Speaking at the launch of Victoria’s 11th Small Business Festival, Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis today announced a government-wide review to cut red tape and reduce the regulatory burden on Victoria’s small businesses.
With the average small business in Australia spending around five hours per week on red tape, regulatory barriers are having a significant impact on the day-to-day operations of our small business community.
Over the next two years, the Andrews Labor Government will examine how regulation is impacting Victoria’s almost 542,000 small businesses across three sectors of the state’s economy, with Victoria’s retail sector to be the first focus.
Retail reflects the regulatory experience of the vast majority of small businesses, with up to 30 per cent of all small businesses in Victoria involved in some form of retail.
With 95 per cent of Victoria’s retail businesses employing 20 people or less, negotiating the regulatory steps needed for day-to-day tasks, such as putting up a sign or preparing a food safety plan, places tremendous strain on their resources.
The Labor Government’s conversation with the small business community will be guided by an Issues Paper that will give small business retailers the opportunity to submit their regulatory concerns and frustrations from.
Small businesses can have their say at one of the industry roundtable events that will be held across the state in metropolitan and regional Victoria or online at from 1 August 2016.
Small businesses are also encouraged to take advantage of the support available through the this year’s Small Business Festival Victoria, which will deliver more than 450 free or low-cost events across metropolitan Melbourne and eight regional host sites throughout August .
Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Philip Dalidakis
“Regulation is vital to keeping Victoria’s workplaces and services safe and secure, but it is equally important when we can remove it, we do. We don't want to saddle the business community with an unnecessary burden or drain in compliance costs.”
"Small businesses are the backbone of our strong economic growth, they bring people and communities together and support local jobs – we are making sure their time and resources are not wasted on burdensome red tape."
Quotes attributable to Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association, Russell Zimmerman
“The Australian Retailers Association supports this regulation review into the retail sector – it is great that the Victorian Government is acknowledging that we need to make it easier for retail businesses to develop and grow.”
“We will work with the Victorian Government to remove the burdensome red tape that Victoria’s small retail businesses are experiencing each day when they want to put up a sign, reissue a food safety plan or renew their lease.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020