Are you sick of red tape, regulations and endless paperwork? Well there is some good news if you run a  café or restaurant in NSW. The Minns government wants to ease some of your burden.

The NSW government has announced a review aimed at cutting red tape for hospitality operators. The review will be led by the NSW Productivity and Equality Commission and will look at the everyday regulatory hurdles faced by more than 50,000 food retail businesses across the state. The focus will be on simplifying approvals, reducing duplication and making compliance easier to understand.

The idea is simple: let hospitality owners spend more time on customers and less time on forms.

Shifting the focus to daytime trade

The review follows earlier work examining barriers in the night-time economy. Now the government wants to apply those lessons to daytime operators, from cafés and restaurants to local food shops.

Areas under the microscope include licences and permits, reporting requirements and inspections. Basically all the bits of running a business that happen in the back office rather than in front of customers.

The government says the aim is to remove unnecessary admin.

Cutting paperwork, not standards

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the goal is to streamline the process for small business owners.

“Our job is to make government easier to deal with.

“This review will look for duplicated reporting, provide clear guidance, and limit unnecessary disruptions for small hospitality operators.

“When we cut red tape, we free up time, reduce costs, and let small businesses focus on what they do best — creating jobs and keeping our local economies vibrant.”

Removing red tape

Minister for Small Business Janelle Saffin said cafés and restaurants play an important role in local communities and shouldn’t be bogged down in unnecessary admin.

“Small businesses like cafés and restaurants are an incredibly important part of local communities, adding vibrancy, social amenity, boosting the local economy and creating a place for people to meet.

“We want our business owners focusing on their customers and their craft, not spending more time than they need to on paperwork.

“Our government is committed to working with the small business community to make their life a bit easier, and this review will help us understand how we can best achieve that.”

What happens next?

The commission will consult directly with businesses before delivering its final report and recommendations in late August 2026.

The announcement builds on other recent small business initiatives, including a Charter for Small Business, workers compensation reforms and simpler planning rules for outdoor dining.

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