The Productivity Commission will undertake a study into building regulatory reform which has occurred in Australia since 1994 and the scope for further beyond 2005.
Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Ross Cameron, announced the study today.
The Commission will examine the contribution that reform of national building regulations has made to the productivity of the building and construction industry and its impact on economic efficiency in Australia. It will also determine what potential the reform has to make further gains.
There will be a focus on the Inter Government Agreement on building regulation reform of 1994. This will be reviewed to establish if it's meeting the current and future needs of government, industry and community. The study will also investigate the need and scope for further regulatory reform post-2005.
Other areas to be covered in the study include community expectations for health, safety and amenity in new buildings, aspects of design, construction and use of the buildings and the consistency of building codes and standards.
The results of the study will enable the Australian Government to develop a clear vision of its future role in building regulatory reform. The Commission will consult extensively to ensure that broad stakeholder participation is achieved.
The Commission welcomes input from anyone wanting to participate in the review and I encourage all interested parties to make submissions to the Commission and, where possible, attend public discussions.
The Productivity Commission has been asked to report back to the Government by 17 November 2004. The terms of reference can be found at: www.pc.gov.au or directly from the Commission on 02 6240 3239.