Regulatory reform to reduce red tape and ease burden on businesses

Improving Australia’s productivity performance is a key priority for the Government. In an increasingly complex and interconnected environment, regulation and regulators play a critical role in supporting Australia’s productivity through the effective management of risk, enabling innovation, and ensuring protections for Australians. 

On 4 July 2025, 30 regulators and 8 portfolio departments with were asked for new ideas to improve regulation and reduce unnecessary compliance burdens. These regulators received the letter because they play a key role in improving productivity and supporting Australia’s economic growth.

Regulators have identified more than 400 ideas including around 150 new actions that could be taken without budget or legislative change. While these ideas have not been formally considered by Government, they are intended to boost productivity.

Key Themes

Six key themes were identified across the regulator response letters.

1. Regulatory simplification – making approvals and processes faster and easier to follow and improving rules, guidance and forms.
2. Enabling digital and data capability – applying AI and other digital solutions to work more efficiently and support innovation and growth.
3. Better engagement – working closely with stakeholders through co-design, better consultation and stronger feedback loops.
4. Improved transparency and performance – sharing work plans and using tools to measure and report on performance.
5. Greater collaboration – aligning registers and standards and reducing barriers to sharing data between agencies.
6. Targeted reforms – making changes in specific sectors that support innovation and efficiency while maintaining public trust.

Minor redactions have been made in several of the letters to protect the personal information of individuals in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988. Redactions have also been made, in consultation with the authoring agencies, to protect certain commercial and security information where disclosure would adversely impact their work, or where proposals are subject to Cabinet processes.
 

Contact

Visit the Treasury website for more information on the Roundtable or email ReformRoundtable@treasury.gov.au.

For information on the letters to regulators and their responses email APSRegulatoryReform@finance.gov.au.