Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Assistant Treasurer, upon notice, on 4 April 2012:

Does the Productivity Commission have a practical knowledge and appreciation of contemporary workplace relations issues and practices.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Assistant Treasurer has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

In the course of conducting select inquiries and studies, the Productivity Commission has considered workplace relations issues and practices where relevant. For example, the recently concluded inquiry into the Australian Retail Sector looked in detail at such issues as part of a broader examination of that sector and the challenges it currently faces.

The Commission has an on-going capacity in areas such as productivity analysis and economic and labour market research. However, it does not retain a branch or other staff grouping of individuals with specialist expertise in workplace relations.