Regulation Impact Statement Updates

Options for the Regulation of Unregistered Health Practitioners COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement - Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council

10th June 2011

In November 2010, State, Territory and Commonwealth Health Ministers agreed to conduct a national consultation on options for strengthening the regulation of those health practitioners where statutory registration is not a prerequisite for practice (those known as 'unregistered health practitioners'). The national consultation is to consider whether there is a need for strengthened regulatory protections for consumers who use the services of unregistered health practitioners, and if so, what...

Enhanced scrutiny of the financial viability of large long day care providers Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Aust Gov

9th June 2011

On 26 May 2011 the Government introduced a bill into Parliament that, if passed, will impose financial reporting requirements on large operators of long day care centres. The intention is to enable closer scrutiny of the financial viability of operators that run more than 25 centres. The changes will also allow the Department to conduct an independent audit in cases where the financial monitoring raised viability concerns.

The Regulation Impact Statement was prepared by the Department...

Clearing the Digital Dividend - Planning principles for restacking digital television channels RIS - Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Aust Gov

9th June 2011

On 26 May 2011, ACMA announced planning principles for restacking digital television channels.

Radio spectrum in Australia is managed by the Commonwealth Government through ACMA. Spectrum can be used for many activities including television and mobile internet. The decision to switch off analog television services has freed up significant amounts of spectrum which could be used to provide new services – the ‘digital dividend’.

There are three key areas of work related to...

Non-compliance with COAG’s best practice regulation requirements – gaming machine pre-commitment functionality – Select Council on Gambling Reform

COAG

9th June 2011

On 27 May 2011, the members of the Select Council of Gambling Reform (consisting of Commonwealth, State and Territory Gambling Ministers) announced that all new gaming machines will be required to have pre-commitment functionality from a date to be agreed. Pre-commitment functionality allows gaming machine players to set a maximum expenditure limit over a selected period of time.

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) best practice regulation requirements apply to decisions by...

Final Response to the Report of the Montara Commission of Inquiry Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

Aust Gov

7th June 2011

On 25 May 2011, the Minister for Resources and Energy released the Australian Government’s final response to the Report of the Montara Commission of Inquiry.

The Inquiry investigated the likely causes of the uncontrolled release of oil and gas into the Timor Sea from the Montara Wellhead Platform on 21 August 2009 and made recommendations to the Government on how to prevent future incidents. The Inquiry Report contains 100 findings and 105 recommendations, which have implications for...

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and their use in a Model National Accreditation Scheme – COAG Decision Regulation Impact Statement – Australian Health Ministers’ Conference

COAG

3rd June 2011

On 12 November 2010, the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference endorsed a set of National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and a Model National Accreditation Scheme and decided to apply them. Both the Standards and Accreditation Scheme were developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

The Standards are an explicit statement of the level of care consumers should be able to expect from health services. The Model National Accreditation Scheme...

Future arrangements for the 2.5 GHz radiofrequency spectrum band and long-term arrangements for electronic news gathering Regulation Impact Statement – Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Aust Gov

3rd June 2011

On 27 May 2011, the ACMA announced that it intends to sell new spectrum licences in the 2.5 GHz band. The reallocation of this spectrum will help to address increasing demand for mobile broadband. This is the first step in the implementation of the outcomes of the review of the 2.5 GHz band and is intended to ensure that the band is deployed for its highest value use.

The ACMA also announced its intention to convert apparatus licences currently held by the free-to-air commercial...

Improving Contractor Compliance with Taxation Obligations Regulation Impact Statement – Treasury

Aust Gov

3rd June 2011

On 10 May 2011, the Treasurer announced changes to improve compliance with taxation obligations by contractors and sub-contractors in the building and construction industry. The introduction of a reporting regime provides a framework for improving contractor compliance. Under the proposal, businesses in the building and construction industry will be required to report payments made to contractors in that industry to the Australian Taxation Office. This proposal also provides a model that...

Countering Fraudulent Phoenix Activities by Company Directors Regulation Impact Statement - Treasury

Aust Gov

2nd June 2011

On 10 May 2011, the Government announced the implementation of the election commitment to strengthen the tax law to counter fraudulent phoenix activity. Phoenix activity involves a company intentionally accumulating debts to improve cash flow or wealth and then liquidating to avoid paying the debt. The business is then continued as another corporate entity, controlled by the same person or group and free of their previous debts and liabilities. With effect from 1 July 2011, the director...

Extension of Energy Efficiency Opportunities to Electricity Generators Regulation Impact Statement – Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

Aust Gov

2nd June 2011

On 21 April 2011 the Government released draft regulations extending the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program to electricity generators. This program requires large users of energy to identify and publicly report on potential projects to improve their energy efficiency, and relates to the Cleaner Future for Power Stations election commitment.

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was prepared for the Government’s decision to release these regulations. The RIS was assessed as adequate...