Business groups raise concerns over progress of national reforms for OHS and directors’ liability

A new report has found time is running out on achieving 12 key national regulatory and competition reforms, with business groups calling on governments to hurry up with national occupational health and safety laws and changes around directors’ liabilities.

The Seamless National Economy Report finds that harmonised occupational health and safety laws, national regulation of the legal profession, and a nationally consistent approach to the imposition of personal criminal liability on company directors are at risk of not reaching the year-end deadline.

The report, released today by the COAG Reform Council, follows a commitment in 2008 between the Commonwealth and the states and territories to proceed with 49 separate regulatory and competition reforms.

It finds that 37 reforms have been completed or are on track to being completed by the December 2012 deadline, but 12 reforms are still yet to be completed.

COAG Reform Council chairman Paul McClintock said the changes “impact businesses and individuals right across the country – they are an important part of boosting our productivity and labour mobility”.

“How well COAG delivers their seamless national economy reforms will directly impact Australia’s economic output and competitive advantage for decades to come,” McClintock said.

“A great deal has been achieved and Governments are nearing the end of the race, but at the moment they’re heading towards a bronze medal instead of gold.”

The Australian Industry Group says although welcomed steps have been made in trade measurement, rail safety, product safety, standard business reporting, payroll tax and electronic conveyancing, the business body is very concerned about delays in harmonised occupational health and safety laws.

Other concerning delays were the national trade licensing system, reforms to chemicals and plastics regulations, uniform regulation of the legal profession, and a number of energy market reforms, AiG said.

“It is incongruous that, at a time when lifting productivity is assuming so much importance and attracting so much lip service, the delivery of these reforms should be at risk,” AiG chief Heather Ridout said.

“Addressing the at-risk areas should be a priority for all governments.”

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry adds it was “concerning that some critical areas are falling behind the pace”.

“The economic reform agenda dictates we have no option other than making the necessary productivity improvements,” ACCI chief Peter Anderson says.

But the business body says that harmonised occupational health and safety laws had been delayed by “legitimate technical reasons for slower progress which needed to be ironed out before finalisation”.

“ACCI, however, is pleased regarding progress in areas including trade measurement, Standard Business Reporting, and in relation to business names which is on track for completion in mid-2012.”

Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Company Directors says attempts at a nationally consistent approach on director liability reform “can be judged only as a complete failure”.