Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss called the regulation “spring clean” - the second repeal day implemented by the government -an opportunity to focus on ways to “encourage growth and improve productivity” by reducing compliance costs for industry.

“The government is committed to saving business, individuals and the wider community at least $1 billion a year by reducing the costs of unnecessary and inefficient regulation,” Truss said today.

“[We have] already announced $2.1 billion in net savings – more than double our target – thanks to our drive to cut red tape.”

According to assistant minister Jamie Briggs, a total of 4309 outdated regulations within the portfolio are currently in the process of being repealed – including a major review of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 – in order to identify ways to reduce the regulatory burden on business and consumers.

While Truss said he was pleased with the government’s progress so far, he conceded there was still a lot of red tape to cut if conditions across the industry were to improve further.

“While the government has made progress, there is still more work to do,” he said.

“Future priorities include reducing red tape in coastal shipping regulation, the heavy vehicle industry and at airports.”

To read the federal government’s infrastructure deregulation agenda in full, please visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/deregulation/index.aspx