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ARA welcomes consumer law red-tape shake up Calls for further nationalising of laws in leasing and OH&S

Peak retail body, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) today welcomed the Productivity Commission report and Minister Bowen’s response recommending changes to consumer law as the Rudd Government begins the promised overhaul of red tape and regulation burdening Australian business.

ARA's Executive Director Richard Evans said he hopes moves towards national consumer laws will trigger a more comprehensive program of red-tape rationalisation which will assist improving business productivity.

"We hope this is the first step in standardising a lot of archaic state laws that impact on retailing such as retail leasing, payroll tax and the laws governing occupational health & safety, but there are a myriad other areas that could be standardised. And in this time of economic uncertainty, business needs to see the Federal Government leading to ease bureaucratic burden," Evans says.

"We welcome this change and encourage the Federal Government to continue its pursuit of this line of new government thinking.

"Now it's up to the State Government's to cease being overly protective of their boundaries and self interest and see the greater good for the economy. States have an opportunity of creating business opportunities by reducing red tape and standardizing their dealing with business, it's in the national interest for them to do so. Today's report is an encouraging step in the right direction."

For over 104 years, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has been the peak industry body in Australia's $292 billion retail sector which employs over 1.2 million people. As an incorporated employer body under the Workplace Relations Act and with a range of member services including business consulting, policy development, advocacy and education, the ARA promotes and protects over 5000 independent and national retailers throughout Australia. Visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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