As a tourism operator, it is essential for you to have a Bushfire Action Plan for your business. As part of your duty of care, it is important that you make a reasonable effort to protect, educate and advise your guests about possible fire situations and what they are to do in the event of a fire. 

Once you have a Bushfire Action Plan in place, everyone who works at or visits your business should be aware of your emergency management procedures.

Planning is a continuous process. To be effective in an emergency, plans must be regularly checked, tested and updated as conditions in your business and environment change.

In your current Bushfire Action Plan, you must consider the NEW Fire Danger Ratings, which now include details and recommended action for "Catastrophic" fire days. The new fire danger ratings take into account the weather conditions as well as the amount, type and dryness of the surrounding vegetation to calculate a more accurate fire danger rating. 

There are now two distinct fire ban districts; ‘grassland’ and ‘forest’. The district you operate in will assist to determine the level of risk and the number of catastrophic fire days in your area.

The following information will assist you with your own bushfire planning:

• Bushfire safety for tourism operators, some frequently asked questions [PDF, 11.8KB] - SA Country Fire Service. 

• Organisational Bushfire Safety Guidelines [PDF, 29KB]  - SA Country Fire Service.

• Bushfire Survival Plan [PDF, 1.82MB] - Your personal guide to creating a Bushfire Survival Plan.

• Changes to the Calculation of Fire Danger Ratings [PDF, 176 KB]- SA Country Fire Service.

For more information please visit the Country Fire Service website.

For more information on the Federal Government's Carbon Plan and how it will impact you, visit the Clean Energy Future website or download the Small Business Factsheet.

Australia’s Climate Change Plan

 The Federal Government has released its plan for Australia's Clean Energy Future.  There are four key elements of the Plan: carbon pricing, renewable energy, energy efficiency and action on the land.

The introduction of the fixed carbon price on 1 July 2012 will have implications for all business sectors.  Everything from small business and domestic property through to power generation and inward investment will be subjected to this significant stimulus for transformation. 

As of 25 May 2009, new pricing laws came into effect, which affects the way in which travel agents are able to advertise prices. For all you need to know about advertising the price of your tourism product or experience, please download a copy of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC's) 'Pricing Manual for the Travel Industry'.

The Business Licence Information Service (BLIS) is a free service that provides details of all licences you may require to operate your business in South Australia, including Commonwealth and Local Government requirements.

The Australian Taxation Office is the Government’s principal revenue collection agency, and is part of the Treasurer’s portfolio. Our role is to manage and shape tax, excise and superannuation systems that fund services for Australians.

A three year trial with tourism accommodation providers will begin on 1 July 2012 to bring people from Pacific countries and East Timor to support the tourism sector and address labour shortages. Tourism employers will need to demonstrate a commitment to employing Australians first, meet Australia work standards and contribute to the workers' travel costs.

Guide to the 457 Program for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries

Australia has a number of skilled migration programs each with a different aim and purpose. The 457 visa program is the simplest and fastest option to address immediate skill shortages in your business.

From 1 January 2010, employers and employees in the national workplace system are covered by the National Employment Standards (NES).

Under the NES, employees have certain minimum conditions. Together with pay rates in modern awards (which also generally take effect from 1 January 2010) and minimum wage orders, the NES makes up the safety net that cannot be altered to the disadvantage of the employee. 

PayCheck Plus lets you calculate the base rates of pay for a particular job. It takes into account the modern award classification and the corresponding pre-modern award classification and automatically factors in changes resulting from Fair Work Australia’s annual wage review.

Fair Work Australia is the national workplace relations tribunal. It is an independent body with power to carry out a range of functions relating to wages, employment conditions, enterprise bargaining, industrial action, dispute resolution, termination of employment and other workplace matters.

By taking simple steps, you can prevent discrimination and harassment in your business, and save time, money and your reputation. You can also improve staff relations and customer satisfaction.

SafeWork SA is responsible for administering occupational health, safety and welfare and industrial relations laws in South Australia.

Safe Work Australia develops and promotes National OHS standards and national codes of practice. These standards and codes of practice aim to improve the health and safety of workers and to facilitate consistent legislation in the states and territories.

Event Management Checklist

A comprehensive checklist to guide you through all the event steps. This list will help you think of all the elements possibly involved in your event.

Event Management and Planning

A detailed look at the process of event management and planning. A useful guide to help try to increase your event success.

Accessibility Marketing Guide

A handy guide outlining the information required by travellers with a disability to allow tourism operators to gain the most from their accessible infrastructure. The guide advises why and how to present accessibly information and gives examples of critical inclusive information. The Accessibility Marketing Guide has been produced by Travability, an agency committed to the accessible tourism sector.

Swimming Pool and Spa Pool - Operations Standard

This code has been prepared to address the issue of water quality in relation to the operation of a swimming pool and a spa pool. It details measures necessary to ensure that water quality within a pool is of a standard that does not prejudice the health or well-being of pool users. It describes in detail the disinfection of pool water with reference to other important parameters such as pH, water clarity and total alkalinity that need to be maintained in balance as part of the total water treatment process.

Australian Standard for Access & Mobility

The objective of this Standard is to provide building designers and users (architects, property owners, regulators, and the like) with the minimum design requirements for new building work.

Safe Drinking Water Discussion Paper

It is proposed that a Safe Drinking Water Bill would apply to those who supply drinking water from an independent source. It would not apply to businesses that have water supplied by SA Water or use packaged water, which is administered through food codes and legislation.

Under the Food Act, all businesses selling food are required to notify their local council. Food business notification can be done at the Food Business Notification website or by contacting your local council office for a notification form. There is no fee for notification.

A food business, must comply with the provisions of the Food Act 2001, Food Regulations 2002 and the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code. Under the Food Act a food business is any business, or activity that involves the handling of food intended for sale or the sale of food, this includes the sale of food provided as part of another service.

Australian Tourism Investment Guide

The Australian Tourism Investment Guide identifies a nation-wide list of ‘investment-ready’ opportunities and proposed tourism projects and demonstrates the commitment of the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to attracting investment.

A report Reducing Red Tape for Business in South Australia 2010/11 has been released and provides an insight into the South Australian Government's approach to reducing regulatory burden on business and the not for profit sector. Its mission is to make South Australia the most competitive state in Australia in which to do business.

More information on the red tape reduction program can be accessed online at www.competitivesa.biz

Enterprise Connect offers a range of services and support to help a business access new skills and technologies and to build your business' internal capacity and capability.

The National Tourism Industry Network offers a Business Review program, which is a top to bottom analysis of your business, carried out on-site by highly skilled and experienced Business Advisers at no charge to your business.

The Small Business Support Line – 1800 777 275 – operates from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and provides an initial 'single' point of contact for access to information and referral services that can assist your small business.  

The Federal Government's business assistance site. Very good site for new businesses with how-to guides and advice, including a Starting Your Business checklist and Growing Your Business Checklist.

A Government Community Grants website developed to make it easier to find suitable and relevant grants for community projects from the many Australian government grants that are available.

The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism provides advice and policy support to the Australian Government regarding Australia's resources, energy and tourism sectors. The Department develops and delivers policies to increase Australia's international competitiveness, consistent with the principles of environmental responsibility and sustainable development.

The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters.

DTED offers programs and services to support all business activities that benefit the State – from small business operations through to billion-dollar projects and major investments. DTED's work is driven by South Australia’s Strategic Plan which sets objectives and targets for the State.

This website has been designed for businesses and individuals seeking government services and information. It brings together relevat information from across all SA Government departments and agencies - with more detailed information available via hyperlinks.

Australian Tourism Investment Guide

The Australian Tourism Investment Guide identifies a nation-wide list of ‘investment-ready’ opportunities and proposed tourism projects and demonstrates the commitment of the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to attracting investment.

The Legal Issues Guide for Small Business provides quick and easy online information about a range of legal issues which frequently confront small business and can tell you about preventative measures that you can undertake or show you where to seek further assistance.

For information you need to know about the Commonwealth Privacy Act, State and Territory privacy laws and other relevant legislation.

The purpose of this Act is to regulate and control the sale, supply and consumption of liquor for the benefit of related industries and the SA public. Particular emphasis is placed on encouraging responsible attitudes towards the promotion and advertising of liquor and minimising the harm associated with liquor consumption.

Don't let scammers steal your money and personal details – protect yourself.

As of 25 May 2009, new pricing laws came into effect, which affects the way in which travel agents are able to advertise prices. For all you need to know about advertising the price of your tourism product or experience, please download a copy of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC's) 'Pricing Manual for the Travel Industry'.

Any contracts that are entered into as of the 1st of July, 2010 will be subject to the 'Unfair Contract Terms' law. Essentially, consumers are now able to dispute the terms of any contracts that are entered into.

For a brief outline of the law, please refer to the Unfair Contract Terms Business - News for Business, which provides an overview of the key aspects of the new law and how it may affect you.

It is wise to make sure that your own interests are protected when you deal with customers and other businesses.

The Law Handbook Online contains an overview of the law in South Australia presented in everyday language. It outlines your rights and responsibilities in a range of legal areas and advises on where you can go for more assistance. It is important that you use the Law Handbook Online as a starting point only, and not as a substitute for legal advice.

You can receive free, tailored confidential assistance visits from the Australian Taxation Office. These visits can cover business basics such as registering for an Australian Business Number (ABN) and Goods and Services Tax (GST), as well as more complex issues such as your employer and superannuation obligations and record keeping requirements. The visits are available in all capital cities and most regional areas.

Anyone intending to become a driver of a taxi, Large Passenger Vehicle or Small Passenger Vehicle must be formally accredited by the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI).

Transport SA has the responsibility for managing the registration of various forms of transport in South Australia. Some of these vehicles may be registered online from this site. Note that registration differs from licences or certification or permits.

The Office for Water Security is keen to hear from any tourism operators interested in joining a new initiative to promote water wise behaviour among guests and raise the public profile of water wise tourism businesses.

The Water for Good on Holidays initiative was launched in 2009 and has already been a big hit with South Australia’s caravan parks.

SATIC members can receive a free Water for Good on Holidays Kit – plus the support of a promotional campaign. Past kits have included:

• A reception sticker to let guests know your business is proudly WaterWise and encourage them to use water wisely.
• A bathroom mirror sticker to remind guests not to leave the tap running while brushing their teeth or shaving.
• Shower stickers to remind guests to limit their showers to four minutes.
• Bookmarks to remind guests not to take a holiday from saving water.
• A supply of guest information checklists to show guests how to use water wisely while on holiday.
• An information checklist to encourage your business to use water more wisely.

To discuss forming a Water for Good on Holidays partnership with the Office for Water Security please contact Tim Laris on 8204 1051 or email tim.laris2@sa.gov.au