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Category: Government and Politics / States and Territories / Small Business

NSW Government's red-tape savings claim 'not supported by evidence'

Thursday, 25 Aug 2016 16:48:29 | Lucy McNally

The TCCI says Tasmania is in a technical recession but there has been growth in household spending. (file photo: ABC News)

There is no proof to backup the New South Wales Government's claims it has saved around $900 million in red tape costs for businesses, a new report has found.

The Government committed to cutting red tape costs by $750 million between 2011 and June 2015, in a bid to improve business competitiveness.

Last year it reported it had exceeded that target by $146 million, but the NSW auditor-general Margaret Crawford has released a report saying that was wrong.

The report states the savings estimated by various government agencies were "not supported by evidence and data, nor adequately verified", and "cost transfers were sometimes claimed as savings".

"Overall, NSW Government initiatives and processes to prevent and reduce red tape were not effective," the report said.

"Without a full stocktake of regulation, the NSW Government does not know the impact of its regulations on businesses and individuals, or how effectively it has reduced this impact."

The auditor-general made a number of recommendations, including setting up a better-regulation division within the Finance Department, and introducing annual reporting of regulatory reform measures.

Better Regulation Minister Victor Dominello said he supported most of the report's recommendations.

The Minister said the Government would give a progress report to State Parliament in a year's time.

AustraliaPlus


 

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