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AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS
- News and features
The latest news, announcements & related links...
HOW TO GUIDES
- Thinking of starting a business
Are you ready? Need help with planning, raising finance or writing your business plan? These guides and templates can help. - Starting a business
Ready to start? Here's information on starting a new business, a home-based business and buying a business or franchise. - Exiting a business
Closing or selling your business? Find out about succession planning, bankruptcy, deregistering your business and employee payments.
BUSINESS RESOURCES
- business.gov.au checklists (link coming soon)
The business.gov.au Starting your business checklist and Growing your business checklist will guide you through the various stages of your business, whether you're just starting or ready to grow. - Desktop business assistant
The Desktop business assistant is a simple tool that 'hovers' on your desktop. It's your own entry point to the business.gov.au website. From tool you can access current news and features, quick links to business.gov.au services and our business.gov.au search. - Government and business associations directory
Contains details for federal, state, territory and local governments and business associations. You can search either by the name of an organisation or by key words, or browse an alphabetical list. - Starting your business checklist
The checklist contains a series of questions to guide you through the various stages of your business including before you start, when you start, when you buy and when you run your business. - Growing your business checklist (link coming soon)
- Business consultation website
Register. Be consulted. Have your say.
BUSINESS TOPICS
- Employing people
Good employees can be your greatest asset, so recruiting and retaining the right person is very important. Find out your obligations... - Environmental management
As a business you could have some impact on the environment, whether large or small... - Importing and exporting
If you import goods into Australia, you will be affected by certain government regulations. Expanding your market can bring enormous benefits to your business, but successful exporting doesn't happen by accident... - Fair trading
In Australia federal and state laws protect you, your business and your customers from unfair trading practices... - Franchising
Franchising allows one business to operate under the name of another business' established brand and sell a prescribed product or service. Franchising can seem like an easy way of starting or expanding your business, but it's not something you should rush into without the proper knowledge. Whether you are buying a franchise or franchising your own business, it requires a significant investment of your time and money. - Grants and assistance
Grants and other funding programs are available from the federal, state and territory governments and in some cases from local councils... - Home-based business
If you're running a home-based business there are a wide range of government requirements that may apply to you... - Independent contractors
As a basic definition, independent contractors run their own business, and hire out their time to businesses and other organisations as a service. - Insurance
Insurance is an essential part of running any business. If you are operating a small business you need more than just property insurance... - Intellectual property
Intellectual property covers a range of laws that give individuals and businesses exclusive rights over their creative and inventive projects. - Market research and statistics
To run a successful business you need to know all about your potential and existing customers and the marketplace you operate in... - Occupational health and safety
Safety in the workplace is critical to the success of running a business, no matter what size it is... - Online business
Are you interested in starting an online business? By trading online you can save time and money, reduce your overheads and reach a much wider market... - Registration and licences
When you're starting up a new business it's important to find out what registration and licences apply to you... - Taxation
Understanding taxes and meeting your taxation obligations can save you money... - Tenders and contracts
Selling goods and services to government is an important opportunity for all businesses. Find out about tender opportunities...
This information is brought to you by business.gov.au, your business gateway to government information and services
Business Enterprise Centres (BEC) Australia
Small Business Development Conference
- 12th - 15th September 2010
- Pullman Reef Casino, Cairns (an Accor property)
- Online Registration Now Open... Register Now
Early Bird Registration until 5 August 2010 - Sponsorship Proposal (PDF)
ACCC News
ACCC Small Business Information Network
Please find below some recent updates regarding the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)'s activities relating to the small business sector.
Unfair contract terms
Today a new law comes into force which will provide greater protection to consumers when entering into standard form contracts. The law strengthens protection against unfair terms in standard form consumer contracts and provides the ACCC, ASIC and state and territory consumer protection agencies with an important tool to address systemic problems that have developed from the use of standard form contracts.
Businesses using standard form contracts in their dealings with individual consumers should review them now to ensure compliance with the new laws. To assist businesses in understanding their obligations the ACCC has issued a specific business publication with a simple, easy to read overview of the new provisions. This publication complements the previously released A guide to the unfair contract terms law, which was developed jointly by the ACCC, ASIC and the state and territory consumer protection agencies.
Both publications are available for download from the ACCC website:
Related media release:
Be aware of scams targeting your business at the end of the financial year.
At this time of year, businesses around Australia are getting their financial affairs in order. When you are organising your business at tax time, it is important to remember that scams often target businesses as well as consumers - especially at this time of year. Scammers rely on the fact that small business owners and managers are very busy and may agree to sign up for services or pay for goods that they haven't ordered or received without thinking about it.
Scams targeting small businesses come in various forms-from sending invoices for advertising or directory listings that that the business has never heard of, to the delivery of office supplies that were never ordered.
You can protect yourself and your business by being organised with your financial affairs and being aware of the common scams targeting small businesses. Yesterday the ACCC issued a SCAMwatch radar alert to its subscribers, alerting them to the issue of scams at this time of year. This radar is also available on the SCAMwatch website. The ACCC has also published a fact sheet which outlines the scams common types of scams which target small business. This fact sheet is available on the ACCC website.
For further information visit the ACCC website, the SCAMwatch website.
The latest from our Blog
Australian small businesses hungry for advice post-GFC
Australia’s peak body for small business advice has surveyed its managers from 132 Business Enterprise Centres (BEC) nationwide and found that demand for advice and support is on the rise, says Business Enterprise Centres Australia. The BEC survey found demand for advice and training rose an average of 9 percent in calendar year 2009, and [...]
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New benefits for small business on horizon, if Ron gets his way
Negotiating discounts and deals for small businesses are top priority for Ron Watts, who has commenced his role this week as General Manager, Sponsorship and Compliance, with Business Enterprise Centres Australia (BECA). “BECA has a raft of sponsorship deals on the table and one of my first jobs will be working through the list and [...]
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Fresh start for WA’s Small Business Development Corporation
The West Australian government faces a character test in the eyes of local small business people as it ponders the future of its Small Business Development Corporation in the wake the departure of managing director, Mr Stephen Moir. “While we didn’t always agree with Steve’s decisions, it is important that the SBDC has a strong [...]
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Bleak Outlook for Sydney as NSW Government Slashes Small Businesses Support
At a time when NSW needs small business the most, the Department of State and Regional Development is proposing to bite $1.5 million dollars from the hand that feeds the economy, by reducing the grass roots small business advisory service across Sydney and instead funding a one-size-fits-all website, says Business Enterprise Centres Australia. “We understand [...]
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GFC Demands Higher Standards for Australian Small Business Advisors
To coincide with the National Small Business Summit, Australia’s peak body for small business advice, Business Enterprise Centres Australia, says while “national” standards provide an acceptable measure for business advisors, the post-GFC world will demand higher, “international” levels. “We have an intelligent group of small business advisors who understand the grass roots issues facing small [...]
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