Media | State News

LNP plans to slash red tape by 20 per cent

15th May 2017
  • A Tim Nicholls-led LNP Government will make it easier for businesses to get ahead by committing to a 20 per cent red tape reduction target over six years
  • The Palaszczuk Labor Government has made it harder to do business by increasing red tape and regulation
  • Labor scrapped the LNP’s plan to reduce payroll taxes, they’ve increased regulations in the hospitality, plumbing and resources industries and slugged a new investment tax on the property industry
  • The former LNP Government progressed more than 500 red tape reform initiatives, with Queensland Treasury independently assessing the benefits of these changes at $425 million a year

To help Queensland businesses get ahead, a Tim Nicholls-led LNP Government will aim to slash red tape by 20 per cent over six years.

Announcing the red tape reduction policy today, Mr Nicholls said the LNP was determined to build a better Queensland – and “vibrant businesses” were at the heart of the plan.

“My dad ran a car dealership in Brisbane so I have a real appreciation of the ups and downs of business,” Mr Nicholls said.

“To grow, employ more people and ultimately succeed, Queensland businesses need government to get out of the way and just let them get on with it.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government has made it harder to do business by increasing red tape and regulation.

“Labor scrapped the LNP’s plan to reduce payroll taxes, they’ve increased regulations in the hospitality, plumbing and resources industries and they’ve slugged a new investment tax on the property industry.

“Unnecessary regulation, compliance paperwork and approval processes are costly and consume time. Both are a hit to the bottom line.

“That’s why we owe it to businesses, especially those many family-run small businesses, to turn this around.”

In committing to a 20 per cent red tape reduction target over six years, an LNP Government will:

  • Measure the regulatory burden and establish a baseline so we can map progress against achieving our target
  • Appoint an industry “go to” person to drive regulatory reform
  • Set red tape reduction performance targets for Ministers and department heads, and
  • Have an annual Red Tape Repeal Day set aside every year in Parliament for slashing bureaucracy

Shadow Treasurer Scott Emerson said business confidence in Queensland had been negative since Labor was elected (according to the CCIQ Pulse Survey). A Sensis survey of businesses shows Palaszczuk Labor is viewed as the worst government in Australia.

However, Mr Emerson said the former LNP Government had been well on the way to achieving its 20 per cent red tape reduction target.

“We delivered important reforms including increasing the payroll tax threshold so more businesses pay less tax, halving the number of health and safety forms businesses need to fill in without compromising safety and reducing the need for unnecessary permits and licences,” he said.

“In less than three years, we progressed more than 500 red tape reform initiatives, with Queensland Treasury independently assessing the benefits of these changes at $425 million a year.

“This was a significant achievement and showed the LNP was tracking well against our 20 per cent red tape reduction target.”

The LNP’s plan was unveiled at Altec Patios and Carports – a well-known Seventeen Mile Rocks business established in 1974.

Shadow Minister for Science, Innovation and the Digital Economy and Member for Mount Ommaney Tarnya Smith said Altec and neighbouring businesses would reap the benefits of less red tape.

“There are many hard-working local businesses here and when we cut them a break and reduce their red tape burden, they can spend more time focused on creating jobs for more Queenslanders,” she said.

The LNP is committed to leading a government that is better for Queensland. More government isn’t the answer to our problems – better government is.