Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support this very important second red tape repeal day and, in doing so, commend these bills to the House, because lifting the burden of red tape and regulation will make life easier for residents and businesses on the Central Coast.

Let me give you some examples in the time remaining. For individuals in my electorate of Robertson, we have made it easier for them to get in touch with government services by simply creating a myGov account. With the click of a button there is a centralised online point of access. I understand that more than five million people have already registered. In fact, one of the people to sign up recently was Nicholas Staniford from Killcare, who has told me how much easier it is to have everything in the one place and how he does not need to have several different websites with different passwords. We are also enabling people to complete their tax returns faster. The online myTax system will save over 1.4 million taxpayers nearly $160 million a year in compliance costs by pre-populating their tax returns. Another local resident, Leon Manuela, who is 22 years of age and lives in Tascott, said that for many young people on the Central Coast it has made doing their tax a lot less stressful.

The electorate of Robertson is home to many high quality and innovative aged-care providers. With nearly 20 per cent of my electorate in the over-65 age cohort —the seventh highest in the country—aged-care care providers are an integral part of our community. So, on this important red tape repeal day, I am pleased to say that we have removed the requirement to notify the department of any changes in key personnel within 28 days of the change. Instead, providers will only need to tell the department about a change of circumstances that materially affects the provider's suitability to provide care. Jennifer Eddy, the Chief Executive Officer of Woy Woy Community Aged Care, advised me that far too much time has been spent with excessive and inconsistent reporting and duplication of information to government departments and this is taking time away from the key role of delivering care to residents. Jennifer said that people looking at aged-care services are becoming more discerning because of the cost, which makes it even more important that aged-care services have the time to provide quality care.

It is a similar situation for small businesses, which are the engine room of our economy, particularly on the Central Coast. So to help businesses focus on what they do best, we have removed the requirement to lodge a business activity statement for 32,000 businesses where no GST is payable. A further 447,000 businesses with minimal income are now exempt from pay-as-you-go requirements. Many people living on the peninsula will know Bremen Patisserie at Umina Beach. I dare say many from around Australia will know of Ron and the family business, because last year they were the national award winner for gourmet pies in the Great Aussie Pie Competition. Ron's success as a small business owner speaks for itself. Still, because of the need to stay on top of the red tape and regulation, his wife Helga stays up from 9 pm to l am to complete book work and paperwork. It is not an easy job for anyone, but especially not for a business that starts baking at the crack of dawn. That is why this government is working to lift this burden by having two repeal days every year to tear up unnecessary regulation. We have heard the voice of the community and they agree with us too. Many of these repeals were actually suggested by people, and also business and community groups, and I commend the bills to the House.

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