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Economic Policy Branch Homepage

Economic Reform Unit

The Economic Policy Branch monitors trends in the Tasmanian economy and provides economic policy advice to the Government.

The primary responsibilities of the Economic Policy Branch are to:

monitor and analyse trends in economic conditions;
provide information to enable Treasury to make forecasts of key economic indicators relevant to the Tasmanian economy;
provide advice on a wide range of issues relating to industry reform and economic development;
provide policy advice on energy market issues arising from the State’s entry to the National Electricity Market and the development of a natural gas industry in Tasmania;
provide policy advice on industry assistance issues;
undertake economic analysis and research on issues relating to the Tasmanian economy; and
ensure that the State meets its reform commitments under the Council of Australian Governments’ economic reform agenda, the National Water Initiative and other nationally agreed reforms.
In undertaking its tasks the Branch produces a number of reports, some of which are outlined below.

Competition Index

The Competition Index is an annual report that objectively assesses the strengths and constraints of Tasmania as a business location. The first edition of the report was released by the then Treasurer, Hon David Crean MLC, in May 2000.

The Competition Index measures Tasmania’s competitiveness against other Australian states and New Zealand using a range of indicators. The report helps identify those areas where Tasmania has a relative advantage and, just as importantly, those areas where further measures are needed to make Tasmania a more favourable business location.

All editions of the Competition Index can be found as PDF documents here.

Annual Budget Papers

The Branch is also responsible for preparing a chapter on the Tasmanian economy, which in recent years has been Chapter 2 of Budget Paper No. 1.

Click here for current and archived Budget Papers.

Other publications

The Branch also prepares research reports for public release. Recent examples include:

a report analysing Tasmania’s population trends (Tasmania’s Population 2003); and
a report into Tasmania’s long-term unemployment (Long-Term Unemployment in Tasmania: A Statistical Analysis (2005).

Economic Reform Unit

The focus of the Economic Reform Unit is to identify opportunities for economic reform and promote best practice regulation.
Its core responsibilities include:

managing the Government’s Legislation Review Program and administering the Subordinate Legislation Act 1992;
ensuring that the Government meets its reform commitments under the Council of Australian Governments’ National Reform Agenda, which includes strengthening National Competition Policy reforms;
providing economic policy advice to the Government, including advice on industry assistance issues;
assisting the Government to develop policies and monitor compliance with Tasmania’s National Water Initiative reform obligations;
administering the Fee Units Act 1997; and
assisting the Government to meet its mutual recognition obligations and administering the Mutual Recognition Agreement and Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement.

Demographic Change Advisory Council

The Economic Research Unit, within the Economic Policy Branch, provides secretariat support and research to the Demographic Change Advisory Council. The Demographic Change Advisory Council is the key advisory body on demographic change issues that are likely to affect the Tasmanian community and economy over the coming years. Information and documents relating on the demographic change may be found on the Demographic Change Advisory Council website.