Reflections from Visits to the Australian Productivity Commission and the Office of Impact Analysis

Rehana Thowfeek reflects on her visits to Australia’s Productivity Commission (PC) and Office of Impact Analysis (OIA) in this paper. She contrasts Sri Lanka’s opaque policymaking processes to that of Australia, which enforces a systematic method of policy development that prioritises stakeholder consultations, data and evidence and accountability. A key recommendation she makes is for Sri Lanka to immediately pilot an Impact Analysis Unit within the Ministry of Finance or National Planning Department. This unit can adopt a simplified version of Australia’s Impact Analysis Framework, focusing on high-impact reforms such as taxation, trade agreements and SOE restructuring.

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