NATIONAL REGULATORY REFORM: with the Queensland Office for Regulatory Efficiency

HURRY – SURVEY deadline has been extended till 9am Monday 18 April 2011

The Queensland Office for Regulatory Efficiency: “We need your views on what areas of regulation should be targeted by COAG for reform”.

Open Forum are currently hosting an online SURVEY on behalf of the Queensland Office for Regulatory Efficiency, Queensland Government.

On 13 February 2011, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) tasked its Business Regulation and Competition Working Group (BRCWG) with developing options for a future national regulatory reform agenda for COAG’s consideration by the end of 2011.

BRCWG has asked four jurisdictions to coordinate papers on potential future reform options across several regulatory areas. Queensland has been asked to collate and analyse options related to possible future reforms in specific sectors of the economy, just as the current reform agenda covers numerous sectors.

BRCWG is committed to seeking input from business, the not-for-profit sector and the wider community on future reform options that address barriers to the effective functioning of national markets and improve Australia’s productivity and competitiveness.

The focus of this survey is on national and state requirements, not local government requirements.

Your input is an important part of this process, and will help to shape a consultation document on future regulatory reform. We need your views on what areas of regulation should be targeted by COAG for national reform.

Please complete the SURVEY.
 

HURRY – SURVEY deadline has been extended till 9am Monday 18 April 2011

BACKGROUND

Through the COAG, the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments are currently undertaking a nationally focused program of reform with the goal of reducing the regulatory burden on Australian business and achieving a seamless national economy.

Reforms that have been implemented or are in the process of implementation include:

• The establishment of a National Consumer Policy framework including a single national law for fair trading and consumer protection.
   
• The establishment of a National Occupational Licensing System to remove overlapping or inconsistent licensing requirements for selected occupations across states and territories.
   
• Harmonisation of Occupational Health and Safety Laws to ensure national consistency in compliance and enforcement.

For more information on the COAG reform agenda and the importance of national regulatory reform in Australia, please read the article, Regulatory Reform Survey with the Queensland Office for Regulatory Efficiency: Extended Background.

Or, take the SURVEY now.

GUIDELINES

To be eligible for consideration, a proposed reform must have the potential to contribute to improving Australian productivity and competitiveness via the following objectives. 

• Achievement of more consistent regulation across jurisdictions to reduce compliance and administration costs, reduce barriers to workforce participation and overall labour mobility orfacilitate international trade and investment.
   
• Removing/improving poorly designed or unnecessary regulation including through more effective processes for regulation making and review.

The focus of this survey is on national and state requirements, not local government requirements.

To view the complete guiding principles for the COAG future reform agenda CLICK HERE.

Or, take the SURVEY now.

EXTENDED GUIDELINES FOR SUGGESTIONS

To be eligible for consideration, a proposed reform must have the potential to contribute to improving Australian productivity by:

(a)  Achieving more consistent regulation across jurisdictions to:

i. Reduce compliance and administration costs.

ii. Reduce barriers to workforce participation and overall labour mobility.

iii. Facilitate international trade and investment.

(b)  Removing/improving poorly designed or unnecessary regulation including through more effective processes for regulation making and review.

Proposed reforms of national benefit could include those that require involvement of several rather than all jurisdictions, or relate just to the Commonwealth. BRCWG will assess and rank possible reform options that could be included in an agenda for COAG’s consideration. Reform options should be supported by information on:

(a)    Width of reach (number of entities affected).

(b)    Depth of reach (degree to which entities are affected).

(c)     Compliance costs of status quo.

(d)    Incentive effects of reform (degree to which entrepreneurship and innovation are affected).

(e)    Mobility and participation effects of reform.

(f)     Alignment with international regulatory developments and best practices.

(g)    Implementation costs.

Please ensure that reform options are supported by information in the areas identified above.

Take the  SURVEY today! 

HURRY – SURVEY deadline has been extended till 9am Monday 18 April 2011