Official website for Published Impact Analyses for decisions announced by the Australian Government, Ministerial Forums and National Standard Setting Bodies.
The Independent Contractors Regulations 2007 were scheduled to sunset on 1 April 2017 in accordance with the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. On 8 December 2016, the regulations were repealed and replaced by the Independent Contractors Regulation 2016.
The Independent Contractors Act 2006 and the accompanying regulations protect the freedom of contractors to enter into contracting arrangements.
On 2 May 2014, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed that all governments would investigate ways the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws could be improved.
The Decision RIS considers four areas of the WHS laws identified by COAG for investigation: director’s liability, roles and functions of union officials and health and safety representatives under the model WHS laws, model Codes of Practice, and whether the current WHS system reflects best practice.
On 21 November 2016, the Attorney General’s Department wrote to the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) advising that the authority to certify Regulation Impact Statements (RISs) will be delegated to Senior Executive Service (SES) level officers in the department.
This is consistent with arrangements to improve flexibility in the RIS process by allowing agencies to delegate the certification authority to any Senior Executive Services (SES) level officers.
To ensure transparency, the certification to delegate authority has been published on the OBPR website, and can be found below.
On 24 November 2016, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council released a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for consultation examining ways to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial lighting in Australia and New Zealand.
The Consultation RIS examines the adequacy of existing regulations on incandescent and halogen lamps, self-ballasted compact fluorescent lamps, double-capped fluorescent lamps and ballasts for fluorescent lamps. Additionally, it considers placing mandatory minimum energy performance requirements on light emitting diode (LED) lamp technology and non-integrated commercial luminaires.
The consultation period closes on 24 February 2017.
On 17 October 2016, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released the financial prudential standard for margining and risk mitigation for non-centrally cleared derivatives.
On 12 October 2016, the Treasurer introduced the Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land Amendment (Water) Bill 2016. The bill would establish a Register of Foreign Ownership of Water Entitlements.
A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was prepared and certified by the Treasury under the Australian Government’s best practice regulation requirements. The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) assessed the RIS as compliant and consistent with best practice.
The RIS estimates the measure will increase regulatory costs by $0.1 million per year. The OBPR agreed to the estimate.
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.
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.
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 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.