Cross border issues

Issues reported to the Cross Border Commissioner are usually one of three types:

• Some are about different rules – like the varying rules for L and P plate drivers, or multiple licensing for tradespeople. Fixing these usually means changing rules.
• Others are the result of different policies and practices – state A does it this way, state B does it that way. Both might be reasonable, but when you live in the middle of the two, it can get messy.
• The third type are opportunities for joint effort. For example: “Wouldn’t it be better if we could market our tourism offerings together rather than separately?” It’s not about rules, it’s about working together.

So far, some common issues are:

• Rules for L and P Plate drivers – learning to drive is hard enough, yet our young drivers are also faced with a complicated and difficult to comprehend system of different rules and conditions, which change when they drive across a border.
• TAFE access – both rules and practices can make it hard for a business to access TAFE training for their apprentices and trainees over the border which is often where the most convenient, or even the only feasible, service is provided.
• Responsible Service of Alcohol – despite a national accreditation being introduced for the Responsible Service of Alcohol, there are rules and practices in each State that make it impractical to use the accreditation interstate.