Published Impact Analyses

The protocol provides for a new investment partnership between Australia and New Zealand. Australia is increasing the threshold under which New Zealand investment will not require foreign investment screening from $231 million to just over $1 billion. This is the same threshold level applying to investors from the United States for access to the Australian investment market. Australian investors will receive a screening threshold to the New Zealand investment market of NZ$477 million, up from NZ$100 million. The new screening thresholds should reduce compliance costs for investors through a reduction in application preparation costs and fees. The RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

The Australian Building Codes Board has decided that they will proceed with amending the Building Code of Australia to include requirements for private bushfire shelters.

The RIS recommended that on balance developing mandatory guidelines for voluntary construction was the best option as it involves testing and accreditation of suppliers of private bushfire shelters that would best address the information mismatch. While mandatory guidelines may impact on behavioural decisions to ‘stay or go’, these risks can be mitigated to an extent through information built into the mandatory standard which emphasises that a private fire shelter is an avenue of last resort and should not be used as a replacement to more effective bushfire mitigation strategies.

The Decision RIS has been approved by the OBPR

A  Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for National Harmonisation of Work Health and Safety Regulations and Codes of Practice was released for public comment on 10 January 2011. The RIS assesses a package of national model work health and safety regulations and codes of conduct intended to replace existing state, territory and Commonwealth occupational health and safety regulations. For some businesses the proposed model regulations and codes of practice will introduce new obligations. The RIS contains the preliminary assessment that the proposed national harmonisation will deliver a small overall benefit to the community. This conclusion takes into account the costs for some businesses as a result of new requirements and the expected offsetting benefits for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions, as well as benefits through improved safety outcomes.

On 13 December 2010, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority announced the registration of new aircraft maintenance regulations. The new regulations cover continuing airworthiness requirements (Part 42), approved maintenance organisations (Part 145), maintenance personnel licensing (Part 66) and maintenance training organisations (Part 147). Under the changes to engineer licensing requirements, the number of licence categories will be reduced from five to two and the current system of providing a schedule of experience and sitting a CASA licensing exam will be replaced with competency based training administered by CASA approved training organisations. Maintenance organisations servicing regular public transport aircraft will be required to implement a safety management system, which is an organised approach to managing safety.

On 27 January 2011, Australian Communication and Media Authority announced changes to geographic numbering rules. The changes aim to update the rules for recent changes in technology, most notably the consumer uptake of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

• Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation RIS – RTF version  [  257 kB ]
• Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation RIS – PDF version  [  203 kB]

On 20 December 2010, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan, the Minister for Finance & Deregulation Senator Penny Wong and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy, announced the Government’s response to the National Broadband Network Implementation Study. Regulation Impact Statements were required for parts of this proposal, but the Prime Minister granted an exemption on the basis of exceptional circumstances. A post implementation review will be required within 1 to 2 years of its implementation.

On the 11 January 2011 the Water Charge (Infrastructure) Rules 2010 were registered. The rules were introduced to promote greater transparency and consistency in the way fees and charges are levied across the Murray Darling Basin.  The RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

On 24 November 2010, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (No. 186) was tabled in Parliament. The Maritime Labour Convention sets minimum requirements for seafarers to work on ships, conditions of employment, access to accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, and access to medical care. The Convention is estimated to apply to approximately 100 Australian registered ships. The RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

On 3 December 2010, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced that the Government will pursue the 22 recommendations put forward by the Media Access Review Final Report. The aim of these changes is to improve access to electronic media for people with hearing and vision impairment. The RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

On 10 December 2010 the Ministerial Council on Energy agreed to phase-out Greenhouse-Intensive Water Heaters in class 1 buildings (eg houses) through prohibiting the installation of electric water heaters in existing Australian homes. The phase-out will apply to all states and territories except Tasmania and will be implemented in two stages; the first stage will commence in 2010, and the second stage will commence in 2012. A separate RIS was prepared and agreed to by the Building Ministers Forum in 2009 for the phase-out of Greenhouse-Intensive Water Heaters in new homes. The OBPR assessed the Decision RIS as adequate.