Treasury Guest Lecture: Productivity in a Changing World Series - Michael Brennan

About this presentation The Australian Productivity Commission released its 5-yearly Productivity report in March 2023. The report focuses on five key reform pillars, aimed at supporting Australian productivity growth over coming years: building an adaptable workforce; harnessing data, digital technology and diffusion; creating a more dynamic economy; lifting productivity in the non-market sector; and, securing net zero at least cost. The recommended reforms were designed to enable Australia to capitalise on global technological opportunities and to overcome the productivity challenges in areas where growth has been historically harder to achieve - particularly the services sector, where 80% of Australia’s economic activity takes place and where 90% of working Australians are currently employed. About the presenter Michael Brennan chairs the Australian Productivity Commission. Previously Michael was Deputy Secretary, Fiscal Group, in the Federal Treasury with responsibility for Budget Policy, Retirement Incomes, Commonwealth-State Relations, Social Policy and Infrastructure Financing. Before that he was Deputy Secretary, Economic in the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance. Michael has worked as an Associate Director in the economics and policy practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the ANU. Michael is currently working on the Closing the Gap Review and worked on the Productivity Review inquiry. About this seminar series New ideas, cutting-edge thinking, research evidence and expert advice are all critical for stimulating and provoking our thinking here at the Treasury. Our current guest lectures theme - Productivity in a Changing World - recognises that lifting our productivity performance continues to be central to improving New Zealanders’ wellbeing and that we are facing this challenge in the context of significant economic, social and environmental shifts. These shifts will require major changes in our economy if we are to sustain and improve our economic and productivity performance.