Small Business Friendly Approvals Program

The SBDC's Small Business Friendly Approvals Program was initiated to streamline the process of obtaining business licences and trading permits from local government authorities.

It was funded by the WA Government under the Streamline WA initiative to accelerate regulatory reform to support economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $2.2 million program built on two successful pilots undertaken with the Cities of Canning and Stirling in late 2019. Undertaken between January 2021 and April 2023, the Approvals Program enabled the SBDC to partner with 20 local government authorities to identify approvals reform initiatives to streamline the approvals process and help small businesses start, relocated and grow in their local communities.

Participating local governments

The SBDC partnered with the following local governments on the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program:

• City of Armadale
• Shire of Boddington (information session)
• Shire of Broome (masterclass)
• City of Bunbury
• City of Busselton
• Town of Cambridge
• Shire of Chittering
• City of Cockburn
• Shire of Esperance
• City of Joondalup
• City of Karratha
• City of Kwinana
• City of Mandurah (masterclass)
• City of Melville
• Shire of Nannup
• City of Rockingham
• City of Subiaco
• Town of Victoria Park
• City of Wanneroo
• City of Vincent

Program outcomes

This collaborative approach has resulted in:

• 213 local government staff participating in human-centred design workshop sessions.
• 499 reforms identified by participating local governments, with 78 per cent started or completed.

Expanded program outcomes will be published soon.

Interested parties can contact us for more information about the Small Business Friendly Approvals Program and regulatory reform to support small businesses in Western Australia.