It's traditional that Australia's Governor General makes a speech at the opening of each new parliament setting out the government's proposed legislative program.

Yesterday the new Governor General His Excellency General the Hon. David John Hurley, AC, DSC, FTSE (Retd) delivered the Morrison government's program - you can find it in full here - commencing page 13.

I was delighted to read that regulatory reform and industrial relations is to be a key focus area.  Here's the relevant extract from the speech:

While Australia is on track to achieve 28 years of economic growth—a modern economic wonder—there are economic headwinds. Protectionist sentiment and trade conflicts abroad, drought and flood, and a necessary moderation of the housing market at home.

An essential driver of grown is cooperative, productive and confident businesses—of which investment is an essential outcome.

To strengthen investment, my government will undertake renewed regulatory reform.

It will partner with businesses in identifying the barriers, blockages and bottlenecks to investment.

Confidence to invest relies on productive and harmonious workplaces.

This means tackling lawlessness in workplaces whenever and wherever it may occur. My government will introduce legislation to deal with registered organisations and individuals who break the law.

It will prohibit officials who are not fit and proper persons from holding office, and stop the misuse of worker entitlement funds.

As well, the Minister for Industrial Relations is reviewing the impediments to shared workplace gains for employers and employees.

This work will be evidence based. It will protect the rights and entitlements of workers and identify a way forward that will benefit our economy and, most importantly, the workers who rely on it.

ENDS

That's good news.  Given the elected government's declared focus on tackling lawlessness in workplaces whenever and wherever it may occur it'll be much harder to argue that prosecutions aren't in the public interest - as happened in Victoria and WA with the AWU Scandal.

We will be making the absolute most of the government's agenda!

Watch this space.