RED TAPE REDUCTION

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade. Can the minister update the house on the red tape reduction program which is aimed at reducing the burden of regulation to business and the community?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:28): I am pleased to inform the house the government has achieved its second $150 million per annum red tape reduction target. Ernst & Young, appointed to provide an independent valuation provided by a state government agency, has confirmed that the government agencies have succeeded in achieving—

The SPEAKER: Minister, can you just turn your microphone towards you; it is very hard to hear.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I will start again. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the house that the government has achieved its second $150 million per annum red tape reduction target. Ernst & Young, appointed to provide an independent assessment of the valuations provided by state government agencies, has confirmed that the government has succeeded in achieving savings to business and the broader community of $151 million.

The original challenge was set in 2006 with a two year program to reduce the costs of red tape by $150 million. This was surpassed, with an outcome independently verified at $168 million. This means that the total savings of the two-phase program is now around $320 million. This is an excellent outcome and the result of a strong direction from the Competitiveness Council which drew on expertise across government and industry to ensure that business priorities were addressed. The Competitiveness Council was wound up on 30 June 2012, having completed its red tape reduction task, but this does not mean a lessening of our focus on red tape reduction.

As a result of these efforts, processes are now in place to consolidate the gains and to continue building a culture that avoids a build-up of red tape in the future. Under guidelines introduced last year, state government agencies must now consider the regulatory impact of changes to business and the community. Any agency responsible for regulatory proposals that add unnecessary new costs must offset them through other red-tape savings of an equivalent value.

However, this is not the end of the process. This government is committed to doing more to reduce the burden of regulation to business and to our community. We will not sit back and applaud our achievements to date but instead will make contact with all industry groups asking where else we can improve. This government is committed to making South Australia a business friendly and highly competitive environment for overseas investors.