Resources

Government Resources and Information for Business

The resource links listed below are in no way exhaustive so if you know of a site that provides valuable information to business please let us know.

Small business in Western Australia

Small Business Development Corporation
The SBDC is the Western Australian government agency focused on developing the small business sector. The website offers information on starting a new business, buying an established business, exploring business opportunities and an online bookshop for specialist business publications.

Licensing and other regulatory requirements

Business licensing in other States
This site provides links to the websites of State and Territory agencies responsible for business licensing throughout Australia.

Australian Standards
The Standards Australia website offers a searchable database of information on Australian and international standards.

Business and domain names

Department of Consumer and Employment Protection
The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection website provides information and application forms for registering a business name in Western Australia.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
This website contains a national index of corporate and business names. ASIC are also responsible for company registration matters and information on your rights and responsibilities when running a business.

Internet domain name registration
If you are considering a website for your business, you can check the availability of domain names and lodge an online application from this site.

Taxation information

Australian Taxation Office
This website offers information and links on all tax-related issues, including electronic versions of relevant tax forms.

Australian Business Number
Register electronically for an ABN or confirm your ABN registration online.

Department of Treasury and Finance
This Department administers Payroll Tax, Stamp Duty, Land Tax and Financial Taxes on behalf of the Western Australian Government.

Employing staff

Department of Consumer and Employment Protection
The site provides employers with information and advice on Western Australia's labour relations system and includes a ‘Small Business Guide’ to a range of employment, labour relations and regulatory issues.

Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business (Federal)
Find information about Government policies and programs relating to the small business sector.

Workers’ compensation (WorkCover WA)
This website provides information about workers’ compensation insurance and outlines the responsibilities of employers.

Occupational health and safety (Worksafe Western Australia)
Find information on work health and safety specific to various industries, and fact sheets on the common causes of injuries in the workplace.

Selling to government

Government Contracting Bulletin Board
This site is the central source of information on all Western Australian government tendering opportunities, recent contract awards and early tender advice (up to three months in advance).

Electronic Tender Lodgement
For businesses tendering for government business, this site enables you to electronically submit your tender.

Government Electronic Market
The Government Electronic Market (GEM) is an online buying service enabling Government agencies to purchase from a range of goods and services contracts. Businesses are able to register online as suppliers.

State Supply Commission
This site provides useful background information for those seeking to sell goods or services to government agencies.

Importing and exporting

Australian Trade Commission (Austrade)
Austrade provides an online export information service, including advice on international trade issues, export programs, overseas markets, assistance in getting ready to export and a section on How To Use the Internet to further export opportunities.

Australian Customs Service
Find out about Customs procedures and requirements and the facilitation schemes it administers. Download a copy of ‘The Customs Guide For Business’.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
This site provides a gateway for Australian businesses interested in trade and investment abroad. Services include Tradewatch (information on trade and economic developments for various trading partners), country fact sheets, research and statistical publications.

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
This site provides access to a database of import conditions for more than 13,000 foreign plant, animal and mineral commodities.

Local Government

Department of Local Government & Regional Development
This site includes information about local governments generally as well as contact details and links to most local governments and associated bodies in Western Australia (including web addresses).

State Government

Online WA
Online WA is an entry point or ‘doorway’ to Western Australia's information and services including business, current events, education, recreation, tourism, transport and bill payments.

Western Australian Government
An entry site for information, programs and services of the Western Australian Government.

Federal Government

Business Entry Point
A useful starting point to finding government information on the web. The site contains links to State and Territory business websites, and enables users to check government tenders, register online for an ABN, and a range of other services aimed at making it easier to deal with government.

Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business
This site contains information about Government policies and programs relating to the small business sector in Australia.

Australian Bureau of Statistics
The ABS collects and makes available a huge range of statistical data including summaries of key national economic indicators.