'Cost of not being able to grow': Red tape burden stifling Queensland businesses
A shocking 82 per cent of Queensland businesses say excessive regulation is stopping them from growing and hiring. Here’s why
We all know we’re drowning in red tape.
And a biennial report from Business Chamber Queensland has a figure. More than $15bn will be spent on regulatory compliance in 2025. Actually there are plenty of numbers.
The Chamber's latest Efficient Regulation Report, which surveys businesses across the state, shows the median cost of compliance per business is now $30,000.
Some large businesses reported up to $1.25m in annual regulatory costs and both sole traders and large enterprises reported the steepest increases since 2021.
Business Chamber Queensland CEO Heidi Cooper says more than 80 per cent of businesses said regulatory burden inhibited their growth and productivity prospects.
“This is not just a cost of doing business, it’s a cost of not being able to grow, hire, or innovate,” she says.
“One in three businesses employ someone specifically for managing regulatory compliance. That’s someone who’s not contributing to the business, serving customers or clients or generating revenue.
“The majority said their business would benefit from increased profitability and workforce productivity, or they would focus on growing their businesses if they weren’t investing so much time and money in regulatory compliance.”
Business Chamber Queensland has been researching and mapping the regulatory burden on businesses since 2009 and working with all parts of government to reform red tape.
The report identifies the most financially and time-intensive areas of regulation, including building approvals, employment regulation, and environmental requirements.
Key findings were that 74 per cent of businesses say compliance costs have increased since 2023; 47 per cent say they spend more than six hours a week on regulatory tasks; and 82 per cent reckon regulation inhibits their growth and productivity.
Food for Thought
David Muir, who co-founded of Foodbank Queensland with the late former Brisbane lord mayor Clem Jones, and Ian Brusasco 30 years ago, has retired from the Board.
Since inception, Foodbank Queensland has provided 400 million meals to the hungry.
Muir (illustrated) says that when they started Foodbank they were feeding mostly homeless people but now they're feeding people with jobs due to the cost of living crisis.
“Foodbank Queensland is one of the many legacies left to this State by Clem Jones,” Muir says.
“Clem was always a hard marker, but I believe he would have been impressed with the impact of Foodbank Queensland after all these years.”
Power up
Global renewable energy leader EDP is partnering with QIC to deliver its first Australian project after signing an exclusivity agreement on the Punchs Creek Renewable Energy Project near Toowoomba region.
The agreement marks a significant step toward a potential long-term partnership between QIC and EDP through EDP Renewables Australia to accelerate the development and investment of large-scale renewable energy projects across Australia.
Punchs Creek, is a 480MW solar farm co-located with a 400MW/1600 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) and constructed is expected to start in march 2026 and it should be in full operation by 2029.
QIC Head of Global Infrastructure Ross Israel says Australia’s energy transition required partnerships of complementary capabilities to accelerate the deployment of renewables and storage infrastructure at scale.
“While EDPR has an operational footprint spanning four continents, Punchs Creek marks their first Australian project as part of a pipeline of solar and battery storage opportunities,” he says.
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Originally published as 'Cost of not being able to grow': Red tape burden stifling Queensland businesses
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