The ACT government says it wants to make it easier for businesses - like clubs, bars and music venues - to operate as part of Canberra's night-time economy, under a new plan to update the ACT's business regulation scheme.
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A review of government procurement processes will also be tasked with finding ways to make it easier for small and medium businesses to secure public contracts.
The government says it is updating the way businesses in the night-time and entertainment economy are regulated, in a regulation agenda to be released on Wednesday following a review of business regulation in the territory.
The plan includes changes to planning laws to provide a city entertainment precinct, a part of the Labor and Greens power-sharing agreement.
The regulation agenda said the ACT's business community had raised concerns about how the night-time economy was regulated, including in areas such as noise management, approvals and the fee burden.
"This will ensure that the regulatory arrangements for the night-time and entertainment economy are meeting their intended objectives efficiently and effectively in a complex and changing environment," the agenda said.
The Better Regulation Taskforce, which was established after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, heard from businesses there was a need for more flexible regulation and a need to better coordinate with on processing approvals.
"A review of the regulatory arrangements affecting the entertainment economy could result in a fundamental re-organisation of legislation and regulatory practice in areas including land use, food and beverage regulation, and noise control," the government's regulation agenda said.
"It would also consider appropriate alternatives to arrangements currently requiring prior approval."
The government said it would run a broad review of procurement processes for small and medium enterprise
"This measure acknowledges the importance of government procurement to business in the ACT. It includes a wide-ranging review of many components of the procurement framework," the agenda said.
Better Regulation Minister Tara Cheyne said the document would map out "the ACT government's agenda to make it easier to start, run and grow a business in the ACT through best practice regulation and by simplifying interactions between business and government".
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
