Regulatory Alerts2026-05-19
ASIC continues to ease regulatory burden
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released Report 830 to detail its ongoing efforts to simplify regulatory guidance and reduce compliance burdens for businesses. Key achievements include modernizing digital services to increase electronic lodgements by 380 percent, updating 280 website landing pages, and developing sector-based roadmaps to clarify obligations for small companies and financial advice firms. Looking ahead, ASIC will prioritize collaboration with APRA to streamline data requests and expand the RegistryConnect program to further enhance digital service efficiency.
ASIC has taken further steps towards clearer regulation, expanding digital services capability, streamlining its website, and simplifying regulatory guidance.
ASIC Chair Joe Longo said the outcomes highlighted in Report 830 Regulatory simplification progress report ( REP 830 ) commitment to making regulation clearer, more accessible and easier to navigate.
‘Regulatory complexity continues to be a challenge for Australian businesses by increasing costs, slowing innovation, creating unnecessary barriers and risking poorer consumer outcomes,’ Mr Longo said.
‘We have listened to feedback through our extensive engagement with the regulated community and will continue to explore opportunities to remove barriers within our control. Our efforts will focus on striking the right balance to ensure we maintain the strong protections that make Australia an attractive place to invest and do business.’
In response to feedback received following the release of Regulatory simplification ( REP 813 ) in September 2025, ASIC also has:
Developed clearer guidance and simplified legislative instruments to ensure they are easy to understand , while implementing sector-based regulatory roadmaps to help small company directors and financial advice businesses understand their obligations.
Improved access to regulatory information on ASIC’s website with 280 form landing pages updated to make it easier for industry to comply with regulatory obligations.
Modernised digital services , which have driven a 380% increase in forms available for electronic lodgement, resulting in 45,000 fewer paper-based lodgements annually, simplifying how businesses interact with ASIC.
REP 830 also outlines ASIC’s collaboration with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) on initiatives to reduce regulatory burden about data collection, as part of the Council of Financial Regulators on better regulation . These include strengthening engagement between regulators and industry and reducing inconsistencies in data collection.
ASIC’s upcoming simplification work will focus on the development of sector‑based regulatory roadmaps, improving ASIC registers through the RegistryConnect program, and expanding digital transactions.
For the next six months ASIC will prioritise working with APRA and other regulators to streamline and consolidate data requests and support the Government’s law reform, promoting productivity. In 2027, the focus will be on RegistryConnect to deliver streamlined digital services for company registrations.
‘We are deliberately prioritising initiatives that deliver the greatest benefit and are consulting openly with industry. I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed their insights, ideas, and time to improve our simplification agenda,’ Mr Longo said.
‘Together, we can create a regulatory framework that supports compliance, fosters innovation and strengthens trust in Australia’s financial system.’
Download
Report 830 Regulatory simplification progress report