Page 2982 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 15 September 2015
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insurance brokers and insurers each year, amounting to a reduction in administration costs for business in excess of $2 million per annum. The reform is also expected to play a part in relieving the upward cost pressure on workers compensation premiums.
In streamlining these reporting requirements for all employers, it is also important that we maintain the integrity of the regulatory system, and moving to a 12-monthly cycle will not reduce regulatory oversight. The bill includes a requirement on employers to advise insurers if the employer’s estimated total wages is understated by more than half a million dollars during the reporting period. In addition, recent improvements in technology will allow inspectors to check employers’ insurance status and wage information using a newly developed database which is updated monthly by insurers.
As mentioned, the bill also repeals the Hawkers Act. The activities of hawkers can be effectively regulated under the Public Unleased Land Act, which applies to all activities on public land. As such, there is no public benefit in retaining a separate act to regulate one specific activity. Repeal of the Hawkers Act will clarify any perceived legislative duplication and makes clear for business which act governs the activities of hawkers. The bill includes transitional provisions for existing hawker licences to continue under the Public Unleased Land Act.
Finally, the amendments increase the maximum period for permits issued under the Public Unleased Land Act from two to three years. A permit is required under the act to use public land in a way that may impact on its amenity or on other people's enjoyment of it. Circumstances where this requirement would apply may include a one-off or repeated event such as holding a concert in a park, an ongoing activity such as outdoor dining, or placing an object such as a waste skip on public land.
Extending the maximum period for issuing permits from two to three years will provide increased benefits to business and increase regulatory certainty, particularly for organisations seeking to utilise public land in an appropriate way for long periods. The measure will reduce the administration of licence renewals, which is, of course, a direct cost to business.
My government will continue to create the right regulatory environment for businesses and individuals in the territory, and we will pursue opportunities for reducing red tape, streamlining processes for business and making the use of government resources more efficient. Government is committed to an ongoing program of reform to improve the regulatory environment for our citizens and the business community.
The reforms I have presented could seem minor and insignificant to some, yet when combined with previous, current and future red tape reduction initiatives still to come, they mesh to form a more streamlined, efficient and relevant system of governance for our community. They are part of a broader reform agenda that acknowledges the changing needs and desires of the community. Current major reform initiatives such as the taxi innovation review and the liquor review will continue. Others will be defined and acted upon as the shared economy grows and technology advances.
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