Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission was established by the former Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Labor governments. I think I could end my speech there, really, because that just about says it all. Their record in producing regulatory burden for every sector of our economy knew no bounds. One of the jobs that the new Abbott government has had to do is clean up this regulatory nightmare that has occurred to the Australian community over the last six years. Fixing up this regulatory mess is what this government is hell-bent on doing. We have started the process and started it well, but more needs to be done. When it came to the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments, it seemed that they wanted to have a purpose. The way they made a purpose was to find a problem where a problem did not exist and then place a solution upon it. That solution always involved asking: how can we regulate more? Is there any other area where we could regulate? Can we go to areas where there are no problems and can we place a regulation? That is exactly what occurred in this area.

The Abbott government, when it was in opposition, made it extremely clear. We opposed this legislation which set up this regulatory behemoth. We said we would get rid of it—and get rid of it we will. We have already started the process, in fact. It is being done in conjunction with a lot of other acts being repealed. We had regulation repeal day. I see my friend the member for Kooyong is in the chamber here today. He has led the charge to make sure that this red tape, which is slowly strangling every part of the Australian community, is reduced, that we stop this burden that we are placing on every aspect of our community.

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