Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Simplify) Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 18 October 2018.)

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (17:06): I am happy to speak on this bill and support the majority of the Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Simplify) Bill 2018. This bill largely replicates a lapsed bill which passed the House of Assembly but did not pass this place before the last election. I am pleased that the Liberal government is seeking to implement the bill which is almost identical to one that Labor had introduced. After all, it is the case that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so I am flattered by the government's reintroduction of this bill.

The bill aims to reduce red tape and simplify regulation for businesses and consumers in line with the bill that was previously introduced by the Labor government. It deals with 40 acts and includes changes to 27 of those to add the option of publishing government notices online. The bill will amend the Road Traffic Act to allow low-risk public events to occur without the need for closing public roads and will also remove the requirement to return numberplates to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles when registrations are expired, void or cancelled. The bill also proposes the repeal of 12 spent and redundant acts which are no longer required. Unfortunately, one of those no longer required, and it is a new insertion of this bill, is because of the abolition by the current government of the Economic Development Board. So the Economic Development Act 1993 is one that is no longer required.

The former state Labor government was committed to making South Australia the best place to do business by creating an environment in which our businesses can operate in a global economy. Since its first simplify bill in 2016, the former Labor government delivered on a broad range of regulatory and business process reforms such as procurement, worker health and safety, and screening processes for employees and volunteers. This was in addition to significant reforms in the area of state taxation, the Return to Work scheme, transport, planning and the delivery of public services. I commend the bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.

At 17:10 the council adjourned until Wednesday 13 February 2019 at 14:15.