Victoria initiative on red tape

Victoria’s new Treasurer John Lenders will tell a VECCI meeting today that his state is on track to cut red tape by 15% over three years and 25% by 2011. It expects to save business up to $30 million in the coming year from the cuts and $250 million by 2011.

The measures underway include an occupational licensing system by Consumer Affairs with estimated savings of $7 million over five years, payroll tax harmonisation with NSW and implementation of the Education and Training Reform Act, which replaced 12 pieces of legislation, according to a report in The Australian Financial Review.

Here’s an interesting fact from a recent study by the Institute of Public affairs: the Federal Government passed nearly 7000 pages of law in 2006, almost double the amount passed in 1986.

The six state governments passed 16,000 pages, nearly twice the amount passed in 1986.