Rising regulatory burden is estimated to have added at least $5.5 billion in business-related compliance costs over the last five financial years. This report highlights the increasing complexity of Australia’s regulatory framework. It identifies regulatory reform as one of the most significant opportunities to unlock productivity gains and secure Australia’s future prosperity.

This report, based upon responses from 225 senior leaders from across Australian industry, provides critical insights into how leaders anticipate the coming year. Industry leaders have identified three pressures that will define 2026: the return of inflation, mounting regulatory burden and persistent workforce pressures.

There has been a rise in excessively stringent regulation across the Australian economy, Australia will need to reform these regulatory systems to meet its goals to increase housing supply and manage the energy transition. To date, no analysis has tracked Australian regulatory restrictions by industry. This paper presents a starting point for a new measure.

The report ranks Australia's' states and territories based on planning systems, payroll taxes, property taxes and charges, retail trading hours, workers’ compensation premiums, duties on insurance and licences and requirements to do business. It identifies good regulatory and tax practices across Australia, to highlight what is working well and encourage states and territories to learn...

A survey report of more than 1,100 Australian business owners and decision-making managers. It makes clear that the pressures on small businesses have intensified. Rising costs, workforce shortages, mounting compliance obligations and mental health strain are stretching owners to their limits. The report provides both a warning and a call to action for policymakers.