Catch-up in income per capita relative to the upper half of OECD countries has paused since 2011, as growth has lagged, affected by lower commodity prices and reduced resource-sector investments.
Inequality remains slightly above the OECD average, both in terms of the Gini coefficient and the share of national disposable income held by the poorest 20%. Inequality has nevertheless been stable since 2000. Greenhouse gas emissions per capita are the highest in the OECD and have changed little over the past two decades.
Australia has continued implementing a school reform that gives greater weight to socio-economic factors. More recently, the Review to Achieve Excellence in Australian Schools provides a push to further improve delivery, assessment and evidence base in education. Progress has been made in reducing corporate taxes and the 2018-19 budget includes a commitment to reduce personal income taxes. Enhancing the framework for innovation has been dropped as a stand-alone Going for Growth priority. It nevertheless remains an important policy area, and has thus been integrated with the "framework conditions" priority.
Raising medium-term growth should focus on improving the business environment and strengthening competition, boosting skills and improving the efficiency of the tax system. Continued challenges in climate-change policy have warranted inclusion in the key priorities.
