Administrative and support services industry
Business types in this industry
The administrative and support services industry includes:
- employment agencies
- administrative services
- domestic and commercial cleaning
- pest control
- gardening services
- packaging services
- debt collection
- call centres
- other support activities for the day-to-day operations of other businesses or organisations
Industry statistics
Industry research is an important part of planning for your business, it may help you identify:
- economic and industry trends
- establish or improve your business
- help you keep pace with your industry
See statistics for Australian Industry on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website.
The Australian Taxation Office provides industry benchmarks to help you compare your business's performance against similar businesses in your industry. Read about the benchmarks for support services.
Check out the profile for the administrative and support services industry, on the Labour Market Insights website. This will give you an idea of what's happening in the Australian job market.
Legislation, standards and initiatives
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
- Australian Privacy Principles
Select the relevant topic below for specific industry and business legislation.
- Do not call register legislation - on the Australian Communications and Media Authority website.
- ACT - Environmental Protection Act 1997
- NSW - regulating pesticides in NSW (summary of law)
- NT - Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994
- QLD - Medicines and Poisons Act 2019
- SA - Controlled Substances (Pesticides) Regulations 2017
- SA - Controlled Substances Act 1984
- TAS - Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Act 1995
- VIC - Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use) Act 1992
- WA - Health (Pesticides) Regulations 2011
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- You will need to contact your local council for your local water use restriction regulations.
- Pesticide labelling codes
- Therapeutic goods labelling and packaging regulatory framework
- Tamper-evident packaging code of practice of therapeutic goods
- Mandatory product safety information standards
- Food Standards Code - Food labelling standards
- Food Standards Code - Food grade packaging standards
- Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) for food
- Warning and advisory labelling on food
State restricted trading days
- New South Wales - Trading on public holidays
- Queensland - Shop trading hours in Queensland
- South Australia - Shop trading arrangements
- Tasmania - Public holidays / Shop trading
- Victoria - Operating on a public holiday
- Western Australia - Retail trading hours
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory do not regulate trading hours
Learn about fair trading
Check the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC) website for more information on:
- Personal services - an industry guide to the Australian Consumer Law.
- Debt collection - rules for businesses on fair trading.
Licences and permits
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.
- Collection work license (for repossessing goods and debt collection).
- approval to dispose of trade waste (contact your local council)
- registration for industrial chemicals
- high risk work licence
- installing permanent watering systems
- permit for tree removal
- collecting materials on crown land
- certificate of competency for pest management technicians
- pest management or control licence
- permit to move problem wildlife
- license to to carry out an employment agency business.
- labour hire license.
Find the licences and permits you need for your business
Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) to find information on the licences you may need.
Search nowTaxation
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.
Employing people
If you employ staff, you need to comply with Australia’s national workplace laws specific to the administrative and support services industry.
Use our checklist for small business owners to help you meet Australian laws when hiring an employee. We’ve also included some tips that might help you through the hiring process.
If you're ready to employ someone, create an employment contract tailored to the award and your business needs.
Workplace health and safety (WHS)
There are general work health and safety regulations for all businesses, however there are state and territory WHS requirements that apply to businesses in the administrative and support services industry:
Intellectual property
It is important to protect your intellectual property when starting and growing your business. ‘Intellectual property’ (IP) is the creation of original ideas, inventions or brands.
If you have an administrative or support services business, you may need to consider different types of IP. For example, this may be a patent to protect a new invention, a trademark to protect your brand or plant breeder's rights for a new plant variety.
Environment
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.
Find support
If you need advice or support, consider getting help from your industry association, a business adviser, accountant or legal professional.