CCIWA has welcomed plans to establish a state-based Productivity Commission, saying it would help to strengthen Western Australia’s economy.
The WA Productivity Commission, to be created by the merging of the Economic Regulation Authority and Infrastructure WA, would give WA policymakers the research and economic rationale to make key decisions.
CCIWA Acting co-CEO and Chief Economist, Aaron Morey, said the new body should be focused on improving the conditions for investing in the WA economy.
“We’re on the brink of a new era for our economy in WA with huge opportunities to diversify into areas like critical minerals, data centres, defence and advanced manufacturing,” he said.
“We’re competing for that investment with the rest of the world. If we want to capture those opportunities, it’s crucial that the settings are right to make sure we lure global investment to this state.
“That means making sure our approvals system isn’t a barrier to investment and growth, and our economy is as productive as it can be.”
Mr Morey said the WA government’s focus on productivity will be welcomed by businesses, and CCIWA looks forward to contributing to its development.
“The whole country is talking about productivity at the moment with the federal government’s Economic Reform Roundtable getting underway today,” he said.
“We urge the federal government to take a competitiveness test to every proposal on the table during this week’s discussions and ensure its focus is on winning the race for global capital.”
