Department of Industry regulatory policy

To improve the competitiveness of doing business in NSW, increase the transparency of government services, and enhance trust in the government as a service provider, the NSW Government has introduced the Quality Regulatory Services (QRS) initiative

The NSW Department of Industry has documented a policy, in line with the QRS initiative, which sets out how the Department of Industry’s regulators will apply outcomes-focused and risk-based regulatory principles. All the department’s regulators will apply the policy to establish their strategic priorities and to effectively and efficiently achieve regulatory outcomes.

The policy:

  • sets out the outcomes-focused and risk-based regulatory framework that each of the department’s regulators follow;
  • presents best practice regulatory policy that is applicable to all of the department’s regulators;
  • includes definitions of regulatory terms to ensure consistent understanding across all of the department’s regulators and their stakeholders;
  • provides cross-references to the department’s regulators’ policy, strategy and planning documents;
  • addresses the requirements of the NSW Quality Regulatory Services initiative through the application of the regulatory framework.

Download our regulatory policy

NSW Department of Industry's regulators each have a tailored compliance and enforcement policy. The regulators’ policies are being progressively reviewed to align with the department's regulatory policy.

View our agencies' compliance and enforcement policies below:

If you have ideas on how regulation can be improved or red tape reduced in NSW, please share them with the Commissioner for Productivity

Prosecution guidelines

The department has documented prosecution guidelines which provides guidance on the approach, purpose and principles that underpin prosecutions initiated by Department of Industry regulators, in response to instances of serious non-compliance under the legislative frameworks administered by the department.

Download our prosecution guidelines