Human services: identifying sectors for reform - issues paper

This paper was released to assist participants in preparing a submission to the public inquiry into Human Services. It outlines a range of issues about which the Commission seeks information. Background to the inquiry The Competition Policy Review recommended that governments should, wherever possible, put user choice at the heart of human services delivery as users are best placed to make choices about the services they need. The Review panel recognised that governments cannot distance themselves from the quality of human services and that they will continue to have an important role as market stewards, including through policy and funding decisions, but also in fostering service models that best meet the needs of individuals and the broader community. In its response to the Review, the Australian Government committed to a Productivity Commission inquiry to examine policy options in the human services sector that incorporate the principles of competition, contestability and informed user choice to lay the groundwork for future reforms and innovation in human services delivery