"The announced Productivity Commission inquiry to reform national occupational licences is a welcome and positive first step in improving the mobility of workers and is critical to Australia's efforts to lift productivity across the economy," said Mr Innes Willox, chief executive of national employer association, the Australian Industry Group.
"Measures such as those under consideration are a practical example of how we can improve productivity by overcoming draconian rules that are the last vestiges of the pre-Federation economy. Antiquated occupational licensing arrangements have no place or role in a modern and productive Australia.
"On behalf of industry, we look forward to working with federal and state governments and unions to update our licensing system and also to ensure that all occupations are in time able to enjoy the same modernisation.
"We welcome the move of the Productivity Commission to review the benefits of adopting international and overseas standards in regulatory frameworks, and harmonising regulated standards across Australia. Global regulatory coherence, while accommodating local conditions, is an essential factor in encouraging international competitiveness in Australian industry and ensuring that Australia remains an attractive destination for international investment.
"Unfortunately, while electricians will hopefully soon be able to move and work across state borders, electrical goods sold in Australia are still subject to multiple regulations, compromising consumer choice and adding cost to businesses and consumers. The predominant framework, the Electrical Equipment Safety System embraced by a number of jurisdictions, was designed in conjunction with industry to be a national scheme but it has never reached this aspiration. It has suffered from regulatory creep and it is time that regulators re-engage with industry to consider the cost/benefit of the scheme and compare it to international best practice.
"The ACCC Product Safety team conducted an extensive review of the national, state and territory electrical safety frameworks for household electrical consumer products and they found that while the existing system has protected consumers from unsafe products for many years, over time, inconsistencies and regulatory gaps have arisen resulting in growing compliance costs.
"These issues impede the system's national operation and ability to respond to emerging safety risks posed by new technologies. The ACCC made the sensible and much needed overarching recommendation that federal, state and territory governments cooperate to harmonise and consistently implement electrical products regulation.
"Ai Group has long supported the need for nationally consistent regulations for the movement of both people and products. Movement in this direction is both welcome and necessary," Mr Willox said.
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