Published Impact Analyses

On 11 May 2021, as part of the 2021-2022 Budget, the Australian Government announced changes to the Prostheses List. The Prostheses List is the schedule to the Private Health Insurance (Prostheses) Rules made under the Private Health Insurance Act 2007. 

Through these reforms, the price paid by private health insurers for medical devices, known as prostheses, will be better aligned with the price paid in the public hospital system. Additional improvements will also be made, including better defining which prostheses are eligible for inclusion on the Prostheses List; regrouping the items on the Prostheses List; and updating cost recovery arrangements.

On 11 May 2021, in response to the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission), the Australian Government announced a package of support and reform to aged care as part of the 2021-22 Budget.

The Government’s response to the Royal Commission is a five year–five pillar aged care reform plan addressing home care, residential aged care services and sustainability, residential aged care quality and safety, the workforce, and governance.  

On 31 Jul 2019, the Government introduced regulations to establish a registration and accreditation scheme for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) (commonly referred to as ‘drones’), model aircraft, and operators. The initial component of the regulations (affecting operators of RPA flown for business or as part of a job) came into effect on 28 January 2021.

The growing use of RPA in Australia directly correlates with a significant increase in RPA safety incidents reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau since 2012. The most concerning occurrences pose a risk for the safety of conventionally piloted aircraft and for people on the ground.

On 11 May 2021, as part of measures to improve the affordability and sustainability of private health insurance, the Australian Government announced improvements to the certification process for admitting patients to hospital for procedures normally provided out of hospital.

The Government will work with Australia’s medical colleges and other stakeholders to establish specific guidance around when hospitalisation is clinically required. Additionally, the Professional Standards Review will be allowed to review inappropriate practices around certifications by doctors or associated hospitals to ensure the integrity of the current arrangements that safeguard patients’ access to treatments needed to be delivered in hospital.

On 11 May 2021, the Australian Government announced reforms to the National Access Regime (NAR) aimed at improving the timeliness of processes under the NAR.

The NAR is a regulatory framework set out in Part IIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to facilitate third party access to certain services provided by means of significant infrastructure facilities, and is designed to promote effective competition in upstream and downstream markets - typically by allowing users seeking access to significant infrastructure to have disputes arbitrated when negotiations fail.

Processes for contentious matters considered under the NAR have been identified by stakeholders as being lengthy and arduous, imposing unnecessary costs and acting as a possible deterrent to engaging with the regime. The announced reforms aim to improve timeliness by:

On 11 May 2021 the Government announced it will deliver a New Employment Services Model (new model) replacing jobactive from July 2022.

The new model will introduce two pathways of support for job seekers – Digital Services and Enhanced Services. Job-ready job seekers will be able to self-manage finding employment through Digital Services. Job seekers needing tailored and intensive case management, will receive support from Enhanced Services providers.

On 4 May 2021, the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management announced a biosecurity package set to strengthen Australia’s ability to keep out hitchhiker pests.

In line with Government requirements, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment prepared a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) to analyse policy options to combat a growing threat to Australian biosecurity posed by hitchhiker pests. The preferred option is an integrated regulation and supply chain solution, which would entail a number of pre-border, border and post-border measures focusing on increasing the risk management of hitchhiker pests offshore.

The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) assessed the RIS as adequate.

The RIS does not estimate the average annual regulatory costs.

On 29 April 2021, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) released the draft rule determination and rule titled National Electricity Amendment (efficient management of system strength on the power system) Rule 2021.

The draft rule seeks to improve system strength in the medium to long term as it transitions from synchronous generators such as coal, gas and hydro power towards inverter based resources like solar, wind and batteries. This rule is part of a broader package of work to redesign the electricity market being undertaken by energy market bodies and the Energy Security Board.

The AEMC believes that the draft rule will promote greater efficiency of the power system’s operation by centralising the delivery of system strength.

On 29 April 2021, the Governor-General of Australia made the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Debt Management Services) Regulations 2021 requiring debt management firms that are paid to represent consumers on matters related to credit activities to hold an Australian Credit Licence (ACL).

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was prepared and certified by the Department of the Treasury (the Treasury), which was assessed by the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) as adequate.

The RIS estimates the average annual regulatory costs at $43.4 million, with no regulatory offset identified.

Please note: any accessibility enquiries should be directed to the Treasury.

On 30 April 2021, the Australian Building Ministers Meeting met and agreed to include minimum accessibility provisions for residential housing and apartments in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 based on the Livable Housing Design Guidelines (LHDG) silver standards.

The Australian Building Codes Board prepared a Council of Australian Government’s Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) to support Ministers' consideration of the proposals.

Accessible housing is housing that includes features to enable use by people either with a disability or transitioning through their life stages. The minimum accessibility standards for housing considered in the RIS are based on the specifications in the LHDG 2017.