The four-member panel, led by economist Ian Harper, was paid $466,000 in sitting fees during a six-month nationwide consultation phase that included public hearings, business forums and a specially convened conference.

Mr Harper was paid $1500 a day and his three fellow panellists — Peter Anderson, Su McCluskey and Michael O'Bryan — received $1000 a day, according to answers to questions on notice from the Senate.

The panel charged another $146,000 for flights and $11,000 for meals and received $15,000 in travel allowances.

The salaries of the 16-person secretariat drawn from Treasury and other departments would have cost $2.4 million, according to a breakdown of their pay brackets supplied by Small Business Minister Bruce Billson. Members of the secretariat charged $200,000 in flights, hotels and travel allowances.

Another $15,000 was spent printing 300 copies of the review and $450 on two "pull-up banners" promoting the review.

Mr Billson was left red-faced this week when the major recommendation from the Harper review was shelved amid cabinet tensions and resistance from big business.

The Small Business Minister was pushing the panel's recommendation for an "effects test" to be added to competition laws to prevent conduct by firms with market dominance from lessening competition.

The provision would bring Australia in line with 127 of 129 countries with competition laws but it was bitterly opposed by the Business Council of Australia and companies such as Coles and Woolworths.

Mr Billson would likely have been rolled by his colleagues if the recommendation was voted on

Allan Fels, the former chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission wrote this week that big business' success in stifling implementation of an effects test "likely sinks acceptance and implementation of the other 55 Harper recommendations which constitute a blueprint for far-reaching, productivity-enhancing competition reforms affecting the whole economy".

But Mr Billson told Fairfax Media on Friday that the effects test was just one of 56 recommendations and he would have more to say in coming weeks.

He said the panel represented "exceptional value for money" and ensured that voices outside of big business were heard in the review process.

Shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh said it was concerning that the panel's final report had gathered dust for six months so far.

"In that time the government has found time to wage war on the ABC, run a loopy campaign against the renewable energy sector and block marriage equality. Yet it hasn't managed to respond to a key report which lays out serious options to boost Australia's economic growth," he said.

The Harper review is clearly being punted off into the never-never because cabinet can't agree."

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