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The costs of persistent misalignment between the supply and demand for skills are substantial, ranging from lost wages for workers to lower productivity for firms and countries. Addressing skills imbalances has become a pressing priority as OECD governments reflect on the implications of technological progress, digitalisation, demographic change and globalisation for jobs and work organisation. In light of these challenges, the OECD has undertaken new research to shed light on how countries measure changing skill needs while ensuring that employment, training and migration institutions are responsive to the emergence of new skill requirements. The Getting Skills Right in Australia review offers an in-depth analysis of the existing skill assessment and anticipation system in Australia, and makes recommendations for how it could be further improved. In addition to providing a summary of the state of skill imbalances in Australia, the report provides an assessment of practices in the following areas: i) the collection of information on existing and future skill needs; ii) the use of skill needs information to guide policy development in the areas of employment, education and training, and migration; and iii) the effectiveness of governance arrangements in ensuring strong co-ordination among key stakeholders in the collection and use of skill needs information.

Australia has abundant energy resources. It is a leading exporter of coal, uranium and liquefied natural gas (LNG), much of which is destined for Asia’s growing markets. At home, Australia’s energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation. The power system is seeing higher shares of variable wind and solar power; South Australia leads the deployment. Yet despite this wealth of resources, energy security concerns are on the rise. As domestic oil production is dwindling, dependency on oil product imports and the oil supply chain are growing steadily. Gas supply in the east coast market has become tight, leading to higher prices in that market. Australia’s power system finds itself exposed to concerns over reliability, particularly amid extreme weather events. While its carbon intensity is in decline, it is still the highest among IEA countries. For natural gas to play a role as a transition fuel to a low-carbon economy, resource development, additional pipeline capacity and market integration are critical. The government is implementing reforms to foster reliability and security of supply, prompted by the South Australia system wide blackout of September 2016 and the Finkel Review. However, a consistent energy and climate framework up to 2030/50 is needed at the Commonwealth level to ensure continued and adequate investment in the energy sector. With the intention of helping to guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future, this 2018 in-depth review analyses these and other energy policy challenges facing Australia, and provides recommendations for further policy improvements.

Australia has a strong voice on the global stage. It actively and consistently advocates for the interests of small island developing states and the Pacific region and on issues such as disaster risk reduction and gender equality. In line with this focus, the government has introduced a clear overarching policy vision and associated strategies and guidance for development co-operation. A robust performance framework reflects Australia’s strategic orientations, with value for money at the forefront. Among other issues, this review also looks at how the Australian government has managed the integration of aid within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the resulting opportunities and challenges.