Page 2717 - Week 09 - Thursday, 8 August 2013
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of Commerce and Industry, and the Canberra Business Council. At this stage of a long-term reform agenda, the focus of the panel has been on improving efficiencies in response to concerns raised by industry.
The government is also receiving information and concerns directly from individuals and individual businesses through the fix my red tape portal, which was launched in January this year. This is informing the program of work for the Red Tape Reduction Panel. Fix my red tape, like its municipal issues predecessor, fix my street, is a one-stop shop for the business community to identify any red tape that affects or impedes their ability to do business in the territory.
The first tranche of reforms which have come out of these processes are already being implemented and include the abolition of motor vehicle registration stickers and the provision of e-lodgement of rental bonds. There have also been several reviews undertaken across government to alleviate the compliance burden on businesses in the territory. These include reviewing licence terms to move away from annual renewals wherever possible, a process that has resulted in the amendment in this bill.
Madam Speaker, as Mr Corbell has outlined, among those that will benefit from this amendment are motor vehicle repairers, employment agents, second-hand dealers, travel agents and car market operators. This amendment means that individuals and businesses in those industries will save time and effort as they no longer need to apply for annual licence and registration renewals.
Earlier this year I was also pleased to announce that at least two red tape reduction bills will be supported each year to address reforms identified through the work of the panel. The work is continuing on building a pipeline of red tape amendments to be progressed through these bills. However, it is important to note that not all red tape reduction requires legislation, with some initiatives simply requiring clearer guidelines and processes.
The scope of reducing red tape is not just limited to business. The ACT government is committed to reducing red tape for the community sector in the territory as well. As part of the government’s community sector reform program, we have made a number of steps forward this year in reducing red tape for that sector. Earlier in the year at the first meeting of the community sector red tape reduction forum, which was attended by about 70 leaders from the community sector, I asked for frank and thorough feedback about where the red tape is for the sector and its impact.
At the same time I announced that the ACT government will from this point forward require contracts of the Community Services Directorate to report only once per year instead of every six months. This practical red tape reduction initiative was part of the work being undertaken by the government’s community sector reform program and is one of the practical measures that the government has implemented this year to support the great work that community organisations do in the territory.
The government is also continuing work to amend relevant ACT legislation to ensure that charities and not-for-profit organisations registered in the ACT will not have to duplicate requirements already met through the Australian Charities and Not-for-
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