The Victorian Government has announced new measures to streamline regulatory processes, improve the scrutiny of new regulations and ensure that regulators are efficient, responsive and make timely decisions.

 

The new measures are in response to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) report on the administration of Victoria's Regulatory Framework.

 

Treasurer Kim Wells said that much greater scrutiny of regulation is needed, together with a strong focus on the way regulation is enforced, to ensure businesses and the not-for-profit sector are able to operate efficiently in Victoria.

 

"The Government's response to this inquiry addresses the need to have a greater focus on examination and scrutiny of new regulation and to ensure there is continued evaluation of its effectiveness.

 

Mr Wells said a great deal of the effectiveness of regulation came down to the way it was enforced by the regulators.

 

"A key action will be the introduction of Ministerial Statements of Expectations for all of our regulators to clearly communicate our objectives and priorities for them," Mr Wells said.

 

"Statements of Expectations are a widely-used governance mechanism, already in place in some parts of Victoria's regulatory system and employed by the Commonwealth government.

 

"Reducing timelines for processing applications and targeting regulatory activity more effectively will be some of these objectives," Mr Wells said.

 

VCEC made 42 recommendations as part of its inquiry, which explored areas of regulatory framework across the whole of Victorian Government, including:

  • improving the regulatory management system;
  • optimising impact assessment;
  • achieving consistent implementation of regulation;
  • building excellence in administration and enforcement;
  • embedding evaluation and review;
  • reducing the regulatory burden on business; and
  • ensuring scrutiny of nationally imposed regulations.

 

Mr Wells said the accepted recommendations would inform the Government's implementation strategies that are targeted and effective and support the Coalition's commitment to reducing the red-tape burden.

 

"This Government is committed to its strategy of reducing unnecessary costs imposed by regulation and meeting its target of cutting red tape by 25 per cent by 2014," he said.

 

The Government is currently considering the recommendations of VCEC's report Securing Victoria's Future Prosperity: A Reform Agenda that will also inform the implementation of the Government's red tape reduction strategy.

 

The report and response can be viewed at www.vcec.vic.gov.au