COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – swimming pool pumps

On 14 November 2016, the Department of the Environment and Energy released a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) as part of the Energy Council’s Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Programme. The Consultation RIS examines options to improve the energy efficiency of residential pool and spa pumps.

The Consultation RIS considers the introduction of mandatory energy efficiency labelling of all pool and spa pumps and minimum energy performance standards. Feedback is sought on the RIS including responses to some or all of the questions posed.

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of the Treasury

On 9 November 2016, the Government introduced legislation to make the superannuation system fairer and more fiscally sustainable; encourage and provide more opportunities for people to save for their retirement; and improve the integrity of the superannuation system to ensure that it is used for the purpose of providing income in retirement to substitute or supplement the age pension and not for tax minimisation and estate planning purposes.

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) prepared by the Department of the Treasury has been assessed as compliant with the Government’s RIS requirements.

Regulation Impact Statement for Consultation – Australian Building Codes Board

In November 2016, the Australian Buildings Codes Board (ABCB) released a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) which assesses the need for fire hose reels in new office buildings.

This Consultation RIS considers whether the fire safety objectives of the National Construction Code (NCC) for Class 5 (office) buildings can be more cost effectively achieved by removing the requirement to install fire hose reels.

The Consultation RIS has been approved by the OBPR.

The Treasury

The Treasury is remaking the Banking Regulations 1966, which are scheduled to sunset on 1 April 2017, without significant amendments. The Banking Regulations 1966 specify the thresholds and conditions for the Government’s deposit guarantee and unclaimed monies regime.

The remade Regulation will repeal redundant provisions, simplifying language and restructure provisions that are difficult to navigate. These changes will not alter the substantive meaning or operation of the provisions.

Consistent with the Australian Government’s best practice regulation requirements for sunsetting instruments, the Treasury has assessed that the regulation is operating effectively and efficiently. Therefore, under the Government’s best practice requirements, a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is not required for remaking this Regulation.

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

On 13 Oct 2016, the Government amended the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005 through the Aviation Transport Security Amendment (Cargo) Regulations 2016 (the Regulation).

The Regulation is to give effect to new air cargo security arrangements for US-Bound air cargo which will meet the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirement for all US-Bound air cargo to be examined at a piece level. The changes will impose significant costs on exporters, freight forwarders, cargo terminal operators and aircraft operators but will allow efficient compliance with the US requirements. The TSA agreed to a two-year phased transition to the new air cargo security arrangements with them commencing on 1 July 2017, allowing Australian industry some time to adapt.

Regulation Impact Statement – Attorney-General’s Department

On 19 October 2016, the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Bill 2016 was introduced in Parliament. The Bill will require individuals to be notified when their private information has been breached. Organisations regulated under the Privacy Act, with turnover above $3 million, will be required to notify individuals of data breaches.

COAG Decision Regulation Impact Statement – The Attorney-General’s Department

On 21 October 2016 the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council agreed to introduce new measures to improve the national consistency of controls on precursor chemicals and equipment.

Inconsistencies across Australian jurisdictions were found to present opportunities for the diversion of chemicals and equipment towards the production of illicit drugs. The lack of a central system to report the sale of chemicals and equipment and a lack of information sharing between law enforcement agencies were considered additional vulnerabilities in addressing the diversion of chemicals and equipment.

COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – The Attorney-General’s Department

On 6 May 2016, the Attorney-General’s Department released a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for consultation examining ways to address the diversion of chemicals and equipment towards the production of illicit drugs.

The Consultation RIS examined the introduction of a nationally harmonised list of chemicals and equipment, the creation of an electronic information system to be shared by all jurisdictions and a programme of improved information sharing between border agencies and law enforcement agencies as possible ways to reduce the diversion of chemicals and equipment towards the production of illicit drugs. 

The consultation period closed on 17 June 2016.

Post–implementation Review – Department of Communications and the Arts

On 30 November 2012, the then Minister for Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy announced a series of reforms in relation to policy and regulatory arrangements in the media and communications sectors, as part of the Convergence Review. This included the introduction of revised Australian content requirements for commercial television broadcasters from 2013.

An exemption from the best practice regulation requirements was granted in 2012 by the then Prime Minister on the basis of exceptional circumstances. The proposal was implemented in 2013.

A post-implementation review was completed by the Department of Communications and the Arts in June 2016 and was assessed as compliant by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.

Decision Regulation Impact Statement – Agriculture Ministers' Forum

On 14 December 2015 the Agriculture Minister’s Forum endorsed the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for sheep.

The standards and guidelines are intended to provide furthher clarity around the treatment and welfare of sheep particularly in relation to practices including castration, mulesing, and tail docking. The RIS outlines national standards which will be adopted by each relevant state and territory in order to improve the sheep welfare practices.

The Decision Regulation Impact Statement was prepared by Animal Health Australia (AHA) and is available here.