ABN Information Page

Please read the following through. Some of the freelance lifeguards who wish to work with us have said they need to get their ABN, so I wanted to go over some of the things I've found to help you through the process.

First, the blue link below gives good general info, written from the perspective of acquiring an ABN for a tourist looking to work as their own boss coming to Australia, but it works just the same for Aussies. Have a read:

[For an ABN] You will be asked for the type of business (usually individual sole trader) and the nature of your activity. People working on a construction site will for example answer “labourer”, for those wanting to be freelance will answer “in a kind of business”.

Next, taken from a link on the page from the backpacker's guide above, there will be another link (copied in yellow below too) to get your actual Aussie ABN. On the ATO form, it will ask you some questions about applying for your ABN. FYI my answers that support you applying are in purple text here. You'll be asked:

I meet a number of the key characteristics of a business, or will once started, eg:

I source my own clients (You can work for whomever you like, Happy Swimmers is just one significant client for you in this line of work, but you can contract yourself to whomever and whenever you like.)
I can delegate my work to others if I choose (Happy Swimmers allows you to delegate to another certified lifeguard the accepted gig, as long as the replacement possesses the required lifeguard certification, Working with Children clearance, and ABN as well. All contractors on Happy Swimmers contractors list have this so you may want to swap/delegate a job with them first.)
I invoice for my work and set my rate of pay (You will invoice Happy Swimmers based on the hours you do for the lifeguarded event. Happy Swimmers has an accepted maximum pay rate arranged with lifeguards. You are free to change your rate of pay with other clients at will.)
I have a bank account for the business separate from my own bank account (Happy Swimmers pays you to a PayPal account, likely newly set up by you. In turn, you can deposit that by whatever account or means you wish.)
I am responsible for my own public liability, professional indemnity and/or workers compensation/income protection insurance (Happy Swimmers carries general liability insurance protection in Australia, however, you are fully responsible for insuring yourself if you choose beyond that.)
I have taken real steps to start my business, or
- I am running an enterprise (You truly are running your own business with us and anyone else you wish to as a lifeguard. You can accept or reject any job requests put to you, you can delegate it to another certified lifeguard if needed, and you could not get paid/take a loss if you don't fulfill the job you contracted for.)

To accept jobs with us, we are one of your clients. We need to have your ABN on file and/or attached to your invoice for lifeguard jobs you do for us.

Please copy down the ABN number you are issued after submitting the form online to ATO. It's usually given immediately, I've read. Email us the number so we can add it to your file. You'll also get a hard copy sent to you from ATO.

Congratulations, and we look forward to a long work relationship, mutually beneficial to us!