The Newman Government is seeking the public’s feedback on options to further reduce green tape for business, saving companies millions of dollars a year.
Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the proposed changes will cut green tape for motor vehicle workshops, boilermakers, small-scale manufactures and metal works as well as removing some regulations for the agriculture sector such as pig keeping and waste transportation.
“We are proposing amendments to Environmental Protection Regulation 2008, to further reduce the burden of regulation on our small to medium-sized businesses,” Mr Powell said.
These include deleting some low risk environmentally relevant activities that could benefit close to 10,000 businesses operating with environmental licenses and halving small sewage treatment plant annual fees.
“There is the potential to provide savings of up to $6.77 million to businesses, in annual fees alone,” he said.
“This is on top of reducing start-up costs for new businesses and reducing ongoing license administration costs.”
Mr Powell said the Government wanted to build on the amendments made in the Greentape Reduction Act introduced earlier this year 31 July.
“None of these options will hurt the environment as everyone still has to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act,” he said.
“We are looking at implementing a risk-based approach which will more freely allow businesses to carry out standard activities that pose little environmental risk, as part of their day to day operations.
“What we’re doing is responding to businesses who have said time and again that they are sick of being tied up with green tape, administration costs and annual fees.
“By streamlining these regulations we can assist business and free up our own resources which can be better directed to actually protecting the environment through compliance and enforcement.”
Consultation will be carried out over the next month, submissions can be made until October 26.
Business and the public can comment on proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 and find out more information about greentape reduction by visiting www.ehp.qld.gov.au/management/greentape/index.html.