The New South Wales and Victorian governments have announced a joint agreement aimed at accelerating economy-boosting reforms, particularly in energy efficiency and skills.

 

Premiers Barry O’Farrell and Ted Baillieu announced the establishment of the Interstate Reform Partnership aimed building cost-saving and investment-attracting reforms quickly.

 

The agreements are the first outcomes of a formal Interstate Reform Partnership, established by the two Premiers to advance a joint reform agenda to:

  • promote economic growth and competitiveness,
  • make it easier to do business and invest in both states, and,
  • put downward pressure on the cost of living and the cost of running a business.

 

The Premiers also agreed to jointly pursue skills reforms, particularly in the area of apprenticeships, to benefit employers and apprentices and improve productivity by matching qualified apprentices with areas of unmet demand.

 

As a first step, the Premiers agreed to various actions to improve the take-up of competency-based completions and transferability and alignment of training contracts between jurisdictions.

 

Further, the Premiers noted the importance of international students to the economies of both states and agreed to maximise opportunities to reduce red tape, including extending streamlining visa applications for high-quality, low-risk education providers like TAFE institutes.