The South Australian Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, as chair of the Competitiveness Council released a report on reducing red tape for business in South Australia. The South Australian State Government program to cut bureaucratic red tape is being carried out in two phases. The first phase to reduce red tape finished $18 million ahead of target with net annual savings to business of $168 million. The second phase of an additional $150 million a year in net cost reductions by April 2012 is well on its way. The costs that the South Australian Government included as red tape include such things as:
- form-filling and providing information;
- staff training and education; and
- government fees and charges.
The report states measures are also being taken to assess the regulatory burden on business and the broader community for new rules and regulations. In December 2010, the South Australian Government approved the Better Regulation Handbook that was issued to all agencies in order to improve transparency in reviewing and designing regulation. The objectives of the handbook are to:
- improve transparency for designing and reviewing regulation and associated processes when preparing Cabinet submissions;
- help embed regulatory management as a mainstream function integral to the policy development process; and
- help with the preparation of a Regulatory Impact Statement which must accompany any Cabinet submission involving new or amended regulations.