Business in Brisbane
Edition 1 - March to June 2015
A message from Lord Mayor Graham Quirk
As Lord Mayor I am committed to supporting local businesses and stimulating economic growth
for the city.
With this in mind, Brisbane City Council has created Business in Brisbane, a new quarterly
newsletter developed especially for Brisbane businesses.
Each edition will provide valuable information and advice, as well as details of all the support
services Council offers and the various events and forums we host throughout the year to help
grow and strengthen your business.
Some of the issues covered in this edition include Council’s tendering process and how to apply
for a food licence – one of the most enquired about topics received by Council’s Business Hotline
(133 BNE).
In November, Brisbane will host the G20 Leaders Summit. This event will be an important
showcase for the city with significant international media coverage.
The economic benefits to Brisbane are expected to run in excess of $100 million, with the event
reinforcing Brisbane’s status as a world class destination for business, tourism and investment.
I hope you enjoy reading this first edition.
Graham Quirk
LORD MAYOR
Practical advice to grow your business
Looking for ways to grow your business and take the next step?
Get tips from the experts. Hear from some of Brisbane’s most successful entrepreneurs and
business owners as they share practical tips and advice at the Lord Mayor’s Business Forums
and Business Excellence Workshops. The sessions are free and are held regularly. Business
Forums also have experienced Council officers on hand to answer questions on everything from
local laws to licensing. For more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/businessinbrisbane
Learn from local business identities. Watch Brisbane’s Business Masterclass videos online at
www.brisbane.qld. gov.au/businessinbrisbane
Get mentored by an expert. Join an experienced mentor and other business people to share
ideas and solve everyday business issues. Go to www.beroundtable.com.au
Get informed. Council regularly sends out industry and market information and has programs
which can help you grow your business. To subscribe to updates, email
economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263).
Tender opportunities
Businesses interested in selling goods or services to Council should
sign up to the Online Supplier Portal.
Products and services from businesses of all sizes are regularly required and last financial year
more than 450 tenders were awarded through our online systems. Opportunities are varied and
range from supply of plumbing goods, labour hire, cafes and coffee cart operations to training
services and trade contracts for minor and major projects.
As a starting point, applicants should read the specification requirements to see how their
organisation can meet Council’s needs. If there is a match, study the Request for Tender
documentation before applying and ensure you answer all relevant sections in detail.
For tendering tips or to sign up for the Online Supplier Portal and receive email updates, visit
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263).
Do I need a food business licence?
Home-based food businesses and market stalls are becoming
increasingly popular among entrepreneurs or food businesses looking
to expand. Last financial year, Council responded to more than 1440
food business licence enquiries.
Home-based food businesses that prepare food for sale at markets and cafes or for catering
require a licence. They may also need kitchen modifications to ensure commercial fit-out
standards are met, and that food preparation and storage areas are secured from children and
pets.
If this is not an option, residents can apply for a temporary food stall licence, where food is
prepared onsite at a market or event. A licence is not required for the sale of tea, coffee,
packaged food or non-hazardous snack food like biscuits, cakes, confectionary or whole fruit.
Some exemptions also exist for infrequent not-for-profit fundraising activities like sausage sizzles.
Licence fees range from $1010 to $3616 depending on the size of premises, and apply to both
home-based and ‘pop-up’ food businesses. One-off temporary food stall licences cost between
$225 and $312.
For a checklist of conditions, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263).
Take your business overseas
Entrepreneurs and businesspeople looking to grow their business
internationally are encouraged to register their interest in attending the
upcoming Lord Mayoral business mission to the Brisbane sister cities
of Hyderabad and Abu Dhabi, with other destinations to be announced.
The delegation to India and the United Arab Emirates in September will give participants the
chance to generate business and investment opportunities. Business missions are a great way to
enter new markets and forge valuable connections.
Attendees will receive in-market briefings from relevant local government and business
representatives, and attend individual business matching meetings for their sector, as well as
networking and civic events.
Interest from all business sectors and sizes is welcomed, but specific participation from
businesses involved in education and training, environmental management, agribusiness,
infrastructure, property development and renewable industries are especially encouraged.
To express your interest in attending, email internationalrelations@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call
Council on 133 BNE (133 263). Expressions of interest close at 5pm on Friday 30 May
International returns
Local businesses have been the major beneficiaries of the recent Lord
Mayoral business mission, generating an estimated $230 million in
commercial outcomes for the 2013-14 period alone.
In September 2013, more than 80 local business leaders and young professionals travelled to the
Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Kaohsiung, where they attended 156 formal business matching
appointments. The business mission also incorporated Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong and
Shenzhen.
The flow on effect has been near instantaneous for local businesses, with a Fortitude Valleybased planning, design and environment consultancy signing a new client in western China. The
Lord Mayor also recently facilitated a memorandum of understanding between a Chinese
multinational and a local university valued in excess of $1 million per annum.
For more information, email internationalrelations@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on 133
BNE (133 263).
G20 business boost
All eyes will turn to Brisbane when delegates from around the world
arrive for the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 15 and 16 November 2014.
The summit is an important showcase for Brisbane with more than 4000 officials and 3000 media
representatives expected to attend. The economic benefits are projected to run in excess of $100
million, with an upsurge in trade for local shops, hotels and restaurants.
Recognition of Brisbane as a world-class destination will boost tourism and convention business
in the medium term, and generate long-term economic investment and international business
relationships.
In the lead up to G20, free wi-fi will be installed in the CBD from Queen Street Mall, along Victoria
Bridge to South Bank. It will remain in place after G20 and provide ongoing valuable
infrastructure for residents and visitors who use the area.
For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263)
Case study: Local entrepreneur invigorates engineering
landscape
Digital entrepreneur Wayne Gerard has built his career on innovation.
After working in engineering, mining and consulting, the Brisbane local co-founded RedEye Apps,
a company now expanding into Silicon Valley in America. RedEye delivers a cloud-based solution
for managing engineering drawings.
“RedEye is all about managing the versions of engineering drawings, keeping them in a central
place on the cloud and making them easy to find and share,” he says.
“We’re saving up to six per cent of project costs just by making sure people are working off the
right version of a drawing.
“When you think about the really large infrastructure projects, we’re a perfect solution to ensure
projects are delivered cost effectively.”
A finalist in the 2013 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, Mr Gerard says the Brisbane business
landscape is ripe for innovators with an entrepreneurial spirit.
“My favourite quote is ‘Don’t ask your kids what they are going to be, ask them what business
they will start’. We need to teach people that before they leave university, they should begin to
think about what business they’re going to create,” he says.
“Brisbane is Australia’s New World City. It’s a perfect place to launch a technology start-up. There
are so many good businesspeople here and by spending time with them, you will begin to identify
niches that need servicing. Once you’ve got one, it’s about making sure your service delivers
value.”
For information, visit www.redeyeapps.com.au
Celebrating entrepreneurs
The 2014 Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner champions
entrepreneurship and innovation in Brisbane.
Now in its sixth year, the dinner on Friday 30 May showcases the achievements of multicultural
businesspeople and their contributions to our city. The event culminates in the announcement of
the winners of the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business, recognising individuals who
have distinguished themselves with entrepreneurialism, creativity and a global outlook.
The award categories are Business Person of the Year, Young Business Person of the Year and
Entrepreneur of the Year.
A key objective is to support an entrepreneurial culture in Brisbane, with funds being raised to
support business programs including the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Scholarships. Since
the first event in 2008, 125 scholarships have been offered to Brisbane residents to enable them
to start or expand their businesses.
Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner, Friday 30 May at Brisbane City Hall
Tickets available now.
For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263).
Get involved with CoderDojo Brisbane and volunteer to teach
kids to code!
For more information visit www.coderdojobrisbane.com.au
Events
30 April: Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop – FREE
Develop better business skills. Paddington Tavern, Paddington, 1.45-5.30pm.
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
7 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Forum – FREE
Tips to grow your business. Virginia Golf Club, Banyo, 7-9.15pm. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
28 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop – FREE
Develop better business skills. Pacific Golf Club, Carindale, 1.45-5.30pm.
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
14 May: Women upfront
Networking event. Speaker Katarina Carroll – Assistant Commissioner and Executive for G20,
Queensland Police Service. Colmslie Hotel & Conference Centre, Morningside, 11.30am-2.15pm.
www.womensnetwork.com.au
Council is continually working on plans and strategies to support innovation and economic
growth. Your feedback is highly valued.
Contact Council’s Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263), email
economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au
or visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au