If the growing divide between the haves and have-nots is driving political fragmentation, division and extremism, then a new Productivity Commission report on economic mobility provides very useful insights into whether the Australian ideal of a “fair go” is fact or fiction.

Canberra has been slow to embrace data-sharing. But with new guard rails in place, the commission’s report pulls together an unprecedented suite of statistical, tax, and administrative data, providing a treasure trove of insights into what prevents poor kids from becoming poor adults. And how Australia – and the states – rank on intergenerational mobility.