Edition 12 - May 2021
Happy birthday to the Regulation Policy and Practice newsletter, which is one year old this month. Thank you so much to our enthusiastic readers – the RP&P collection is now the most popular on APO, boasting more than 71,000 pageviews and 11,225 downloads.
If you’d like to take another look at the ‘greatest hits’ of our guest editorials over the last twelve months, check out
- Three steps for regulators to embrace behavioural science
- Regulatory excellence, and
- Good design leads to great digitisation for regulators
Jobs board
Great news! NRCoP corporate members now have access to FREE advertising of regulatory policy and practice roles, which will reach 5,500 subscribers to the NRCoP. Here’s the link to the advertising form NRCoP Jobs Submission Form. And to check on the new regulatory jobs opportunities: apo.org.au/jobs-regulation
In this month’s issue, experienced Queensland regulatory leader and convenor of the Queensland chapter of the NRCoP, Jarrod Cowley-Grimmond, shares his wisdom about the systemic and personal characteristics which support excellent regulatory capability.
Other content comes from a wide range of regulatory agencies and can be further explored in the Regulation Policy & Practice Collection on APO.
If you have content suggestions for this collection contact Penelope Aitken (Collections Editor, APO) paitken@apo.org.au
We also welcome topic suggestions for subsequent editions. Contact Monica Pfeffer (Director of Practitioner Engagement, ANZSOG) regulators@anzsog.edu.au
GUEST EDITORIAL
For many people, the idea of ‘regulation’ suggests investigations and prosecutions, or what I like to think of as the ‘law enforcement’ approach to regulation. While the enforcement end is undoubtedly necessary, it is more helpful to start with the overarching objective of regulation: changing the behaviour of the regulated community...
Jarrod is a senior executive with the Queensland Government with expertise in leadership, regulation, policy, project management, and corporate administration. He has been involved in advising governments on regulation of financial services, corporations, taxation, environment, markets, public health and major infrastructure.
NEW THIS MONTH
Improving ethical standards in government
Institute for Government
30 Apr 2021 | Briefing paper | Government
This report calls for new rules to extend the prohibition on former cabinet ministers lobbying government, new enforcement powers to ensure ministerial rules are followed, and greater transparency surrounding the outside interests of civil servants.
Rent controls: the next mistake in housing policy
The New Zealand Initiative
29 Apr 2021 | Report | Economics, Social issues
This paper explains the reasons rent controls in New Zealand should be avoided, with reference to some recent empirical studies on their effects.
Digital platform services inquiry: interim report no. 2 – app marketplaces
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
28 Apr 2021 | Report | Communications, Technology
This report provides in-depth consideration of competition and consumer issues associated with the distribution of mobile apps to users of smartphones and other mobile devices. It specifically focuses on the two key app marketplaces used in Australia, the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Bye-bye tax returns: a standard deduction for lower, simpler, and fairer taxes
Blueprint Institute
27 Apr 2021 | Discussion paper | Economics
This discussion paper proposes a straightforward and achievable tax reform—a standard deduction—that would lift billions of dollars worth of dead weight off taxpayers' shoulders every year.
Regulations to support the new regime for the conduct of financial institutions
Government of New Zealand
21 Apr 2021 | Discussion paper | Economics
The purpose of this discussion document is to seek feedback on possible regulations to support the new regime for the conduct of financial institutions being developed under the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill.
Review of harassment in the legal profession: final report
South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission
20 Apr 2021 | Report | Justice, Social issues
This review considered the existing South Australian regulatory framework, policies and procedures that apply to members of the legal profession and staff who work in a legal workplace, as well as best practice in responding to and preventing workplace harassment.
Central bank digital currency and governance: fit for purpose?
Centre for International Governance Innovation
19 Apr 2021 | Report | Economics, Technology
Central banks are turning their attention toward central bank digital currency (CBDC) to replace coins and bills and to provide other types of services through digital technology. This paper explores the forces that will affect the implementation of a CBDC.
A stronger corporate registry: analysis and recommendations
Transparency International Australia
13 Apr 2021 | Position paper | Economics, Justice
This paper asserts that Australia has inadequate corporate regulatory systems. This enables people who have been involved in corruption and other illegal activities to register companies in Australia.
Regulatory capability: what does it mean and how do we acquire it?
Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), National Regulators Community of Practice
13 Apr 2021 | Video | Government
In a field which has traditionally relied heavily upon ‘on the job’ training and deep domain knowledge, what would a system-wide regulatory capability approach look like? How can we best equip regulators to operate effectively in the new normal and to see themselves as part of a mobile, skilled and professional workforce?
Robots in public spaces: implications for policy design
Policy Design and Practice
6 Apr 2021 | Journal article | Built environment, Technology
By reviewing previous public policy approaches to harnessing and regulating disruptive technology, this article considers how public policy could simultaneously enhance opportunities created by the presence of robots in public spaces, and reduce the risks of undesirable outcomes.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Good foundations: why democracies should care about the wiring of the Internet
Demos
18 Mar 2021 | Report | Social issues, Technology
This paper explains what protocols are - how they work, why they matter and how they are governed. It explores the implications of this approach, and urges a closer relationship between the architects of Internet protocols and those responsible for the publics they affect.
Professional development training for regulators
National Regulators Community of Practice, Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)
14 Mar 2021 | Report | Education
This report presents analysis from an environmental scan which explored the types of training and professional development opportunities that are available for regulators in Australia and New Zealand.
Telling our story to the community: why good comms matter
National Regulators Community of Practice, Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)
1 Mar 2021 | Video | Communications, Government
Michelle Bryne provides insights on using communications across multiple platforms, reputation management and engagement management to increase community awareness, engagement and respect for regulators and their work.
Top quartile regulator report: phase 1 - March 2021
Ontario Energy Board
1 Mar 2021 | Report | Built environment, Technology
The report summarises research conducted on best practices and ideas from other jurisdictions and examines areas where the Ontario Energy Board should improve its performance, through a series of proposed initiatives.
Media reform green paper: modernising television regulation in Australia
Government of Australia
21 Dec 2020 | Discussion paper | Communications, Economics
This discussion paper outlines the Australian government's next stage of proposed media reforms, to support the Australian media industry and to enhance the range and quality of services and content available nationally. Submissions to this paper are due by 23 May 2021.
Getting the point: review of continuing professional development for Victorian lawyers
Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner
25 Nov 2020 | Report | Justice
This review makes 28 recommendations to improve the Continuing Professional Development regime for lawyers in Victoria.
Why do people comply? COVID-19 compliance behaviours in international and local perspective
Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), National Regulators Community of Practice
3 Jun 2020 | Video | Government, Health
Getting people to behave in desirable ways (or cease behaving in undesirable ones) is a critical outcome for regulators. While we struggle to save lives and flatten the curve, COVID-19 is providing behavioural and compliance researchers with a natural policy experiment in why people do and don’t do what they’re told, and how this differs across countries and cultures.
Learning to be better regulators: the G-Reg journey
National Regulators Community of Practice
12 May 2020 | Video | Education, Government
Tony McKenna from Skills NZ explains New Zealand’s journey to ‘regulatory stewardship’, including designing and are delivering an accredited learning and development framework fit for purpose and equipped for 21st century challenges.
Creating a culture of independence: practical guidance against undue influence
OECD Publishing
26 Apr 2017 | Report | Economics
The independence of regulators is constantly under stress. This report provides practical advice on how to address stress points and protect economic regulators from undue influence, drawing on the experience of over 80 regulators that participate in the OECD Network of Economic Regulators.
Customer engagement in regulation
Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation
15 Feb 2016 | Discussion paper | Economics
This discussion paper considers customer engagement as a means to an end, namely, one that seeks to reduce, if not eliminate the role of regulatory agencies. For other authors, customer-engagement processes offer the promise of a genuine entrenchment of citizen interests in the regulated process.
UPCOMING FREE EVENTS
Thursday 13 May
12pm - 1pm (AEST)
Facilitator: Arie Freiberg Emeritus Professor, Monash University)
Presenters: Jenness Gardner (CEO, Economic Regulation Authority (ERA) WA) and Kerri Melkersson Executive Director Occupational Health and Hygiene, RSHQ)
Frequently criticised by business, poorly maintained by many regulators, yet still our most-used regulatory tool: come and learn the pros and cons of licensing and its variants.
Wednesday 26 May
12pm - 1pm (AEST)
Facilitator: Dr Lorraine Cherney (Manager, ANZSOG/National Regulators Community of Practice)
Presenters: Dr Rebecca Foley (Regulatory Stewardship branch, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) and Professor Jeroen van der Heijden (Chair, Regulatory Practice, Victoria University of Wellington)
‘Regulatory stewardship’ is a concept whose moment has (apparently) come. But what does it actually mean in practice, particularly in New Zealand where it’s been implemented since 2013 across two different governments and three Prime Ministers?
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