On 28 July 2009 the Minister for Finance and Deregulation announced reforms to the Australian Government Procurement Statement which included the requirement for all Government contractors in the textile, clothing and footwear industry to be accredited or be seeking accreditation with the Homeworker’s Code of Practice. A Regulation Impact Statement was not prepared for the joint proposal by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Department of Finance and Deregulation for that decision. Consequently, a Post-implementation Review (PIR) was required to be undertaken in line with the Government’s best practice regulation process. The inclusion of the accreditation requirements in the Australian Government Procurement Statement were introduced to ensure that Australian Government agencies are engaging businesses that promote fair, cooperative and productive workplaces in which employees are treated fairly and with respect. The impact on stakeholders due to the introduction of the requirement is difficult to quantify since there is no requirement on agencies to report with regard to compliance. Due to the small number of businesses affected by the requirement, it was found that the proposal has had a negligible impact on those manufacturers tendering specifically for Australian Government contracts. The main cost associated with the proposal is an annual fee for businesses seeking accreditation under the Code. The PIR was prepared by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
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