Productivity is not a serving suggestion

With the federal government putting productivity at the centre of its second-term agenda, and with a national summit on the horizon, now is the time for smart, well-framed ideas. But there are rules of engagement.

A moment, and a message

In his recent address to the National Press Club, Treasurer Jim Chalmers left people in no doubt about the government’s economic priorities for the term ahead; and at the top of the list is productivity.

It’s not a new ambition — every government has productivity on its agenda somewhere — but Dr Jim’s framing matters. He positioned productivity not as a cold economic metric but as the engine of rising living standards, a way to create more opportunity, drive innovation, and build national resilience. For the government, it’s a social and political priority, not just a technical one.

In the coming weeks, the government will open a call for targeted submissions ahead of a national productivity summit. But this won’t be a free-for-all. The Treasurer has laid out three very clear preconditions for ideas that will be taken seriously.

An important side note is that these filters won’t just apply to the summit. They’ll be quietly enforced across the board: in meetings with ministers, consultations with departments, and any serious pitch for policy change. If you want your idea to land, you’ll need to show it clears the bar.

The three filters: what the government wants to hear — and why

1. No mendicants: pitch in the national interest

The government isn’t looking for sectoral wish lists or state-based special pleading. Chalmers made it clear: proposals should serve the national interest.

That doesn’t mean you can’t advocate for your industry, but it does mean you’ll need to show how solving your problem helps solve a broader one. Maybe your proposal lifts workforce participation, boosts resilience, speeds up housing approvals, or helps Australians adapt to net zero. If so, say that, and prove it.

Ministers (and their staff) are highly attuned to submissions that serve a narrow constituency but try to masquerade as national reform. So don’t reach for spin. Reach for evidence.

2. Budget neutral, or better

This is not the season for spending sprees. In fact, it’s the opposite. Chalmers’ second key requirement was budget sustainability, and the idea that a more stable fiscal position is itself a productivity dividend.

So, if your proposal costs money, you’ll need to show it earns it back. Or, better still, demonstrate savings, efficiencies, or system-wide benefits over time. That could be in the form of reduced red tape, lower compliance costs, a more responsive workforce, or improved service quality.

The bar here isn’t just “don’t blow the budget”. The bar is: show how your idea helps fix it.

3. Be specific and practical

The government is not looking for essays or thought experiments. It’s looking for implementable, useful reform.

If your proposal can’t be clearly summarised, scoped, and resourced by a policy adviser or departmental analyst, it’s unlikely to get far. High-level vision is fine, but only if it leads to something that can be picked up and progressed.

Good proposals don’t just describe what needs to change. They outline how, by when, and through which mechanism.

Lifting productivity is about empowering workers and making the most of our human capital. — Treasurer Jim Chalmers

Beyond the summit: don’t waste your ministerial moment

Seats at the main productivity summit in August will be limited. But ministers will be doing their own consultations, and those meetings may be even more important.

But here’s the key thing to remember: even if your idea is well received by a minister, it will still be subject to scrutiny from Treasury and the other central agencies. That means the same three filters will apply. Don’t think your proposal that ignores the three criteria will pass muster just because your relevant minister thought it was a cracking idea. It simply means they didn’t read the memo.

So treat every meeting, whether with a line minister or a policy adviser, as your chance to present a fully formed, nationally relevant, fiscally sound, and actionable idea. Beyond the summit, it’s safe to say that any proposal should meaningfully address productivity since Chalmers wants it baked into the economy.

Read the room: this is a Labor-led productivity agenda

Perhaps the most important lens of all is political. Remember, you’re dealing with a Labor government, one that wants to lift living standards for everyone, particularly workers. If your vision of productivity is “do more for the same pay”, you’ll get short shrift.

Instead, think about how your proposal empowers people: through training, better tools, faster approvals, or smarter systems. Does it save time for small businesses? Improve service access for communities? Cut duplication without cutting corners?

Productivity can’t be a euphemism for simplistic cost-cutting. It needs to be real, inclusive, and politically durable.

Now is the time to shape your pitch

The window is open, but the requirements are clear. If your organisation wants to be part of the national conversation on productivity, it needs to come prepared.

The good news is the government has shown its hand. The criteria are clear. The bar has been set. Now the question is: do you have an idea that can clear it?