Informing practical red tape reform in South Australia

The Review, initiated by the Premier, focuses on reducing unnecessary state and local government regulatory burden on businesses in South Australia.

As part of the consultation process, LGA participated in the Commission’s six-question survey and also provided an additional submission outlining come opportunities where red tape could be reduced.

Our response

Survey highlights

In answering the Commission’s survey questions, LGA highlighted several key strengths of the current regulatory framework:

• quality of South Australia’s planning system: SA’s planning system provides a consistent and transparent framework for development assessment, supporting housing supply and economic growth while providing certainty for applicants and communities
• importance of the principle of subsidiarity, particularly in management of the road network: Councils are best placed to make decisions on local roads and infrastructure because they understand local needs, priorities and community expectations
• importance of occupational licensing and registration schemes: Licensing and registration schemes help maintain professional standards, support public safety and provide confidence in regulated services (e.g. food inspections).

LGA also highlighted several areas where regulatory requirements may be creating unnecessary costs and delays for councils, businesses and communities, including:

• native vegetation regulations impacting development in regional cities and towns
• limited flexibility for metropolitan councils to determine waste service arrangements
• food safety inspection requirements and administrative processes
• cost shifting, where responsibilities are transferred to councils without corresponding funding.

Submission highlights

In a separate submission, LGA identified additional opportunities to reduce red tape and improve efficiency across local government, including:

• procurement requirements
• concessions administration
• community land management processes
• outdoor dining regulation.

Read our full survey and submission responses

LGA looks forward to working with the Commission to identify practical reforms that reduce unnecessary regulatory burden while maintaining important community, environmental and public safety outcomes.

Find out more

For more information regarding LGA’s submission on Red Tape review, contact LGA Manager Policy, James Holyman at james.holyman@lga.sa.gov.au