New uniform licensing expected to generate $2.4bn in income
The new system breaks down barriers for tradies, security guards, architects and real estate agents.
Gladstone
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Tradies, real estate agents, security guards, architects and others from Central Queensland will now be able to work interstate with their licences under a government reform expected to generate billions.
The uniform scheme for automatic mutual recognition (AMR) of state and territory based occupational licences and registrations was introduced by the Morrison Government to cut red tape and boost the economy.
Previously, licenses and registrations for numerous tradespeople, real estate agents, security guards, architects and other workers were only recognised in the state they were issued.
If those workers had jobs in another state, or decided to relocate, they would have to apply and pay for a licence or registration issued by that state government.
Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Minister Senator Michaelia Cash said the scheme would provide a $2.4 billion boost to the economy as part of the government’s economic recovery plan.
Senator Cash said a uniform scheme meant businesses could operate more seamlessly across Australia, which helped to create jobs, increase output, competition and innovation and lower prices for consumers.
“Under this reform, builders, electricians, plumbers, architects, real estate agents, security guards and other workers who hold an occupational licence in their home state or territory and who want to do the same work in another state or territory will be automatically deemed to have the necessary licence,” she said.
“These workers will also not need to pay any additional fees or apply for additional licenses.”
Senator Cash said the mutual recognition regime for licensed occupations across Australia was complex, costly and imposed an excessive regulatory burden on businesses that operated across jurisdictions.
“Currently, around 20 per cent of workers in the economy are required to be licensed,” she said.
“In November 2020, the national cabinet endorsed a uniform, national scheme for AMR and in December 2020 the Prime Minister, State premiers and the Northern Territory chief minister signed an intergovernmental agreement for the Federal Government to establish the scheme and the states and territories to implement it.”
The reforms would benefit hundreds of thousands of workers, Senator Cash said.
“This reform will directly benefit over 124,000 workers who currently work across borders and an additional 44,000 who are expected to work across borders following these reforms,” she said.
“In particular, the reforms will benefit those workers living in border regions, those who relocate temporarily for work, fly-in fly-out workers and people who provide services remotely.
“The time and cost savings associated with AMR for these workers is expected to increase GDP by $2.4 billion over 10 years.”
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