its role is advisory: it studies problems, runs public inquiries, and publishes findings and recommendations. It does not make policy decisions — the Government decides whether and how to act on what the PC recommends. If you want to understand a specific policy area, track an open inquiry, or see what evidence sits behind a reform proposal, pc.gov.au is the entry point.

What the Commission actually does

The PC's stated purpose is to shape the future of Australia by giving Government independent research and advice. Its work spans three broad domains:

• Economic — productivity, competition, regulation, and government service delivery
• Social — areas such as education, health system design, and equity issues
• Environmental — issues where environmental policy interacts with economic and social outcomes

Two features distinguish how it works:

1. Inquiries. The Government asks the PC to examine a topic; the PC researches it, invites public input, and produces a report.
2. Public participation. Open submissions and public hearings are a core part of the process, described on the site as a way for people to "have your say in Australia's public policy formation" — sharing issues to be raised and suggesting ways forward.

The site also carries ongoing reporting, which is recurring published work rather than one-off inquiries.

How independent is the advice?

The Commission describes itself as providing independent research and advice. That independence is about the analysis and recommendations it produces — not about the decisions that follow. Two things are worth separating:

So "independent advice" means the Commission forms and publishes its own conclusions. It does not mean the advice is binding. A recommendation can be accepted, partially accepted, deferred, or rejected by Government. When you read a PC report, treat it as evidence and argument to evaluate, not as a settled decision.

Using the site to follow its work

If you want to see what the Commission is currently examining or has concluded, the site organises this around a few entry points:

• Search inquiries and reports — find work by topic.
• Open submissions and public hearings — see where you can contribute, and by when.
• Ongoing reporting — recurring publications.
• News, media and speeches — statements and context around releases.

The homepage surfaces current items with dates, for example calls for submissions and upcoming reports. Dates shown there are the site's own listings, so check the individual inquiry page for the authoritative deadline before you plan a submission.

Where to start

• To understand a policy question: search inquiries and reports for the topic, then read the recommendations section first — it tells you what the Commission concluded before you work through the evidence.
• To contribute your view: look for an open call for submissions, read the "how to make a submission" guidance, and note the closing date.
• To track what's coming: follow the site's updates, or subscribe for email alerts if you want releases pushed to you.

One practical caution: the PC advises on welfare across the whole population, so its reports often weigh trade-offs between groups rather than declaring a single winner. Read the reasoning, not just the headline recommendation.

The Productivity Commission (PC) invites the public to take part in Australia's public policy formation through open submissions and public hearings. To participate, find the current inquiry or review on pc.gov.au, read its issues paper or terms of reference, prepare your submission following that inquiry's "How to make a submission" guidance, and submit before the listed closing date. You can also register for or attend scheduled public hearings, and sign up for email alerts so you don't miss deadlines.

What the PC is and why public input matters

The Productivity Commission describes itself as providing independent research and advice to Government on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of all Australians. Its work runs through inquiries and research, ongoing reporting, and media and speeches.

Public participation is built into that process. The site states that open submissions and public hearings "encourage you to have your say in Australia's public policy formation," and invites people to share issues they want raised and provide suggestions for ways forward.

Step 1: Find the inquiry or review you want to respond to

Start from the inquiries and reports area of the site. Current items shown on the homepage include:

Other named work includes Closing the Gap, Five pillars of productivity inquiries, and the Report on Government Services.

Open the specific inquiry page rather than relying on the homepage list, because each inquiry sets its own scope, documents, and submission arrangements.

Step 2: Read the inquiry documents before writing

Each inquiry publishes material that tells you what it is actually asking. Look for:

• The terms of reference, which define what the inquiry can and cannot consider
• Any issues paper or discussion paper, which shows the questions the PC wants evidence on
• The submission closing date and any stated format or length expectations

Reading these first is what separates a submission that gets used from one that argues a point outside the inquiry's scope.

Step 3: Prepare your submission

The site provides a "How to make a submission" page; follow the instructions on that page and on the individual inquiry page, since requirements can differ between inquiries.

A practical preparation sequence:

1. Identify the one or two questions in the issues paper your experience or evidence speaks to.
2. State your position clearly at the start.
3. Support it with concrete evidence — data, documented experience, or specific examples — rather than general opinion.
4. Note who you are (individual, business, community organisation) so the PC can weigh your perspective.
5. Keep it within any stated length or format limits.

The PC also invites you to share issues you want raised and to suggest ways forward, so a submission does not have to be only criticism — proposals are welcome.

Step 4: Submit and check what happens next

Submit through the method given on the inquiry page before the closing date. After submission, expect your contribution to feed into the inquiry's evidence base; the PC publishes findings and reporting as they are released, and posts about current inquiries, events, and calls for submissions.

If you want to know whether your submission will be published, check the inquiry page's submission guidance — publication and confidentiality arrangements are set per inquiry.

Step 5: Take part in a public hearing

Public hearings are the second channel for participation. They are listed alongside open submissions as ways to have your say.

To take part:

• Check the inquiry page for scheduled hearing dates and locations
• Look for any registration or expression-of-interest step, since arrangements vary by inquiry
• Prepare a short spoken version of your submission's key points
• Expect questions — hearings are a chance to test and explain your evidence, not just deliver a statement

Step 6: Stay ahead of deadlines

Deadlines are the most common reason people miss the chance to contribute. The homepage shows calls for submissions with specific dates, such as Business reporting requirements (9 Sept 2026) and the Closing the Gap Review 2026 (7 Sept 2026).

The PC offers email alerts: enter your email address in the subscribe field to receive updates on current inquiries, events, calls for submissions, and newly released findings. You can also follow updates via Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Common sticking points

• Writing before reading the terms of reference. Material outside the inquiry's scope is unlikely to be used.
• Missing the closing date. Dates are published per inquiry and per call for submissions; check the specific page, not just the homepage.
• Assuming one format fits all. Submission requirements are set per inquiry, so follow the guidance on the page you are responding to.
• Treating a hearing as a speech. It is a discussion; be ready to explain and defend your evidence.
• Not signing up for alerts. With multiple inquiries running at once, email alerts are the simplest way to catch new calls and hearing dates.

Quick reference

pc.gov.au is the official website of the Productivity Commission, an Australian government body that provides independent research and advice to Government on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of all Australians. It is a policy research and public participation site, not a commercial service or product platform. If you want to follow or contribute to Australian public policy debates, it is a primary source worth using.

Who runs the site

The site is operated by the Productivity Commission itself. Its stated purpose is to "provide independent research and advice to Government on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of all Australians." The Commission describes its role as helping shape the future of Australia, including work on transforming government organisations.

Because the advice is framed as independent and directed at Government, the site is best read as an official research and advisory channel rather than a news outlet or advocacy group.

What you can find there

The homepage organises content into several practical areas:

• Inquiries and research – current and past investigations into policy questions, with a search function for inquiries and reports.
• Ongoing reporting – recurring publications, including the Report on Government Services.
• Media and speeches – public statements, speeches, and media material.
• About – information on the Commission's work, careers, and contact details.

The homepage also surfaces specific current items, such as:

Dates and items like these change over time, so treat the table as a snapshot of what the homepage displayed rather than a fixed schedule.

How public participation works

A distinctive feature of the site is its invitation to the public. It states: "Open submissions and public hearings encourage you to have your say in Australia's public policy formation. Share issues you want raised, and provide suggestions for ways forward."

If you want to contribute, the site points to a How to make a submission page and lists public hearings. This means the site is not only for reading—it is a channel for submitting views and suggestions on policy questions under review.

Staying updated

The site offers an email alert option: you can enter an email address and "Subscribe for email alerts." It also links to social channels—Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube—where it posts about current inquiries, events, calls for submissions, findings, and reporting links. A note on the page also invites users to make the PC a preferred Google source.

The presence of a "subscribe" option indicates an email alert service, but the page evidence does not state whether it is free or requires login, so check the subscription page directly before assuming terms.

When this site is useful to you

Use pc.gov.au if you want to:

• Read independent research and advice on Australian economic, social, and environmental policy.
• Track current inquiries, calls for submissions, and public hearings.
• Find recurring reporting such as the Report on Government Services.
• Submit your own views to an active review.

It is less suited if you are looking for commercial products, consumer services, or quick news summaries—the content is oriented toward policy research and formal public consultation.

The Productivity Commission (PC) at pc.gov.au features a rotating set of ongoing reports and public inquiries that cover government services, Indigenous outcomes, and productivity policy. The homepage highlights current work such as Closing the Gap, the Report on Government Services, the Five pillars of productivity, and Transforming government organisations, alongside open calls for submissions and public hearings. Because inquiry status, submission deadlines, and publication dates change over time, treat the homepage as a snapshot and verify current details on the site itself.

The main ongoing reports and inquiries

The PC describes its role as providing "independent research and advice to Government on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of all Australians." Its featured work falls into a few recurring categories:

These are not one-off publications. The PC maintains them as ongoing reporting or multi-stage inquiries, which is why the site lists them with dates and status labels rather than as finished documents.

How the site presents current work

The homepage mixes several types of entries, and reading the labels matters:

• Inquiries with future dates — for example, "Transforming government organisations" (16 Sept 2026) and "Early childhood education and care system in rural, regional and remote communities" (8 Oct 2026). These indicate scheduled reporting or milestone dates.
• Calls for submissions — for example, "Business reporting requirements" (9 Sept 2026) and "Closing the Gap Review 2026" (7 Sept 2026). These are open invitations for public input.
• Ongoing reporting — recurring outputs such as the Report on Government Services that are updated rather than replaced.

The site also states: "Open submissions and public hearings encourage you to have your say in Australia's public policy formation." That is the mechanism by which these inquiries gather evidence before forming recommendations.

Why the dates and status can change

Inquiry timelines shift. A date shown on the homepage may be a target for a draft report, a final report, or a submission deadline, and these can move. The PC itself notes that it posts about "current inquiries, events and calls for submissions, as well as our findings and links to reporting as soon as it's released." That means the most reliable way to check whether something is still open is to open the specific inquiry page, not to rely on the homepage listing.

How to find a specific report or inquiry

1. Use the "Search inquiries and reports" function on the site to look up a topic by name.
2. Open the individual inquiry page to see its current stage, key dates, and any open submission window.
3. Check the "Ongoing reporting" section for recurring publications like the Report on Government Services.
4. If you want updates pushed to you, the site offers email alerts via a Subscribe option, plus social channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, YouTube).

What to keep in mind

• The featured items span very different policy areas — Indigenous affairs, government service delivery, and productivity — so a single "PC report" is not one thing.
• Submission calls and public hearings are the public's entry point into these inquiries; the site explicitly invites issues and suggestions for ways forward.
• Because the homepage is a live snapshot, confirm any deadline or publication date on the relevant inquiry page before acting on it.