First repeal day to cut red and green tape

THE HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP Minister for Education Leader of the House The HON JOSH FRYDENBERG MP Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Leader of the House, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, today announced the Government’s first repeal day will be an important step toward the Coalitions’ commitment of cutting $1 billion in red and green tape each year to benefit business and not-for-profit organisations. The repeal day is scheduled for the House of Representatives on March 26, following the introduction of an omnibus red tape reduction bill and a series of specific deregulation bills on March 19. Before the bills are introduced the Prime Minister will make a statement to the House updating the Parliament on the progress of the Government’s deregulation agenda and his Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Frydenberg, will detail cuts to red and green tape across every sector of the economy. Mr Pyne said repeal day would provide MPs with an opportunity to highlight the cost of the more than 21,000 new regulations introduced by the Rudd and Gillard governments and the Coalition’s plan to cut the ineffective and inefficient regulation. “It’s vitally important that the Parliament moves to address the burden of regulation that is strangling our economy.” “On repeal day, Members will be able to outline clearly to their constituents the benefits of reducing the volume and cost of Labor’s red and green tape.” Mr Frydenberg said the first suite of deregulation bills followed extensive consultation with business and the not-for-profit sector. “Stakeholders from across the economy have been conveying a consistent message to the Government that there needs to be an urgent and significant reduction in regulation to improve Australia’s productivity and competitiveness,” Mr Frydenberg said. “The repeal day will also include the bulk-repeal of more than 8000 pieces of redundant legislation, which have sat on the statute books for far too long.” “The Coalition is committed to driving a cultural change to regulation across government. Labor’s default position was to introduce thousands of new regulations without consultation and without understanding their true impact on innovation, investment and jobs. In contrast, the Coalition is committed to a more efficient and effective approach that includes cutting $1 billion of red and green tape and only introducing new regulations when it is absolutely necessary to do so.” 13 January 2014