Media Release

14/2009
13 March 2009

COAG Working Group kicks off Regulatory Reform Agenda for 2009

The first Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Business Regulation and Competition Working Group (BRCWG) meeting for 2009 was held in Melbourne today.

Lindsay Tanner and Dr Craig Emerson co‑chair the BRCWG which aims to drive the COAG agenda for the reduction of the regulatory burden on businesses by accelerating and broadening the regulation reduction work program, and improving processes for regulation making and review.

Dr Emerson said: “For the past year Federal and State governments have been working towards removing differences in regulation across borders in 27 areas.

“Never before in Australian history has a government attempted such an ambitious program of reducing unnecessary business regulation.”

Lindsay Tanner said: “We are moving Australia from being nine markets to one and in the process working towards the creation of a seamless national economy.”

The BRCWG agreed today that it will seek COAG agreement for the Commonwealth to work cooperatively with the States and Territories on practical measures to reduce red tape in the multi-billion dollar non-profit sector that provides valuable community services for those in need.

Dr Emerson said: “The regulatory burden on non-profit groups can be enormous and costly. It is vital we embark on a reform process that will ultimately save money that can be passed on to those in need.”

BRCWG meeting also discussed working more closely with the New Zealand Government, following a recent meeting between Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, on regulatory reform.

The meeting also discussed reforms to the legal profession, agreed by COAG in February 2009.

The BRCWG 2009 annual report card details the current status of work, key milestones and key objectives that form part of the ongoing program of work going forward.

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