Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (12:47): This is the second of two bills that we have brought into the chamber, and there will be others that follow. Schedule 1 is about simplifying business regulation, and that does assist businesses.

But there is also work done across government in reducing red tape across government. It's just as important. In fact, businesses have asked us for that as well.

We go through quite a lot of consultation around what it is possible to put in these bills. This is just one part of a larger piece of work we're doing. I have asked my department that the next bills that come have a focus on better regulation as it relates to businesses.

Part of the focus that we're trying to have here in reducing red tape across government, particularly in the amendments to support a 'tell us once' approach, has been about improving the customer experience with government. So yes, while it is about reducing red tape, if you want to call it that—or processes across government—we have had our eye towards the customer, some of whom are businesses but obviously they're individual citizens as well, about making life easier for them.