Parliamentary inquiry into impediments to business investment

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics has commenced an inquiry into the impediments to business investment in Australia and is calling for submissions.

The Chair of the committee, Sarah Henderson MP, said that the committee will examine how government at all levels can better support business investment in Australia.

Ms Henderson said, ‘it is vital that regulatory frameworks and government policies at the Commonwealth and state levels foster an environment that encourages business investment. Empowering businesses to invest in new productive capacity supports innovation and helps create jobs.’

The Intergovernmental Review of Business Investment (September 2017) revealed a complex mix of structural and cyclical factors as well as institutional and policy factors that are influencing business investment in Australia.

The terms of reference asks the Standing Committee on Economics to inquire into and report on:

• the interaction between regulatory frameworks across all levels of Government and how the cumulative regulatory burden can be reduced to support greater business investment;
• the impact of innovation policies, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, on business investment and the role of innovation policies in encouraging greater business investment, having regard to approaches taken in other countries;
• the role that taxation policy, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, can have on the encouragement of new business investment;
• the role that energy policies, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, can have on the encouragement of new business investment; and
• the impact of supplier payment times, including by governments, on business investment for small to medium enterprises.

Submissions are being sought by Friday, 11 May 2018. Submissions can be made online or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For information about the inquiry visit the committee’s webpage at: www.aph.gov.au/economics

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