Published Impact Analyses

Independent Review – The Treasury

On 24 November 2015, the Government released its response to the Competition Policy Review. The Government asked Professor Ian Harper and an expert panel to undertake an independent 'root and branch' review of competition policy. 

The Competition Policy Review Report made 56 recommendations for reforms across three key themes: competition policy, laws and institutions. The Government will implement the majority of the Competition Policy Review's recommendations. The Competition Policy Review Report was certified by the Treasury as meeting the requirements of a Regulation Impact Statement. The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) does not assess independent reviews.

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – Safe Work Australia

On 21 December 2015, Safe Work Australia released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) on managing risks associated with lead in the workplace: blood lead levels and exposure standards. Lead has a wide range of biological effects on people, including on the developing foetus, which are directly related to the concentration of lead in the affected organ systems. Safe Work Australia is seeking comments on the best way to reduce the potential for adverse health outcomes caused by exposure to lead in the workplace. The COAG RIS for consultation prepared by Safe Work Australia has been approved by the OBPR. Safe Work Australia will accept submissions on the Consultation RIS until 26 February 2016.

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Health

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Health

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Employment

On 18 September 2015, the former Minister for Employment announced changes to the Building Code 2013 (‘the Building Code’) requiring contractors to have a comprehensive policy for managing alcohol and other drugs in the workplace. This includes regular, random testing of workers on Commonwealth funded projects that meet the relevant financial thresholds. The Department of Employment has been assessed as compliant with the RIS requirements but not consistent with best practice. The RIS would have been assessed as best practice if it more clearly identified the likely impacts of each of the proposed options. The RIS estimates the average annual regulatory cost at approximately $13,000. The regulatory cost and associated offset have been agreed with the Office of Best Practice Regulation.

Regulation Impact Statement – Department of the Environment

On 7 October 2015, the Minister for the Environment made the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Safeguard Mechanism) Rule 2015 establishing the operational elements of the safeguard mechanism for the Emissions Reduction Fund. The purpose of the safeguard mechanism is to protect taxpayers’ funds by ensuring that emissions reductions purchased by the Government under the Emissions Reduction Fund are not offset by significant increases in emissions above business-as-usual levels elsewhere in the economy. The safeguard mechanism will commence on 1 July 2016. It is designed to ensure that:

Post-implementation Review – Treasury

On 3 November 2011, the then Government introduced legislation to allow superannuation funds to offer tailored MySuper products to employers with more than 500 employees. A Regulation Impact Statement was required at the time the decision was made, but was exempted from the best practice regulation requirements by the then Prime Minister. Consequently a post-implementation review (PIR) was required. A PIR was completed by the Treasury in consultation with its Ministerial Advisory Council and was assessed as compliant by the Office of Best Practice Regulation. The PIR found the proposal imposed an annual regulatory burden of $68,750.

Regulation Impact Statement – The Treasury