In August this year, the Treasurer hosted the Economic Reform Roundtable. Those three days brought together a mixture of leaders from business, unions, civil society, governments and other experts. The roundtable discussed three main themes: making our economy more productive, building resilience in the face of global uncertainty, and strengthening the budget and making it more sustainable. The roundtable will be integral to Australia's ongoing economic success and prosperity. One of the clear messages from both the roundtable and the Productivity Commission was the need for fit-for-purpose regulation. In recognition of that, and in the spirit of the first stated theme of the roundtable, I'm delighted to see this matter come before the House for debate as a tangible outcome of the roundtable.

Excessive regulation, red tape and duplicative processes not only frustrate the lives of millions of Australians but drive up the cost of doing business. Who hasn't been given a wrong or outdated form? Who has not had to produce the same identification document again and again? Who has not had a document either not be uploaded or be lost? These are everyday occurrences, and they not only frustrate us personally but cost countless hours and add inextricably to inefficiency and cost. The Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill takes a whole-of-government approach to amending regulation to ensure it remains contemporary and relevant. For Australians, it means making sure Australians can connect faster and more efficiently with the services they need and rely on.

The bill contains 60 measures which amend 28 acts, repeal two acts and affect the operation of 13 Commonwealth agencies. Importantly, and probably most significantly for Australians, the bill supports the implementation of a tell-us-once approach within Services Australia, thereby reducing the number of times it would be required for you to provide the same information again and again across different government programs or platforms. It is an understatement that this aspect of the bill on its own will be warmly welcomed and applauded. The days of having to supply the same document again and again like this will not continue to happen.

The bill will enable the use of data and digital technologies to improve access to government services. It also provides new powers to make delegated legislation. Schedule 1 of the bill removes barriers to provide digital evidence of Australian citizenship, making the process reliable and less costly and providing further security. Schedule 1 part 2 deals with healthcare identifiers who have access to these systems. The amendment allows healthcare recipients to facilitate the tracking of longitudinal data, providing more accurate evidence to support policy and design. Currently there's no standardised approach to sharing health information across Australia, and this bill supports work to address these issues. More importantly, the bill will allow updates made to Centrelink when an account number changes to be recognised by other agencies like Medicare. Currently, 980,000 Australians are owed money in unpaid Medicare benefits. That's $270 million that would be much better off in Australians' pockets.

With your indulgence, Deputy Speaker Chesters, I would like to speak to my constituents. Have you looked at your myGov and made sure your information is up to date? It is important that Medicare benefits are in your pocket; it's your money. Take some time out in the next couple of days to update your details if necessary. As soon as your details are updated, any outstanding benefits will get into your account.

This bill also removes stigmatising language to ensure that all vulnerable children and their families can apply for the additional childcare subsidy. Schedule 2 doubles the timeframe for patients needing to complete multiple diagnostic imaging services without having to return to their GP for a new referral, saving both time and money for the government, GP and patients. Schedule 2 authorises appropriate sharing between Services Australia and the Department of Health, Ageing and Disability to assist in supporting the proper functioning of processes within them.

Schedule 4 makes amendments to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to allow appropriate delegations to ACMA members. Some part of this schedule repeals redundant legislation and requirements. Schedule 4 improves fuel security, ensuring government knows what stockpiles are available for transport and other industries in Australia. The bill will also modernise greenhouse and energy minimum standards to support the contemporary energy systems and Australia in its transition.

Schedule 4 will look at ensuring consistency across social security benefit calculations as it affects a number of social security and veterans' affairs benefits. The bill also touches Services Australia, the Seniors Health Card and childcare subsidies, and strengthens the pharmacy approval process. Finally, the bill before us will improve access to government services, reduce the regulatory burden on both industry and Australians, and increase efficiency and productivity.

Australia stands tall as an economic success story. The success, however, has not been accidental or by luck; it is the result of careful management and policy direction by this government. Our government will continue to review the regulatory settings to identify any areas of improvement. The bill is intended to be just the first of a series of regulatory reform bills to improve productivity across government and then across the economy. I commend the bill to the House.

Link to Hansard: Full Speech