Business.gov.au

business.gov.au is the Australian Government's primary online portal for business information, bringing together content from across federal and state agencies into a single entry point. For businesses involved in credit management — whether extending credit to new customers, recovering unpaid accounts, or managing compliance obligations — several tools on and linked from business.gov.au are directly relevant.

business.gov.au — the portal

The main business.gov.au portal provides access to the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS), a grants and programmes finder, information on regulatory obligations by industry and state, and links to state and territory business advisory services. It is the starting point for businesses that need to understand their licensing obligations or find government support programmes relevant to their situation.

business.gov.au — Australian Government business portal

Single federal entry point for business information — licences, grants, regulatory obligations, business planning tools and links to state and territory services.

business.gov.au — Grants and programs finder

Search available federal and state grants and support programmes relevant to your business type, stage and location.

business.gov.au — Business planning tools

Cash flow templates, business plan guides and financial planning tools — useful for businesses reviewing their credit exposure and debtor management processes.

ABN Lookup — verifying counterparties

The Australian Business Register's ABN Lookup service allows anyone to search for the ABN of a business and verify its registration status. For credit management, checking a new customer's ABN before extending credit is a basic but important risk mitigation step. ABN Lookup shows whether a business is currently registered, its trading name, entity type, main business location and GST registration status. An unregistered or cancelled ABN is a red flag for any credit decision.

abr.business.gov.au — ABN Lookup

Search by business name or ABN to verify registration status, entity type, GST registration and main business location. Essential before extending credit to a new customer.

ASIC company and business name register

The ASIC registers allow you to verify whether a company is properly incorporated and in good standing, search business names, and check for deregistered or suspended entities. ASIC Connect provides free searches for basic information; more detailed company extracts are available for a fee. For credit management, confirming a counterparty's company registration status before extending significant credit is a standard due diligence step.

connectonline.asic.gov.au — ASIC Connect

Search the ASIC national register for company registration status, business names, officeholders and registered agents.

Licences and permits — ABLIS

The Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS), integrated into business.gov.au, helps businesses identify the federal and state licences and permits required for their industry and location. Understanding the licensing requirements applicable to your business — and to your customers — is relevant to credit assessment in regulated industries.

business.gov.au — Licences and permits finder

Find the licences and permits required for your business by state, industry and business activity — the ABLIS service consolidated into the main portal.

ATO Business Portal

The ATO's Online Services for Business (accessed via my.ato.gov.au) is the primary portal for business tax obligations — BAS lodgement, income tax, GST, PAYG and payment plans for tax debts. For businesses in credit management, the ATO portal is also where you manage tax debts arising from outstanding accounts receivable that affect cash flow. The ATO has a small business tax debt helpline and can arrange payment plans for eligible businesses.

my.ato.gov.au — ATO Online Services for Business

BAS lodgement, tax obligations, payment plans and ATO correspondence for Australian businesses.

Credit management and due diligence

Verifying a new customer's ABN, company registration status and payment history before extending credit is a key risk mitigation step in any credit management programme. Business.gov.au and the linked federal registers provide the foundation for this due diligence. For more detailed credit risk assessment — including credit reports and payment history — commercial credit reporting bureaus provide additional data on top of the public registers.

Related Merion resources

• Credit Reporting — how credit reports work and how to access them for due diligence on new customers.
• Payment Terms & Commercial Law — PPSR security interest registration and other legal tools for protecting against non-payment.
• Small Business Support — ASBFEO dispute resolution and state small business advisory services.