25 June 2019
Hon Marlene Kairouz MP
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming & Liquor Regulation
Level 16, 121 Exhibition Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
Dear Minister
Statement of Expectations for 2019-21
On 24 June 2019 you provided your Statement of Expectations (SOE) for Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) and the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) for 2019-21 (please take reference to CAV in this letter as including the BLA). The SOE communicated your expectations for CAV to contribute to the Government’s program to reduce red tape affecting businesses, not-for-profit organisations, government service providers and households by promoting greater efficiency and effectiveness in the administration and enforcement of regulation.
We will initiate appropriate projects to achieve the outcomes identified in your statement. Specific responses to your initiatives are detailed below.
Improved timeliness
| Make it easier for licensees and registrants to submit required data online, check on their application status and remain compliant with their obligations. |
CAV will continue to reduce the time required by operators of licensing and registration schemes to interact with us via more efficient digital services. This is being achieved through migration of legacy systems into a single enterprise-wide application.
A new fundraising scheme online platform will enhance web-based service delivery and reduce the time required by registrants to complete transactions and communicate with CAV.
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Reduce red tape and duplicated reporting requirements for registered fundraisers
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CAV will continue to work with fundraising bodies to reduce the administrative burden of duplicated reporting requirements for registered fundraisers.
Amending legislation to minimise duplication of reporting requirements by fundraisers is anticipated in late 2019, with the implementation date likely to be 1 July 2020.
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Risk based strategies
| Embed CAV compliance operations to concentrate on areas of greatest risk to the achievement of regulatory outcomes. |
CAV will continue to embed and refine its compliance model to ensure that risk is at the centre of compliance decision making. This will involve strengthening the risk assessment process and enhancing compliance intelligence to inform inspection targeting. |
Compliance related assistance and advice
| Provide online and easy to understand advice in relation to the updated Residential Tenancies Act 1997. |
Reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 are being introduced in stages, with all reforms commencing by 1 July 2020.
CAV will develop a single source of online information for renters and rental providers to access comprehensive and easy to understand advice about their rights and responsibilities under the new laws.
This will assist in empowering renters and rental providers to independently resolve issues.
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In implementing these measures, we will consult with relevant stakeholders in industry, the community and other government agencies. We will report our progress against your targets in our Annual Report.
We are proud of our record to date in refocusing our service delivery to better meet the needs of consumers and businesses.
In line with the Victorian Government’s commitment to an ongoing reduction in the administrative burden of regulation, we will continue to identify and implement burden reduction initiatives.
Yours sincerely
Sam Jenkin
Executive Director, Regulatory Services
Director, Consumer Affairs Victoria