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.

Border businesses and residents have raised well over 170 border issues so far. The full list of issues raised will be available here in the second half of 2019.

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.