Regulatory reform

The Queensland Government is focussed on reducing the regulatory burden on business and the community, and has committed to reduce red tape by 20 per cent by 2018.

The Government has established the independent Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) within the Queensland Competition Authority to advise on regulatory issues and provide a rigorous and transparent approach to making and reviewing regulation.

The Government is adopting a framework for measuring and reducing the burden of regulation—based on recommendations from the OBPR. The framework will establish a whole of government regulatory management system which embeds the use of regulatory best practice principles and promotes a culture aimed at reducing the burden of regulation across Government.

Key elements of the Framework include:

• Establishment of a baseline of the regulatory burden for each agency and targets for reducing the burden; and
• An effective Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) System to discourage growth of unnecessary regulation – ensuring that any new regulation is subject to rigorous and transparent consideration of the potential impacts on all stakeholders.

Agencies are required to seek the OBPR’s advice as to whether a RIS is required for any regulatory proposal and to submit all RISs to the OBPR for an assessment of their adequacy. OBPR will also report annually to Government on agency compliance with the RIS System.

In accordance with the RIS System Guidelines, after the release of a RIS has been approved by the Government, the agency must make the necessary arrangements for the publication of the RIS and the OBPR’s final letter of advice on the adequacy of the RIS on the GetInvolved website.

Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS)

RIS's that are currently available for consultation, or were released recently, can be found on the consultations page.

Regulatory Impact Statement System Guidelines

The RIS System Guidelines are an administrative policy approved by the Treasurer and Minister for Trade (the Treasurer), describing the required procedure for developing regulation for Queensland Government agencies under the RIS system.

Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR)

The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) was established on 2 July 2012 within the Queensland Competition Authority.

OBPR undertakes key functions as part of the Government’s Framework for measuring and reducing the burden of regulation, as well as key roles as part of the RIS System.