South Australia and Victoria have acted to remove the licence fee requirement for licenced workers to work across state borders, the first two states to do so.
The move is part of the Australian Government’s Automatic Mutual Recognition Scheme which aims to help workers who have to cross state borders for work and bust red tape in the process.
The Scheme applies to an expanding range of specific trades and licenced professions in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory, whose state governments committed to putting in place in the coming days. Western Australia is working to join from 1 July 2022.
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson hailed the move, saying that small business tradespeople and licensed professionals are better able to meet the demand for their skills wherever they are in the country.
“This red tape busting reform is helping small business tradespeople and other licensed professionals who want to meet the demand for their skills across the country,” Billson said. “The scheme offers small business employers the opportunity to secure skilled workers from interstate. It also means small business professionals such as real estate agents, teachers and lawyers have more scope and greater ease to work more seamlessly across state borders.”
The ASBFEO is a keen advocate for the reforms and supports the efforts of the Australian Government’s Deregulation Taskforce to reduce red tape.
“It is an excellent outcome for the projected 168,000 people, including many from small businesses, that will directly benefit from these changes each year. We remain committed to working towards removing unnecessary headwinds for small businesses wherever possible to help make Australia the best place to start, grow and transform a business,” Billson concluded.
