A broad range of assistance is offered to new businesses by Federal, State and Local Government agencies.

 

The Queensland Government operates a business hotline, Phone: 1300 363 711 and a comprehensive internet suite at www.smartsmallbusiness.qld.gov.au

 

You can find your local State Development Centre in the Brenden Hansen Building, 54 Main St, Pialba. Ph: 13 26 50.

 

Many of these agencies are listed on this site under Useful Organisations and Links. The information provided below gives you an overview of the areas to consider.

Step 2 - Business Structure

An important decision you need to make when starting a business is choosing the business structure that best suits your needs and budget.

 

There are four main types of business structures commonly used by small business in Australia:

The business structure you choose can affect the safety of your personal assets, your taxation obligations and change of ownership issues if you sell the business as an ongoing entity.

 

The Federal Government Business Portal website has two useful sections to help you decide on the best structure for your business, these are Decide on a business structure and Which business structure should I choose?

 

Other useful resources are the Choosing the Best Legal Structure for your Business Fact Sheet from the Queensland Government and the Tax Basics for Small Business booklet from the Tax Office. 

 

Step 3 - Register your Company

New companies must be registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in order to be recognised as Australian companies under the Corporations Law.

 

For more information, see business.gov.au's Register Your Company.

Step 4 - Register your Business Name

In Hervey Bay you can register your business name through the following methods:

 

A business name is simply a name or title under which a person, or other legal entity, trades.  If the business structure you have choisen is a sole trader, a partnership or a trust and not as a company, then you are required to register your business name in each state or territory in which you will operate.  But you don't need to register a business name if you plan to conduct your business under your, or your partner's, first name and surname or initials and surname.

 

The Federal Government's Business Gateway provides useful information under How do I choose a business name? and Register your business name.

 

You can Register a Queensland business name  for one or three years through the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.

 

You can search the Australian Securities and Investments Commission National Names Index to see if your proposed business name is already taken.

 

Step 5 - Apply for an ABN, GST, TFN

You can apply for your ABN and register for GST, TFN and PAYG online through the Australian Business Register website.

 

Phone the Business Info line on 13 28 66 for general enquiries.

Step 6 - Goods and Services Tax (GST)

GST is a 10 per cent tax on the sale of most goods and services sold in Australia. You must register for GST if you are an entity carrying on an enterprise. If you are in business, and not carrying out a hobby, you probably meet this requirement if your annual turnover is at or above the registration turnover threshold of $50,000 (or $100,000 for non-profit organisations).

 

For more information see the Australian Taxation Office Guide to GST for Small Business.

 

It is important to find out what licensing requirements apply to your new business, as there are many different licences, permits, registrations and certificates required by the Federal, State and Local Governments. 

 

The Smartlicence website will give you all the information you need on licensing requirements for your business.

Step 8 - Employing People

As an employer you have certain legal obligations to your staff.

 

You must register with the Australian Taxation Office; pay wages according to the relevant state or federal award; keep employment records; comply with occupational health and safety requirements; comply with employment terms and conditions; and pay superannuation.

 

The Queensland Governments SmartSmallBusiness website has information about getting the best from your staff.

 

The Federal Government Business Gateway provides information about all the responsibilities associated with Employing Staff.

 

 

To ensure the success of your business, you must first be aware of the types of skills your business requires. These skills can include a broad range of managerial skills as well as technical skills relevant to your industry. In order to identify the skills you need, it's a good idea to access what you have in comparison to what you need. The Queensland Government has a range of diagnostic tools on the SmartSmallBusiness website can help with this. 

 

The Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry has a number of short, free subjects available at Smart Skills Online. This might be a good time to complete the preparation for Start-up module and find out how to get the business skills you need.

Step 10 - Intellectual Property (IP) and Starting a Business

 

Smart Start is Intellectual Property Australia's guide to managing your IP in a new business. It is designed to introduce you to basic intellectual property concepts and is structured to take into account some of the different scenarios that may face a new business.

 

To check whether someone is already using a trademark, brand or logo similar to your concept, visit the IP Australia Trademarks Search Index.

Step 11 - Planning and Building Approvals

 

Your business may need to have planning approvals in the form of development consent and/or building approvals. The local council will determine whether you need to make any applications for approval or obtain special licences for such things as pollution, hazardous materials storage or waste disposal.

If you are setting up a business in Hervey Bay, see the Planning Scheme section of the Hervey Bay City Council website for more information about planning approvals and see the Building Application section for more information about building approvals.

 

In addition to the links detailed above, the Australian Taxation Office has a range of resources related to Starting a Business.

 

Other useful general information sites are the Federal Government Business Gateway Website and the Queensland Governments Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry website, along with the SmartSmallBusiness Website.

 

 

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