Communiqués
Council of Australian Governments
10 February 2006, Canberra
A new national reform agenda
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) held its 17th meeting today in Canberra. The Council, comprising the Prime Minister, Premiers, Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, had detailed discussions on a number of issues of national importance.
This was an historic meeting with significant outcomes. All governments have seized a unique opportunity to work together to deliver a substantial new National Reform Agenda embracing human capital, competition and regulatory reform streams.
The National Reform Agenda is aimed at further raising living standards and improving services by lifting the nation's productivity and workforce participation over the next decade.
COAG agreed to concrete, practical initiatives in the areas of improved health services, skills recognition, infrastructure regulation and planning and a lessened regulatory burden on business.
COAG discussed mental health as an issue of national significance.
COAG also discussed national pandemic preparedness, counter-terrorism and biofuels.
The communiqué sets out the agreed outcomes of COAG's deliberations.
Attachments to the communiqué provide additional detail.
Download COAG Communiqué (RTF 1.4 MB)
Download COAG Communiqué PDF 262 kB)Contents of the communiqué
- A new national reform agenda
- Human capital
- Competition
- Reducing the regulatory burden
- Implementing the national reform agenda
- Better health for all australians
- Mental health
- A new national approach to apprenticeships, training and skills recognition
- Other issues
- Pandemic prevention and preparedness
- Counter-terrorism
- Indigenous issues
- Biofuels
- Cloning and human embryo research legislation review (the Lockhart review)
- Future meeting
- Attachment A. National reform agenda: Human capital stream
- Attachment B. National competition policy review
- Attachment C. Council of Australian Governments' plan for collaborative action on climate change
- Attachment D .Better health for all Australians
- Attachment E. National health call centre network
- Attachment F. Addressing skills shortages through a national approach to apprenticeships, training and skills recognition
- Attachment G. Details and process for Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) review of counter-terrorism legislation
- Attachment H. National emergency protocol
- Appendix A. Ministerial council on energy reform agenda
- Appendix B. Review of economic costs of freight infrastructure and efficient approaches to transport pricing
- Appendix C. Work schedule for harmonising and reforming road and rail regulations
- Appendix D. Review of urban congestion trends, impacts and solutions
- Appendix E. Competition and Infrastructure Reform Agreement, 10 February 2006
Council of Australian Governments
10 February, Canberra
