Church Street Cafe owner Julie Cross said the NSW government’s Easy To Do Business program, launched in Dubbo on Friday, was just what was needed.

“For our business, we went from six staff to 25 staff and that brings new issues to deal with, like how to deal with staffing and now we can use the app and get those guidelines,” Ms Cross said.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said Easy To Do Business would streamline a process that previously involved 75 regulations, 30 phone calls and federal, state and local government bodies into one phone call.

It also shortens the program from 18 months to three months.

Ms Cross said the new process should encourage more businesses to start up in Dubbo and believes that will be a boost to the entire community.

“I think any new businesses add to the existing business in town. It creates new vibrancy so people have more choices. It creates more jobs and that’s what you want in regional areas,” she said.

NSW Small Business Commissioner Robyn Hobbs said she had high hopes of further streamlining the process so businesses could get through red tape in less than a month but was happy with the current step forward.

“It is insane to have 75 different Commonwealth, state and local regulations. What we are talking about are little outlets, many with less than 50 seats and noone should be burdened by those sort of regulations,” she said.

“We have other industry sectors we are going to open this up to.

“For small business this means an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for prosperity, an opportunity to grow and for communities to have vibrant businesses.”

Mr Barilaro said Dubbo had been picked to be the regional pilot site because it was a vibrant city “underpinned by a very strong small business sector”.

Parramatta was chosen as the metropolitan trial site 12 months ago with results reported to be positive.