WA small businesses will be better able to adapt in the wake of COVID-19 following a significant overhaul of planning regulations announced by the State Government today. Large projects with the potential to bolster jobs and support our economic recovery will also have a faster, simpler and more coordinated planning approach to help them get started sooner.

These changes unencumber WA businesses, at a time when they will need their every resource for revival and recovery.

Critically, many change-of-use approvals will be abolished altogether, delivering a mainstay Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA recommendation. Abolishing change-of-use approvals is an important step to enable business adaptivity and growth and was directly called for in CCIWA’s Recovery Reform Roadmap. It is important that this reform be applied in the relevant regulations as widely as possible.

Our economy needs more small businesses to start up, innovate and grow into big businesses.

For decades, WA’s approvals process has been a costly and time-wasting for local business operators.

In addition to abolishing change of use approvals, certain job-creating projects like residential and commercial developments or tourism projects will be able to use a simplified assessment process overseen by the WA Planning Commission. The changes will be rightly introduced to Parliament as a matter of urgency. It is critical that the State Opposition work cooperatively with the Government to ensure the smooth passage of these changes through Parliament.

Today’s announcements will cut red tape, bolster WA’s recovery and improve our States’ planning system for the long term. We are committed to continuing our work with State and Federal Governments to secure further improvements to regulation, to alleviate costs, strengthen our skills and infrastructure and reintegrate WA into global markets, as outlined in our Roadmap.

The full CCIWA Recovery Reform Roadmap can be found here.

Chris Rodwell

CCIWA CEO