Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Since December 2007, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments have been working together to reduce costs posed on business through unnecessary regulation. In November 2008, COAG agreed on the national partnership agreement to deliver a seamless national economy. That agreement commits $550 million to tackling 27 deregulation priorities, eight competition reforms and other regulatory reform processes. It aims to remove the jurisdictional inconsistencies that create significant compliance and cost burdens for businesses operating across jurisdictions, freeing up resources to create a seamless national economy and improve productivity. Specific milestones to be achieved across the 36 reform streams between 2008-09 and 2012-13 are set out in the national partnership agreement.

The COAG Reform Council was asked by COAG to assess achievements against the milestones in the implementation plan for each financial year, as I am sure the senator is aware. On 23 February, the CRC released its assessment of reform progress. It indicates good progress in 2008-09 for 18 out of 27 deregulation priorities and four of the competition reforms, but it also identified some areas where more work is needed. The CRC report captures reform progress as at 30 September 2009, but I would make the point that since then significant further progress has been made on a number of reforms, such as food regulation, director liability and payroll tax, which were of concern in the CRC report. We are, importantly, on track to complete eight reforms by July 2010. By 1 July 2010 almost one-third of the reform agenda will be complete, including reforms to consumer credit legislation. A single national scheme— (Time expired)