Productivity Reforms

Ryan argued that living standards had declined and that productivity reforms must include the healthcare sector, which employs one in six workers. Ryan proposed four priorities: increasing preventive care spending, establishing a national body to plan the health workforce, protecting research and development tax incentives, and regulating artificial intelligence in healthcare. Ryan noted that health spending on chronic conditions is high and that current R&D spending has fallen below OECD averages.

Repacholi supported the motion, stating that productivity reforms involve removing roadblocks such as duplicated reporting and paid access to standards. Repacholi detailed specific measures including keeping the $20,000 instant asset write-off in place permanently and streamlining foreign investment approvals. Repacholi also highlighted reforms to stop unfair non-compete clauses and extend right-to-repair rules to agricultural machinery. Repacholi emphasised that these changes would save businesses time and money while maintaining safety and environmental safeguards.

Chaney supported the motion but argued that the reforms alone were insufficient to reverse a two-decade decline in productivity growth. Chaney suggested three additional levers: implementing recommendations from the Ambitious Australia report to boost research and development, fixing migration settings to allow skilled migrants to work in their fields, and leveraging artificial intelligence. Chaney noted that recent economic growth was driven by increased hours worked rather than efficiency gains.