Implementing IPART Recommendations

The NSW Government continues to meet its commitment to implement the recommendations made by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) in their Investigation into the Burden of Regulation in NSW and Improving Regulatory Efficiency (October 2006).

In October 2009, the Minister for Regulatory Reform released the fourth progress report on implementing recommendations made by IPART. The report shows that the Government has addressed 62 of the 74 recommendations. Action to complete the remaining 12 recommendations is underway - seven are expected to be finalised in 2010 and a further five are subject to inter jurisdictional activity, particularly through reforms driven by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Background

In 2005, the NSW Government asked IPART to investigate any unnecessary regulatory burden imposed on business and the community in New South Wales, and to make recommendations to reduce that burden.

IPART provided its final report Investigation into the Burden of Regulation and Improving Regulatory Efficiency in October 2006, making 16 recommendations on general regulatory processes and 58 recommendations for reform in specific areas.

In response to IPARTs report, the Government released:

• an initial response which indicated in-principle support to the proposed reforms to regulatory processes and announced a strengthened role for the Minister responsible for regulatory reform and the establishment of the Better Regulation Office
• a final response to Recommendations 1 to 16 which outlined the Governments new framework for regulation making and review, including seven principles to be followed in the development of all regulatory proposals
• a final response to Recommendations 17 to 74 which committed to publicly report on progress in implementing all 74 recommendations every six months.

The Governments first, second and third progress reports were released in April and October 2008, and April 2009. The October 2009 progress report is the fourth and final to be produced by the Better Regulation Office (BRO). Implementation of future reforms that cut red tape will be reported in BRO Annual Updates and recommendations being advanced through COAG processes will be available from www.coag.gov.au.