Administrative and support services industry

This industry covers a broad range of businesses providing services to individuals, businesses and organisations.

The administrative and support services industry includes:

• employment services
• administrative services
• domestic and commercial cleaning
• pest control
• gardening services
• packaging services
• support activities for the day-to-day operations of other businesses or organisations

Find the latest information about COVID-19 support in your state or territory.

• ACT COVID-19 economic support for business
• NSW COVID Safe - Office environment (including call centres)
• NT COVID-19 Business guidelines and safety plans
• QLD Coronavirus (COVID-19) industry-specific support
• SA COVID-19 health information for businesses
• TAS COVID-19 Safe Workplaces Framework
• VIC COVID-19 Sector guidance
• WA COVID-19 coronavirus: Business and industry recovery

It’s important that you’re aware of the laws that apply to the administrative and support services industry. Key legislation includes:

• Competition and Consumer Act 2010
• Australian Consumer Law (ACL)
• Privacy Act 1988

State, territory and local governments manage the licences and permits for the administrative and support services industry. Select the relevant service type below for some of the licences and permits you may need.

All Australian businesses have goods and services tax (GST) obligations. Know your GST obligations and register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to ensure you can claim your GST credits.

Other ATO resources

The Australian Taxation Office provides a range of industry benchmarks which may be of assistance when setting up or managing your business Visit ATO Benchmarks by industry to learn more.

If you employ staff, you need to comply with Australia’s national workplace laws specific to the administrative and support services industry.

There are general occupational health and safety regulations for all businesses, the administrative and support services industry also have state-specific WHS requirements, including:

• mandatory asbestos training for commercial cleaners and pest controllers in the ACT
• licensing for high risk work
• standards for protective clothing and equipment
• prevention of burns from hot liquids, surfaces or steam
• prevention of slips and falls
• prevention of injury from animal handling
• use of heavy machinery
• standards for occupational safety signage
• national standard for manual handling
• occupational noise management
• electrical safety
• handling, labelling, storage and use of chemicals or dangerous substances.

There are Intellectual Property rights that might be relevant to administrative and support services businesses.

• If you play, use or reproduce film, sound or video recordings you may need to get a licence from the APRA AMCOS website.
• Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) will protect new plant varieties and grants exclusive rights to the plant breeder to use, sell and distribute the plant and receive royalties.

The main environmental concerns that businesses in the administrative and support services industry should be aware of include:

• protection of parks, flora and fauna
• protection of heritage sites
• water conservation
• sustainability
• strategies to reduce pesticide spray drift
• proper disposal of pesticides and other harmful chemicals
• proper disposal of trade waste
• biodegradable packaging options
• waste management and reduction