PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 28 AUGUST 1991
JOINT HEADS OF GOVERNMENT PRESS STATEMENT
Former New South Wales Premier and current CSIRO Chairman,
Neville Wran, is to lead nationwide seminars on proposals to
create a truly national market Ln Australia. The proposals
were agreed to at the recent Special Premiers' Conference
held in Sydney on 30 July.
At the conference, the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief
Ministers agreed in principle that the Australian States and
Territories would mutually recognise each other's product
and occupational standards fromn I January 1993.
This will help remove obstacles to interstate trade and the
mobility of labour posed by differences in standards and
regulations from one State or Territory to another and will
enhance the international competitiveness of the Australian
economy. The Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers announced
Mr Wran's appointment today.
Mr Wran has agreed to address; seminars in each State and
Territory during September on the proposed models for
implementing mutual recognit: Lon. The seminars are part of
an extensive public consultation process to be carried out
on behalf of Heads of Governent. The seminar dates are to
be advised shortly.
Mutual recognition is a majo~ r advance in microeconomic
reform and is expected to have important benefits for both
Australian consumers and industry.
In essence, mutual recognition means that goods which may be
sold legally in the State or Territory where they were
produced may be sold in any other State or Territory.
Similarly with occupations, a person who is registered to
practise his or her profession in one State or Territory
would be entitled to automatic registration in any other
State or Territory.
The Heads of Government in principle agreement on mutual
recognition reflects the fact that the standards in one
State or Territory meet community expectation and ought to
be generally applicable throughout Australia. Uniform
standards and minimum essential requirements will complement
mutual recognition where these are considered essential. ) I 7
At the July Conference, Heads of Government noted that there
are certain products which may need to be exempted from
mutual recognition because a national market in those
products would not be desirable. Such products may include
firearms, fireworks, gaming and pornographic material.
They also noted that Ministers have been working to develop
national competency standards for occupations to help
resolve differences in registration and licensing
requirements between States and Territories. They agreed
that such standards should be developed for all registered
occupations and professions by the end of 1992.
The models for implementing mutual recognition which were
approved in principle by Heads of Government are set out in
detail in a Discussion Paper on the Mutual Recognition of
Standards and Regulations in Australia. The Discussion
Paper was released for public comment following the July
Conference. Heads of Government have agreed to allow an extension of one
month on the due date for responses to the Discussion Paper.
Submissions should now be forwarded to the Chairman of the
Committee on Regulatory Reform no later than 8 October 1991.
Further copies of the Discussion Paper and details of the
forthcoming seminars are available from The Commonwealth-
State Relations Secretariat in the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet ( tel 06 271 5296; fax 06 271 5540).
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