Items Tagged With "Reform"

Small Business Minister Craig Emerson today announced the most sweeping reform of the Franchising Code of Conduct since its inception 12 years ago.

“In making these reforms the Government is not throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” Dr Emerson said.

“The reforms will put franchisees in a better position to understand the risks of going into franchising by giving them clearer information up front about the terms and conditions on offer”.

The Assistant Treasurer, Nick Sherry, has today released the Rudd Government’s updated regular forward work program outlining the consultation process for announced tax measures, with a proposed schedule of reforms to be introduced in the current sittings of Parliament.

“This forward work program shows the Rudd Government is consulting with the community as it gets on with the job of tax reform,” the Assistant Treasurer said.

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today condemned the Opposition for blocking debate on key legislation that would enhance competition and consumer protections in the telecommunications sector. 

“The Opposition wasted an hour filibustering during non-controversial legislation to prevent debate on the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2009,” Senator Conroy said. 

The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, has welcomed the introduction today of the first tax reform Bill of the Parliamentary year.

The Bill contains several important measures, including those to protect investors in recently collapsed forestry managed investment schemes (MIS) and the simplification of several areas of tax administration.

The Rudd Government has today introduced into Parliament the final, extended form of its 2009-10 Budget measure to allow a managed investment trust (MIT) to elect to have the capital gains tax regime as the primary code for taxing gains and losses on the disposal of key investments.

Following important consultations with the sector, the final form of the capital election reform is wider-reaching and more effective than the measure contained in the draft legislation.

Tomorrow the Government will introduce legislation into the parliament that will give effect to the referral of responsibility for consumer credit to the Commonwealth. 

Passage of the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment Bill is the final step for the Commonwealth in creating a single, standard, national regime for the regulation of consumer credit.  

The Government will tomorrow introduce legislation into Parliament that will reform the way financial markets in Australia are supervised. 

In doing so, the Bill will enhance the integrity of Australia’s financial markets and contribute to the goal of making Australia a financial hub.

“The decision to transfer responsibility for supervision of Australia’s financial markets to ASIC is a significant one which will stand the operation of Australian financial markets in good stead into the future,” Mr Bowen said.  

*Release with Julia Gillard

The My School website provides more information about all of Australia’s nearly 10,000 schools than has ever been available to the parents before.

It provides a report card for each school with rich information about the number of students, the number of teachers, attendance rates, literacy and numeracy outcomes from NAPLAN and the background of students going to the school.

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, has welcomed the overwhelming interest of parents and the Australian community in the new My School website.

On the first day of My School, 9 million hits were registered showing how hungry parents and the broader Australian community are for comprehensive, rich information about their schools.

My School has delivered more information to parents about their child's school than ever before.

The importance of Rudd Government grocery competition reforms has been highlighted in recent days as both Coles and Woolworths have taken steps to reduce prices and improve price transparency.

Competition and Consumer Affairs Minister Craig Emerson said the Rudd Government has been working hard to boost competition and tear down the barriers stopping supermarket rivals.

“The Rudd Government’s attitude is competition between supermarkets is good for both consumers and food producers, and more competition is better.”