Page 271 - Week 01 - Thursday, 12 February 2015

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DR BOURKE: Chief Minister, what is the government doing to help Canberrans, business and community groups get the streamlined government approvals they need?

MR BARR: Access Canberra is obviously the principal avenue now for business, community groups and individuals to access permits, approvals and licences. This is an important one-stop-shop service for Canberrans. It has been very well received. I note that already Access Canberra has had a number of interventions that have assisted organisations to achieve their goals, not least of which is to ensure that, where there are multi-site events where multiple areas of regulation overlap, Access Canberra has been able to work cooperatively with event organisers in order to ensure that events and activities go ahead.

We have also recently established a new online service that provides a one-stop shop for approvals for businesses applying for licences for outdoor eating. Access Canberra will provide more services and approvals online over time, making it even easier to access regulatory approval services for the ACT community.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.

MS PORTER: Minister, how do individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and community groups benefit from streamlined access to permits, licences and approvals?

MR BARR: We do take health and safety regulation very seriously, and whether it is road safety work, food safety work or building safety it is important that rules are well understood and that standards are met. But through the no wrong door policy, Access Canberra can provide all of the advice that businesses, individual organisers and community groups need in one place.

A streamlined approach to access to approvals and information certainly will make life easier for anyone looking to host a new event or launch a new initiative in our city—an example here being someone who needs to register a business vehicle and apply for a security licence would have needed to go to two different places in order to get those regulatory approvals. There is now a one-stop shop in place. That will make it easier and simpler and a more effective form of regulation in the territory.

MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Fitzharris.

MS FITZHARRIS: Minister, what has Access Canberra already done to help ACT businesses and community groups?

MR BARR: Access Canberra is working with a variety of businesses to assist them with multiple approvals, permits and licences that they need to run their business or event. It is working on digital solutions to yield benefits for business and the community. Many services, such as motor vehicle registration, are already provided online, but we need to continue that process and have more and more services available online. Access Canberra will continue to work to help people, businesses and community groups take advantage of existing online services, make them easier to use and provide mobile options for use on smart phones and tablets so that interactions with government can happen on the go.


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