The Productivity Commission is to undertake a study focusing on effective identification of regulatory reform opportunities and the evaluation of reform outcomes.

 

Announcing the study,  the Minister Assisting on Deregulation, Senator Nick Sherry, said the government recognised that ongoing regulatory reform is a key driver of productivity growth.

 

"That is why we have embedded regulatory reform as a core government activity, with a comprehensive agenda aimed at reducing red tape for businesses of all sizes.  We are driving this reform process both at a national level through COAG and at a Commonwealth level through Better Regulation Ministerial Partnerships," Mr Sherry said.

 

To inform the Government's regulatory reform strategy, the Productivity Commission study will:

  1. examine lessons gathered in Australia and overseas in reviewing regulation, identifying regulatory reform opportunities and priorities, and evaluating regulation reform outcomes; and
  2. build on such lessons to analyse possible frameworks and approaches for identifying poorly performing areas of regulation and regulatory reform priorities, and both qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating regulation reform outcomes.

 

The study will replace the fifth annual review of regulatory burdens on business, which was to have been a review of economy-wide generic regulation. An objective of the new study is to propose frameworks and approaches that can be used on an on-going basis to facilitate reforms that address regulatory burdens on business.

 

As part of the study, the Productivity Commission will seek public submissions and report back to the Government within six months. The Commission is to report to the Government by 24 November 2011.

 

Terms of reference for the study are available at www.pc.gov.au