MOTIONS

Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (19:22): For a small electrical contractor in the Hunter, productivity isn't an economist's chart or spreadsheet. It's whether they spend Friday night finishing a job or filling out paperwork they've already completed somewhere else. It's whether a builder can get the standards needed to do the job without paying hundreds of dollars just to read rules they are legally required to follow.

It's whether a qualified tradie moving across state borders will get straight on the tools or spend months proving skills they already have. That's what productivity means in the real world. It means removing the roadblocks that waste people's time, drive up costs and stop good businesses from investing, hiring and growing.

Australia faced a productivity challenge for a long time. There's no silver bullet and no single reform that fixes everything. It requires governments, businesses and workers pulling in the same direction and being prepared to change and challenge a system that no longer works.

That's why the Albanese Labor government is delivering the broadest productivity reform agenda since the nineties. The 15 reforms progressed in this year's budget are expected to cut regulatory costs by $10.2 billion every year and lift GDP by around $13 billion annually once implemented. That's roughly $1,200 for every Australian household.

These aren't numbers pulled from thin air; they come from making practical changes across the economy. We're making mandatory Australian standards free to access, including standards covering construction, lecco work, plumbing, workplace safety and product safety. It has never made sense to tell a small business it must comply with standards and then charge it to find out what the standards actually say.

Making those standards free could save some small trade businesses up to $1,600 every year. For tradies and contractors across Cessnock, Singleton, Kurri and Lake Macquarie, that's money better spent on tools, apprentices, vehicles and growing their business. We're reducing duplicated regulatory reporting and unclear data requests.

We're moving towards a 'tell us once' approach so Australians don't have to provide the same information to different parts of the government over and over and over again. We're making the $20,000 instant asset write-off permanent, giving small businesses the certainty to invest while saving around $376,000 hours in tax compliance. We're also making it easier for people to use the qualifications they've earned.

A tradie shouldn't be held back simply because they cross a line on a map. Faster and more consistent skill recognition means qualified workers can get in the job sooner and employers can fill shortages faster. That matters in the Hunter, where we need skilled workers to build homes, maintain industry, support new investment and train the next generation.

We're streamlining foreign investment and major project approvals while keeping the proper safeguards in place. We're investing more than $500 million in environmental regulatory reforms to speed up decisions and reduce duplication between the Commonwealth, the states and territories. A fast decision doesn't mean a weaker decision.

Businesses need clear rules, proper scrutiny and straight answers within a reasonable timeframe. Communities deserve that certainty too. Housing is another major part of the agenda.

We're working with states and territories to fast-track approvals, release more land and create a simpler, national code, the National Construction Code. We're supporting modern construction methods and investing in the roads, water, power and sewerage needed for up to 65,000 homes over the next decade. In the Hunter, we know housing announcements mean nothing if enabling infrastructure isn't there and builders are tied up in unnecessary delays.

Productivity reform must help turn approvals into homes people can actually live in. Competition is part of this work too. We're stopping unfair non-compete clauses from handcuffing workers in their current jobs.

More than three million Aussie workers are covered by these clauses, including childcare workers, construction workers and hairdressers. Australians shouldn't need a lawyer's permission to take a better-paying job. Making it easier to move between employers can lift wages, spread skills and help productivity and businesses grow.

We're also consulting on extending right-to-repair rules to the agricultural machinery sector. When equipment breaks down when they're planting or harvesting, a farmer can't wait weeks. They must have access to better repair information, less downtime, more choice for more local repairs and more local mechanics.

Productivity isn't about asking Australians to work longer and harder for less.