Politics Now How productivity can save the Australian economy | Insiders
22 snips
May 1, 2026 
Danielle Wood, Chair of the Productivity Commission and economist who advises government on productivity and tax, discusses reforms to lift national living standards. She covers housing tax distortions, resilience and fuel security, targeted climate incentives, regulatory red tape cuts, corporate tax ideas and incentives for business investment. Short, focused conversation on policy levers to boost long-term economic performance.
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Use Revenue To Lower Income Taxes Over Time
- Use revenue from base-broadening tax changes to lower other tax rates to achieve productivity gains.
- Wood recommends using gains to reduce income tax pressure over time for a comprehensive reform effect.
Fuel Resilience Is Expensive Insurance Not Price Control
- Resilience measures like fuel storage or refineries are insurance policies with high costs and do not prevent world-market driven price spikes.
- Wood reminds listeners Australia already requires 27 days storage and further capacity is expensive and won't stop high pump prices.
Industry Support Needs Clear Resilience Or Green Justification
- 'Future Made in Australia' supports need strict criteria: supply‑chain security or green-transition justification.
- Wood points to Treasury criteria and questions whether many industry subsidies meet resilience or green premium thresholds.