Need help with starting or growing your business? The government’s small business website business.gov.au hosts a free online tool to help businesses find government advisory services in their local area.

The business.gov.au site has a section called “Expertise & Advice”, which has been designed primarily for start-ups and those new to the small business arena. The tool page suggests searching for either location or business activity (such as “Hobart” of “business planning”), but another option (go to this page) provides three drop-down menus, as follows.

The first, “Provides advice on”, includes:

• Business planning (47)
• Business structures (40)
• Employing people (30)
• Managing finance (25)
• Import (3)
• Export (3)
• Insurance (11)
• Protect your business (11)
• Licences and registrations (27)
• Compliance and recordkeeping (25)
• Selling goods and services (31)
• Marketing (32)
• Online business (34)
• Social media (29)
• Skills and training (13)
• Mentoring and advice (21)
• Small business (24)
• Taxation (9)

The number after the entry indicates the number of suggested sources of advice the tool has found.

The next drop-down, “Provider type”, gives the following choices:

• Australian Small Business Advisory Service (ASBAS) (36)
• AusIndustry Regional Manager (23)
• Business Centre (22)
• Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) (60)
• Government Agency (48)
• Industry Growth Centre (0)
• Regional Development Australia (0)

The last drop-down, “States”, includes the territories.

After making a selection for each drop-down, the search results can be viewed as a list or as a map.

Tax Store Accountants Gosnells.

Tax & Super Australia: Business.gov.au site tool helps small business find the right advice