As a tourism operator, it is essential for you to have a Bushfire Survival 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 Survival 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 Survival Plan, you must consider the Fire Danger Ratings, which include details and recommended action for "Catastrophic" fire days. The 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. 

How bushfire ready are you?  Find out with the CFS Bushfire Ready Assessment Tool.

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. 

• Bushfire safety for businesses and organisations  - SA Country Fire Service. Download the brochure >

• Planning to Survive a Bushfire [PDF, 4.82MB] - Your guide to preparing for and surviving bushfires.

Tourism businesses are an important source of bushfire information for visitors. According to research conducted by Sweeney Research in 2011, most visitors expect tourism businesses in high-risk locations to have the right information about bushfire safety.

• Holiday safety and survival  [PDF, 308KB] - SA Country Fire Service
• Bushfire safety for travellers [PDF, 468KB] - SA Country Fire Service

Download the SA Country Fire Service smartphone app which provides bushfire alerts and safety information. Available from iTunes App Store and Google Play.

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. 

Under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 you must ensure that your advertising correctly represents the product you are selling, including its price and any inclusions or exclusions.  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.

Small Business Resources for Hiring Staff

The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched two resources to provide small businesses with straight forward advice about hiring new staff.

Guide to hiring new employees
The guide gives small business operators advice in plain English about the best way to employ new employees and explains their workplace obligations in simple terms.

Hiring employees online learning course
The guide is complemented by the hiring employees online learning course, which guides small business operators through the entire hiring process; from planning and attracting the most suitable candidate through to engaging and inducting a new staff member.

From 1 July 2013, the super guarantee is increasing to 9.25%.  This will increase to 9.5% from 1 July 2014 and continue to rise each year until it reaches 12% from 1 July 2019.  Superannuation is paid on top of the minimum entitlements in the award or agreement that applies.

There are also changes to the information that needs to be included on pay slips. From 1 July 2013, employers will be required to give additional information about the superannuation contributions they have made or will make for the benefit of their employees.

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.

The Fair Work Commission 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

DMITRE 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. DMITRE's work is driven by State Government's 7 Strategic Priorities.

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.

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.

Under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 you must ensure that your advertising correctly represents the product you are selling, including its price and any inclusions or exclusions.  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, 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.

Small Business Resources for Hiring Staff

The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched two resources to provide small businesses with straight forward advice about hiring new staff.

Guide to hiring new employees
The guide gives small business operators advice in plain English about the best way to employ new employees and explains their workplace obligations in simple terms.

Hiring employees online learning course
The guide is complemented by the hiring employees online learning course, which guides small business operators through the entire hiring process; from planning and attracting the most suitable candidate through to engaging and inducting a new staff member.

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.