The federal government has renamed the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) and done away with Regulation Impact Statements.

The OBPR will now be known as the Office of Impact Analysis (OIA), Assistant Minister to the PM Patrick Gorman told a public sector forum last week.

The OBPR was established within the DPMC to administer regulatory impact statements and help policy makers consider the impact of their policies on business, individual and the community.

Its reincarnation as the OIA represented an ‘evolution’ of its functions, Mr Gorman said.

“The OIA sees all forthcoming policy changes and reviews thousands of new policy proposals each year and publishes complete analyses online for all to see,” Mr Gorman told the forum in Adelaide.

“Their core business is ensuring the total effect of policies is understood.”

RISs no longer in use

Regulation Impact Statements, which required the completion of a detailed cost-benefit analysis, are no longer in use, the OIA website says.

In a video message on the website Mr Gorman says the OIA will help “unpick the complexity” of policy making.

“The OIA stands right at the DPMC and at the centre of policy making in the APS,” he says.

“The team helps across the APS to look at the impact of policy proposals from all possible angles then make clear recommendations to help government choose the best path forward.”

Mr Gorman told the Public Sector Governance forum on Friday that the power of the public sector should be used to improve Australian lives, and that good governance lay at the heart of robust and effective policy.

“Setting a high standard means being prepared to put policies already in effect under the microscope,” the minister said.

“Likewise with agencies. We simply must have confidence that government agencies are fit-for-purpose.”

Charter of partnerships

He also hinted there would soon be news on the new APS Charter of Partnerships and Engagement announced in August, which he said would support people-focused services.

Flagging the Charter last month, Public Service minister Katy Gallagher said it was part of the government’s move to create a trusted and transparent public service.

“The Charter of Partnerships and Engagement that makes a promise about how we work to ensure the public service is a trusted and transparent partner that puts people and business at the centre of policy, implementation and delivery,” she said in a speech to the IPAA in October.

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