WA Small Business Minister Paul Papalia has announced the first three local government authorities chosen to undertake a new program to streamline approvals processes for small businesses.
- New program to smooth local government approvals processes for small businesses
- Cities of Melville, Rockingham and Wanneroo the first to take part
- Program designed to make it easier to start, operate and grow small businesses in WA
The Small Business Friendly Approvals Program will make it easier for small businesses to operate in Western Australia by smoothing the process of accessing permits and licences from local government authorities.
The program is ultimately designed to make it easier to start, operate and grow a business in WA by saving businesses time and money when interacting with local government authorities.
The cities of Melville, Rockingham and Wanneroo are the first group of councils selected to take part in the program.
“Local governments play a central role in creating an environment in which small businesses can successfully start and thrive in WA,” said Small Business Minister Paul Papalia.
“It is essential that all levels of government work together to make the operating environment as supportive as possible for our small businesses.
“The launch of the Small Business Development Corporation’s approvals program is an important expansion of the work the agency has already undertaken with the local government sector through its Small Business Friendly Local Governments initiative, which has successfully run since 2017.
“I congratulate the cities of Melville, Rockingham and Wanneroo on their selection in this important new initiative, and look forward to seeing the benefits it delivers for their local businesses.”
The Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC)-led program is funded by the McGowan Government via Streamline WA – as part of a focus on accelerating regulatory reform to support economic recovery in response to COVID-19.
The cities of Canning and Stirling successfully piloted the program with the SBDC in late 2019, identifying reform initiatives that could reduce approval timeframes for development applications by over 30 days, resulting in significant time and cost savings for small business.
Seventeen more Western Australian local governments will participate in the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program by the end of 2022.
