Premier

Victoria Cutting Red Tape For Retail Businesses

26 May 2017

The Andrews Labor Government is seeking feedback on the Draft Small Business Regulation Review (Retail Sector) Action Statement that aims to cut red tape and reduce the regulatory burden for small retail businesses.

The Government has made it a priority to decrease unnecessary regulation and the review is an opportunity for retail businesses and other Victorians to have their say before the Action Statement is released later this year.

Small retail businesses, industry associations, councils and state regulators have worked together to design these reforms to ensure the key regulatory concerns of Victoria’s small businesses are effectively addressed.

The retail review will make it easier to do business and create jobs for Victorians. It is the first of a number of reviews planned by the Victorian Government that looks at how regulation is impacting small businesses.

The draft Action Statement addresses regulatory barriers that are stopping Victorian small retail businesses from thriving and identifies four key areas of reform, including:

  1. Making it easier to discover what is needed to start and grow a business
  2. Reducing the time taken for approvals
  3. Making it easier to understand and comply with food safety regulation
  4. Making retail leases fairer and easier to understand

Victoria is Australia’s small business capital with more than 556,000 small businesses making up 97 per cent of the state’s business sector and nearly half of all private jobs.

The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources is leading the review, which is part of the Victorian Government’s broader regulatory reform program.

The draft Action Statement is available online at https://smallbizreview.economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au/External Link and Victorians are encouraged to submit their feedback by 23 June 2017.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis

“We know that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we want to hear what they have to say and find out how we can help them grow, support the economy and create jobs.”

“We’re committed to decreasing regulation for Victorian small businesses where and when we can and addressing the challenges these businesses face.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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