Section 3: Outcomes
General government sector (GGS) agencies are required to plan, budget and report under an outcomes structure. GGS agencies produce outputs (departmental items) and also administer items on behalf of the Government (administered items).
This section summarises how the resources identified in Section 2 will be used to contribute to the outcome for the Productivity Commission (the Commission). Key performance measures and performance evaluation activities are specified for the outcome.
3.1 Summary of outcomes and contribution to outcomes
The Commission has one outcome:
- Well-informed policy decision-making and public understanding on matters relating to Australia’s productivity and living standards, based on independent and transparent analysis from a community-wide perspective.
The Commission’s five outputs derive from its statutory functions. The quantum and scope of the work under each output is largely determined externally (for example, government commissioned projects, regulation impact statement assessments, competitive neutrality complaints investigations). In view of this, the Commission requires the flexibility to vary resources amongst its various outputs.
The effectiveness with which the Commission’s outputs contribute to the achievement of the outcome is difficult to assess. The Commission is but one source of policy advice on matters relating to Australia’s productivity and living standards and many issues are complex and long term. The Commission aims to demonstrate its effectiveness by reporting annually on the relevance, quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness of its outputs.
An elaboration of the activities covered by each of the outputs is included under ‘Contributions to achievement of Outcome 1’ in section 3.2.3.
Overheads and other indirect expenses that cannot be directly attributed to outputs are allocated to outputs in proportion to the direct costs (principally salaries) of the activities undertaken within each output.
The relationship between activities of the Commission and its outcome is summarised in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Contributions to outcomes
There have been no changes to the number, wording or structure of outcomes or outputs, from the Portfolio Budget Statements 2006‑07.
3.2 Outcome resources and performance information
3.2.1 Outcome 1 resourcing
The following table shows how the 2007-08 Budget appropriations translate to total resourcing for Outcome 1, including departmental appropriation and revenue from other sources.
Table 3.1: Total resources for Outcome 1
3.2.2 Measures affecting Outcome 1
The Budget measure for the Commission appears in Table 2.2. Detail of this measure is included in Budget Paper No. 2, Budget Measures 2007-08.
3.2.3 Contributions to achievement of Outcome 1
Departmental outputs
Output 1: Government commissioned projects
Public inquiries (for example, the review of Australia’s consumer policy framework), case studies and other commissioned work (such as the review of regulatory burdens on business and the study into local government revenue raising capacity).
Output 2: Performance reporting and other services to government bodies
Government services performance reports including Australian Government/State/Territory service provision, key indicators of indigenous disadvantage, performance monitoring and related research on government trading enterprises.
Output 3: Regulation review activities
Assessments of regulation impact statements, compliance costings, consultations and a range of associated activities such as annual reporting, research, advice and education.
Output 4: Competitive neutrality complaints activities
Investigations of competitive neutrality complaints and associated activities such as research, advice and education.
Output 5: Supporting research and activities and statutory annual reporting
Statutory annual reporting; research and working papers in support of the Commission’s varying inquiry programme and to contribute to public policy issues; and associated activities such as submissions, conferences and speeches.
3.2.4 Performance information for Outcome 1
The following table summarises the performance information for individual outputs and output groups relating to the Commission.
Table 3.2: Performance information for Outcome 1
3.2.5 Evaluations for Outcome 1
Evaluation of actual levels of achievement will be shown in the Commission’s 2007-08 Annual Report.