Uber's local managing director says governments need to engage earlier with disruptive tech players to avoid a repeat of the acrimonious protests and ongoing legal uncertainty that has clouded the ride-sharing app's early years. 
Platforms such as Airbnb and Uber have caused significant global controversy because their unanticipated technologies mean their activities have often been unregulated and even occasionally illegal. 
Uber Australia's chief executive David Rohrsheim has experienced this firsthand and been forced to publicly grapple with regulators over the Uber platform, which offers an alternative to registered taxis.
"If you've got a new idea and it doesn't fit within the existing laws, which is often the case with a new piece of technology, how do you get a meeting with the government?" Rohrsheim asks.
"If you're a start-up and it takes you a year to get that meeting or approval, you're out of money and you've moved on to something else. That's a serious risk for Australian start-ups."
Uber launched in Australia in 2012, but it was only last month that the ACT became the first state to legalise the ride-sharing platform and reduce high taxi license fees. Other states around the country are currently reviewing Uber's service and until legislation is amended, the most popular offering, ride-sharing UberX, remains illegal and can attract high fines.  
"It was tough to get those meetings with government. It took a very long time," Rohrsheim says. "Uber is fortunate to have some capital behind the company now so we can continue to operate but the average start-up can't. They can't wait until they've got enormous public support before a minister is ready to talk about their new idea."

Airspace
Slow moving regulation is also hampering the drone industry, which is still awaiting its promised reform of current airspace regulations by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which oversees Australian airspace. 
"Australia did have an edge in 2002 when the first drone regulations were instated," says Frank Vierboom of Propeller Aerobotics, a start-up using drones to develop 3D maps for mining and construction companies.
"But when they realised those regulations weren't best suited to the realities of the drone industry, CASA said it would re-draft the aviation regulations to cover drones."
Currently, CASA must issue an operating certificate and remote pilot certificate to those wishing to operate a drone. But understanding how infant seatbelts are fitted into light planes have no bearing on drone operators, and CASA has since acknowledged these requirements are out of date. However the fledgling industry is still awaiting the reforms which were promised at the end of 2014.
"People have been told to expect this reform but it's stalled for a long time," Vierboom says. "There are lots of opportunities to use drone technology but we're all waiting around for this announcement.
"The voices calling for this have been fairly loud and it's important governments and regulators engage with new industries."
Rohrsheim agrees governments need to get on the front foot and engage small companies with new ideas. 

 "Where you can say, here's my thing, I would like you to be aware of what's going on," he says. "  Maybe establish a trial with some parameters around it, that would be a good opportunity to try this out. Start-ups need to be able to have those meetings."