1. Purpose
Established by the Western Australian Premier, the Streamline WA Steering Committee (the steering committee) works closely with the Council of Regulators (COR) to provide a public-private peak collaborative forum for modernising and streamlining regulation, regulatory practices, and approval timeframes.
The steering committee also fosters, supports, and advises into strategic partnerships across the public sector, the community and business to promote regulatory reform practices that reduce barriers and costs of doing business in Western Australia, while still supporting better regulation that protects the public interest.
2. Key responsibilities
- Provide opportunity for business and community representatives to contribute ideas and issues, and to work with government to co-design business regulation reforms.
- Inform cross-sector systemic and cultural reforms to regulatory practices, alignment with other government priorities, and collaborative implementation of projects and allocation of resources through the COR.
- In consultation with COR, establish appropriate working groups consisting of government, industry and community representatives to explore regulatory pain points and to enable co design and collaboration in the identification, prioritisation, and progression of regulatory reform projects.
- Recommend to government major new reform proposals to be considered, including essential budget supplementation where relevant.
- Implement recommendations referred from Cabinet and the Treasurer on state, national and other pre-existing regulatory reform priorities.
- Refer government-approved initiatives and priorities to COR to work collaboratively with industry, business and community to develop solutions and for implementation.
- Consider advice received from independent bodies including the Office of the Auditor General and the Economic Regulation Authority.
Work with the Council of Regulators to:
- Contribute to monitoring and reporting to government on the development and implementation of major new reforms and progress towards streamlining business regulation.
- Align with national regulatory reform initiatives where they impact on Western Australia and are in Western Australia’s interests.
3. Chairperson
In the event the Chair is unavailable, the Deputy Chair will chair the meeting.
4. Membership
The steering committee comprises:
- a Chair
- Deputy Chair
- Eight members from across industry/business/community sectors.
Other government members may be appointed for a nominated period as approved by the Chair.
In the event of a member being unable to attend meetings, the Chair will consider, on individual merits, whether a proxy can attend on their behalf.
5. Expectations of members
Members have an obligation to:
- act honestly and to exercise powers for their proper purposes
- constructively contribute and provide an informed perspective on matters discussed
- respect confidentiality requirements
- manage conflicts of interest
- act in good faith
- advise when an organisation perspective is being expressed.
6. Term of office
Government members are appointed to the committee for the term of their appointment to their equivalent Council of Regulators position.
Members, other than government members, are appointed by the Treasurer for a one year term. Subject to approval, these members are eligible for reappointment by the Treasurer for a further term.
Participation in the steering committee is voluntary.
7. Observers and presenters
Observers nominated by a member may attend a meeting of the steering committee, subject to the approval of the Chair.
A person, either internal or external to the public sector, can make a presentation to a meeting of the steering committee, if invited or approved by the Chair of that meeting in advance of the meeting.
8. Decision-making
Any decisions of the steering committee are to be made by members by consensus with the Chair and Deputy Chair also having member status.
Where consensus cannot be reached by the members, the Chair, as the accountable authority, will form the decision.
Observers and presenters do not have any decision-making powers.
Proxies, if approved by the Chair, will have the same decision-making powers as that of the member they represent.
8. Quorum
Meetings require a quorum of three members, including at least the Chair.
9. Confidentiality
Members, observers and presenters must operate in a legislative and public policy environment for the benefit of the public sector, the community and business. All electronic and written information, and matters and opinions discussed, are considered confidential unless the Chair expressly communicates their release external to the committee.
10. Meetings
Meetings are held quarterly with additional meetings called by the Chair as necessary.
Late agenda items can be included for a meeting by approval of the meeting Chair.
Issues raised by members under other business at a meeting of the steering committee are considered for discussion if the Chair considers it appropriate and as time permits, otherwise the matter is deferred to the next meeting or out-of-session.
The minutes of the meeting are recorded by the secretariat and provided to members for approval at subsequent meetings.
11. Secretariat support
Treasury will coordinate and provide secretariat support to the committee, including the following:
- Confirm and advise members of meeting dates, including a future meeting plan.
- Call for agenda items, using an agreed format, with supporting papers due at least one week in advance.
- Prepare and distribute the agenda and supporting papers for each meeting at least three working days prior to the meeting.
- Record the meeting outcomes and distribute minutes to members, with an updated action log and timeframes for delivery.
- Coordinate and facilitate completion of actions to ensure the maximum effectiveness of subsequent meetings.
- Maintain communication networks with project teams and, where relevant, sector lead agencies to ensure the timely flow of actions across Streamline WA.
- Manage the membership of the committee, including new and reappointments.
Member agencies of the Council of Regulators provide policy advice; and may be required to develop papers in support of agenda items as determined by the Chair.
12. Review
The steering committee has the opportunity to review the Terms of Reference on an annual basis to provide optimal effectiveness.
