Labor pledges to tackle red tape

It must be that time of the pseudo election campaign, when the pollies roll out promises to cut red tape.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has pledge to appoint a cabinet minister to oversee cuts to business regulation, while a senior official would enforce the cuts and restrictions.

He also promised a “one in-one out” approach, by which a new rule could only be imposed after another is cut, an approach that some state governments are already taking.

The Minister for Small Business, Fran Bailey, says Labor’s policies overall will create more red tape. “It will create more than 67 new bureaucracies and establish 96 reviews if elected.”