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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 131 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

The speech went on:

Successive minority governments have been hamstrung in the adversarial atmosphere of this Assembly.

Rubbish! Successive minority governments have been held accountable in the adversarial system of this Assembly. They have had to answer to this Assembly. Under the other system we would lose the checks and balances, particularly because we work in a unicameral legislature and with minority governments. Mr Speaker, wherever we find ways to improve the working of this Assembly to the benefit of Canberra, I have found members always willing to listen. That applied even in the First Assembly. I find that members are willing to listen; but I imagine that most members, on reading this document, will be absolutely scathing about its shallowness and its inadequacy. I do not think it should even rate as the starting point for a discussion paper.

Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.

MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services and Minister for Business, Employment and Tourism) (3.54): For the information of members, I present the red tape task force report, entitled "From Red Tape to a Blue Print for Regulatory Reform", together with the Government's response, and I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the papers.

Mr Speaker, last year I had much pleasure in publicly releasing the report of the red tape task force. The report is entitled "From Red Tape to a Blue Print for Regulatory Reform". Following consideration of the task force's findings and recommendations, the Government has now agreed upon an appropriate program of action to combat red tape problems in the ACT. I would like to take this opportunity to acquaint the Assembly both with the findings of the task force and with the Government's response. Together with the report, I am tabling a summary of the Government's response to each task force recommendation.

Members may recall that in May last year the Government announced our intention to establish the task force as part of a comprehensive program of regulatory reform with respect to business. The program included three key initiatives based upon our election commitments: The establishment of the red tape task force; a systematic review of all government regulation and legislation; and the endorsement of regulatory review guidelines, including a business impact statement.

Mr Speaker, the Government has a strong commitment to regulatory reform, a commitment it has demonstrated by the range of initiatives it has introduced since taking up government. Establishing the red tape task force was a very important part of these initiatives. The primary purpose of the task force was to inquire into, and report to

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