Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

There is legislation before the chamber—well, certainly before the House of Representatives—to remove up to 12,000 pieces of redundant Commonwealth legislative instruments.

I would also make the point that it is this government that finally is acting on the recommendations of which the senator would be aware—that is, in the Bell review and also subsequently in the Banks review—which is the harmonisation of occupational health and safety, payroll tax harmonisation and, of course, also trade licensing. The senator would be one of those opposite who would. understand the importance of taking a national economic focus, and I would encourage him to speak to some of the state Liberal governments who are standing in the way of these reforms.