157Report of inquiry

#### 157 Report of inquiry Scope (1) This section applies to the report of an inquiry mentioned in section 155. Recommendations (2) Recommendations in the report may include recommendations regarding the rates of assistance under the Jobs and Competitiveness Program over time that are specified in the regulations. (3) When making recommendations in accordance with subsection (2), the Productivity Commission must have regard to the principle that changes that will have a negative effect on recipients of assistance under the Jobs and Competitiveness Program should not take effect before the later of the following: (a) 1 July 2017; (b) the end of the 3‑year period that began when the change was announced. Government response to recommendations (4) If the report sets out one or more recommendations to the Commonwealth Government: (a) as soon as practicable after receiving the report, the Productivity Minister must cause to be prepared a statement setting out the Commonwealth Government’s response to each of the recommendations; and (b) the Productivity Minister must cause copies of the statement to be tabled in each House of the Parliament before the later of the following: (i) the end of the period of 25 sitting days of that House after the day on which the Productivity Minister receives the report; (ii) the end of the 6‑month period beginning on the day on which the Productivity Minister receives the report. (5) The Commonwealth Government’s response to the recommendations may have regard to the views of the following: (a) the Climate Change Authority; (b) the Regulator; (c) the Productivity Commission; (d) such other persons as the Productivity Minister considers relevant. Publication of report (6) As soon as practicable after the Productivity Minister tables the report in each House of the Parliament, the Productivity Commission must publish the report on the Productivity Commission’s website. > Note: The Productivity Minister must cause a copy of the report to be tabled in each House of Parliament—see section 12 of the Productivity Commission Act 1998.