Love the nightlife? Do you work well in teams? Are you smart as a whip, willing to fight for your cause and do you carry a CV crammed with experience? The City of Sydney wants you.

The city is assembling a panel of nightlife experts as Clover Moore kick starts a fresh stage in her strategy to rebuild its 24-hour economy.

The Lord Mayor is seeking applicants for the new Nightlife and Creative Sector Advisory Panel which, according to the specs, will advise the city’s decision makers on how to support a thriving, diverse and safe nightlife.

This new panel “will help us understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing Sydney’s night-time economy, and advise on how we can engage with and bring together the creative, cultural, nightlife and private sectors to realise our vision for Sydney as an exciting and diverse 24-hour city,” Moore says in a statement issued today.

Professionals from across live music and performance, hospitality, retail,  business, urban planning, public safety and property development are encouraged to enter an expression of interest to join the advisory panel , which is modeled on others operating in Amsterdam, Berlin, London and New York.

It’s been a long time coming

Sydney’s once pumping night scene lost its bounce in recent years with noise restrictions and the contentious “lockout” laws arguably killing the vibe. Moore made her move last year when she pitched Agent of Change framework, developed from a suite of efforts explored in the City’s OPEN Sydney strategy and action plan and inspired by developments elsewhere.

“We demonstrated our commitment to the night-time economy with our OPEN Sydney strategy and action plan in 2012, after more than two years of research and consultation across this diverse sector – now we are seeking a taskforce of passionate and dedicated industry professionals to have a seat at the table.”

Moore admits the NSW Government’s lockout laws “put the brakes on” Sydney’s night-time economy and it was time to rebuild its reputation.  “We have long maintained it’s possible to have a nightlife that is both safe and vibrant.  The lockout laws were a sledgehammer blow when what we needed was evidence-based policies that allow well-managed venues to trade as part of a safe and sustainable late-night culture,” she adds.

“We will keep advocating for changes to the laws, but in the meantime we need government, business and industry to work together to identify practical ways to boost our night-time culture and support businesses operating in the night-time economy.”

Up to 16 sector reps will be tapped to join one City of Sydney councillor on the panel. Submissions are now open and close at 6pm on Monday 26 February. Successful applicants will attend four meetings each year and must live, work or study in the local area. Read more at cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.

PODCAST: Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.