Business developers and community groups in Canberra will benefit from a new single-service government authority, streamlining access to permits, licenses and approvals.
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Announced on Tuesday by Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Access Canberra will combine services provided now by agencies including Canberra Connect and the Office of Regulatory Services.
Panned by the opposition, the reorganisation of some staff prompted Head of Service Kathy Leigh to reassure public servants the changes were designed to improve service and not to find savings in the bureaucracy.
Ms Leigh emailed staff on Tuesday explaining plans for the new service, to be based in the Chief Minister and Treasury directorate, were still being finalised.
Mr Barr said its formation, which was a result of stories of long approval processes and contradictory information from across government, would be revenue neutral.
He said regulatory reform and reductions in bureaucracy would be a priority of his tenure as Chief Minister.
"We want to work very closely with the business community and with entrepreneurs to facilitate this new level of activity and investment in Canberra," Mr Barr said.
"Essentially this is part of an overall goal for the ACT government to take on a much stronger enabling role, to deliver fantastic things on the ground in our city."
Akiba restaurant co-owner Michael Harrington said changes to processes could help bring high-quality and creative businesses to Canberra.
The Bunda Street business, run by the team behind Sage Restaurant in Braddon, opened this week after more than a year of planning.
"We've really had a tough time getting it to where it is now," Mr Harrington said. "If this process of Access Canberra had been in place, it would have minimised the time and definitely minimised the resignation of trying to do something that stands out for Canberra."
Opposition economic development spokesman Brendan Smyth said Mr Barr was confessing government policies had not met the needs of business.
"We have been critical of this government for the past decade for their approach to red tape and regulation and the way they have got in front of business and slowed it down, rather than helping business get on with the job of creating jobs, creating profit, building assets and investing in this city," Mr Smyth said.
