Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry
Today, I convened a meeting of state and territory Treasurers to advance key reforms to modernise Australia’s economy.
Whether it’s building more homes, streamlining approvals or cutting red tape to save tradies time and money, we’re working together to make our economy more productive and competitive.
We are maintaining substantial reform momentum in the areas agreed at the Economic Reform Roundtable.
National Competition Policy
Treasurers finalised an updated National Competition Policy Federation Funding Agreement Schedule, adding these new reforms:
- Single National Market for workers – occupational licensing reforms, partnering with employers and unions, to make it easier for skilled labour to work in different states prioritising electrical and engineering occupations
- Single National Market for goods – harmonising standards for household electrical consumer goods, waste and recycled products, building and construction, and a Commonwealth‑only reform on food standards
- Heavy vehicle reforms to boost productivity and increase the uptake of electric heavy vehicles
- Allowing health practitioners to work at their full scope of practice to improve productivity and reduce costs in the health sector.
States that implement these reforms will receive payments from the $900 million National Productivity Fund.
The Commonwealth will also:
- Extend our ‘Right to Repair’ reforms to agricultural machinery
- Legislate our ban on non‑compete clauses to boost wages
- Continue work on a national screening process for workers in the care and support sectors.
We identified these reform priorities at the Economic Reform Roundtable I convened in August and in our cooperation with the states and territories.
Skills
The Economic Reform Roundtable identified better skills recognition as an essential part of delivering a Single National Market for workers.
Treasurers agreed to prioritise work on recognising skills in areas of acute demand such as construction, health and emerging industries, including:
- accessible Recognised Prior Learning for onshore humanitarian, family and secondary skilled visa holders and domestic students in areas of need,
- embedding occupational licensing within the skills assessment process required for skilled visas, and
- requiring skills assessing authorities to improve the timeliness of migrant skills assessments and help migrants navigate the skills recognition process.
The reforms complement our agenda including making Free TAFE permanent, the Key Apprenticeships Program and the $12.6 billion National Skills Agreement.
Housing supply
Treasurers agreed to boost housing supply and increase the uptake of Modern Methods of Construction including:
- Improving data transparency regarding underutilised private and government land and buildings
- Developing data dashboards on planning, land use and housing supply, and
- Improving Commonwealth and state infrastructure charging models.
Treasurers will advance this work in 2026, supported by a housing supply and construction productivity work plan.
Treasurers were updated on progress made in clearing the backlog of 26,000 dwellings waiting for approval under federal environment laws, with more than 8,000 approved since August; the work states are undertaking to reform zoning and planning; and the work of building ministers who have paused non‑essential changes to the National Construction Code.
Regulation and approvals
Landmark reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biosecurity Act passed through Parliament today that not only protect the environment for future generations but also deliver for business and the community by helping speed up decision‑making for projects in key areas of national priority like housing, renewable energy and critical minerals.
Supporting this, Treasurers decided Commonwealth Front Door and state counterpart agencies will strike bilateral agreements to identify and prioritise nationally significant projects – such as clean energy, critical minerals and heavy industry projects – which require coordinated approvals.
Streamlining approval pathways for new data centres was an agreed priority, with the next CFFR meeting to consider approvals and barriers for data centre projects and issues related to the cumulative demand for land, energy and water use.
Health
Treasurers discussed the ongoing negotiations on the National Health Reform Agreement and NDIS reforms.
Road user charging
Treasurers discussed the work currently being led by the Commonwealth on Road User Charging.
The principle of simplicity is a high priority, and Treasurers reaffirmed that any changes would be phased to enable the productivity, climate and consumer benefits of increasing electric vehicle uptake over the coming years.
From better regulation, our efforts to build more homes or support skilled workers to work across jurisdictions, we’ve got a big and broad productivity agenda with our state and territory colleagues.
We know the best way to improve living standards is to make our economy more productive and resilient and our budget more sustainable and that’s our focus.