Published Impact Analyses

On 8 April 2021, the Australian Government released ‘A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces’. The Roadmap for Respect responds to all 55 of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s recommendations outlined in the Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces (Respect@Work) report.

The Inquiry examined the nature and prevalence of sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, its impact on individuals and businesses, the drivers of this harassment and measures to address and prevent sexual harassment.

Consistent with the Government’s  Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA)  requirements, the Respect@Work report has been certified by the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) as meeting the requirements of a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS).

On 25 June 2020, the National Transport Commission (NTC) released a Council of Australian Government’s Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for consultation on a review into the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

In November 2018 Transport Ministers asked the NTC to lead the review of the HVNL and its supporting regulations. This was in recognition that the current law, which has been in place since 2014, may not be as effective as possible. The Consultation RIS looks at a series of options across nine reform areas within the HVNL that look to make it more performance-based and outcomes-focussed, which will improve safety, productivity, compliance and enforcement.

On 25 March 2021, the Government introduced amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA) concerning the making of population determinations and the operation of related grandfathering provisions in the BSA, specifically in relation to commercial radio license holders (licensees).

On 6 April 2021, the Department of Health (the Department) released a draft Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) which presents reform options for the FSANZ Act. 

The draft RIS has been prepared as part of a review of the FSANZ Act that commenced in July 2020. The review is undertaking a comprehensive examination of the effectiveness of the FSANZ Act and the associated operations and responsibilities of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). 

Of the three options presented in the RIS, Option 1 is the status quo (no legislative changes to the FSANZ Act), while Options 2 and 3 present alternative measures that could be taken to amend the FSANZ Act.

The draft RIS seeks Stakeholder views on the draft RIS and feedback to characterise the impact of the proposed options.

On 2 September 2020, the Government introduced the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Provider Category Standards and Other Measures) Bill 2020 (PCS Bill) into Parliament. The legislation commenced from 1 March 2021.

On 14 December 2020, the previously known Legislative and Governance Forum on Gene Technology (now the Gene Technology Ministers Meeting) released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) and Explanatory Paper in relation to Modernising and Future Proofing the National Gene Technology Scheme.

The RIS and Explanatory Paper assess delivering more flexible, streamlined and risk-based processes that future-proof the Scheme, enable efficiencies, and relieve regulatory burden where warranted.

Three potential regulatory options for improving the authorisation pathways for dealing with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are considered:

On 1 October 2020, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) received separate rule change requests from TransGrid and ElectraNet seeking participant derogations from the applicability of the rules in relation to the financeability of their share of actionable Integrated System Plan (ISP) projects.

On 1 April 2021, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) released the draft rule determination titled National Energy Amendment (prioritising arrangements for system security during market suspension) Rule 2021.

The rule change request was submitted by the COAG Energy Council, following recommendations made by the AEMC in its Mechanisms to Enhance Resilience in the Power System – Review of the South Australian Black System Event report (BSE report).

On 1 April 2021, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced a ban on the sale of binary options to retail clients.

The objective of the product intervention order is to reduce the risk of significant detriment to retail clients resulting from over the counter (OTC) binary options. The order strengthens consumer protections by banning the issue and distribution of binary options to retail clients, and brings Australian requirements into line with prohibitions in force in comparable markets overseas. It follows the commencement on 29 March 2021 of ASIC’s product intervention order imposing conditions on contracts for difference offered to retail clients.

On 25 March 2021, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) released a draft rule determination and the associated rules Draft National Electricity Amendment (Access, pricing and incentive arrangements for distributed energy resources) Rule 2021 and Draft National Electricity Retail Amendment (Access, pricing and incentive arrangements for distributed energy resources) Rule 2021.