Business services

Consult Australia is dedicated to supporting your business to be the most vibrant and successful it can be. We provide services and resources to members that will protect your business, grow your client base, and support your people.

Our services include:

  • Access to the Consult Australia Contract, developed specifically for consultants which can save your business the time and expense of developing your own.
  • Over 50 Business Guides and Client Briefings on topics of current relevance to members, key topics are listed below, but to see the full list click here. The Business Guides keep your team up to date on a wide range of topics, and the Client Briefings help knowledge-sharing.
  • Help and advocacy by our team.
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The Consult Australia Contract

The Consult Australia Contract* is a concise agreement for use in the engagement of professional services. It is available as a free download to members (via link below). Non-members can purchase print copies through the Consult Australia Store.

The Consult Australia Contract is designed to be used by consultants of various sizes and disciplines across a range of projects. There is an appropriate balance in the role and responsibilities for both clients and consultants. It is designed to provide more flexibility for all parties in areas such as liability and professional indemnity insurance, and move towards cooperative rather than adversarial contracting.  

We have developed an Advisory Note to the contract that explores issues including; certainty of services (e.g. scope, programme and deliverables). It also refers to the Australian Consumer Law when a standard form contract is used with a consumer client and the potential of a finding that it is an ‘unfair contract’. When using the Consult Australia Contract with a consumer client, it is important that consultants present it in a clear and transparent manner. It is recommended that consultants read the Guide to the Unfair Contracts Terms Law published by the ACCC, available here.

COMING SOON - Consult Australia Sub-Consultancy Contract

MEMBER ACCESS - CONSULT AUSTRALIA CONTRACTS

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Business Guides and Client Briefings on Contracts

We have produced a range of Business Guides and Client Briefings on the most problematic contract terms. These are member-only resources. All staff within a member business can use the business guides to increase their understanding. Members can use the Client Briefings to support their requests to clients for fairer terms and conditions. These are bite size resources that are in addition to our more comprehensive Guide to Managing Unfavourable Contract Terms and our Business Guide on Unfair Contract Terms under in the Australian Consumer Law.

The current topics covered include:

  • Fitness for purpose obligations
  • Liability frameworks and insurance
  • Proportionate liability
  • Property damage exclusions
  • Novation
  • Payment times
  • Security and bank guarantees

We also have guides on fee proposals and tender/panel pre-qualification requirements. If you need a guide on other aspects of contracting, contact Kristy.

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS GUIDES & CLIENT BRIEFINGS

Striving for Mentally Healthy Workplaces

Mental Health Knowledge Hub

Consult Australia’s ‘Mental Health Knowledge Hub’ is a one-stop shop for resources to help member firms to create mentally healthy workplaces. The benefits of mentally healthy workplaces are significant – employees feel more empowered to perform at a high-level and comfortably balance work into a healthy life, and thriving organisations can drive the performance of a workplace to deliver a competitive edge.

ACCESS - MENTAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE HUB

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Business Guides and Client Briefings on Personnel Matters

We have produced a range of Business Guides on personnel matters. These are member-only resources. All staff within a member business can use the business guides to increase their understanding.

The current topics covered include:

  • Child care subsidy
  • Annual leave loading
  • Paid parental leave
  • Flexible workplace practices
  • Overview of WHS obligations
  • Skilled migration for employers

If you need a guide on other aspects of insurance, contact James.

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS GUIDES & CLIENT BRIEFINGS

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Business Tips on Workplace Operations

Consult Australia, in collaboration with NSW Business Chamber is pleased to provide Business Tips, a Consult Australia member-only service. This resource provides information addressing common issues dealt with by Consult Australia members in their workplace operations.

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS TIPS

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Business Guides and Client Briefings on Insurance

We have produced a range of Business Guides and Client Briefings on insurance topics. These are member-only resources. All staff within a member business can use the Business Guides to increase their understanding. Members can use the Client Briefings to support their discussions with clients on insurance.

The current topics covered include:

  • Cyber insurance
  • PI Insurance Market Update
  • Proportionate liability
  • Liability frameworks and insurance

We also have Government Briefings on insurance to assist our advocacy work, this includes PI insurance case studies. If you need a guide on other aspects of insurance, contact Kristy.

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS GUIDES & CLIENT BRIEFINGS

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PI Pathway

Consult Australia believes that it is important to support members in all aspects of their business. We also recognise the impact that the insurance market has on Consult Australia members in terms of availability, affordability and quality of professional indemnity (PI) insurance.

Through the PI Pathway, we are pleased to provide members with a referral service that provides access to broking services and a range of associated support services, which will be provided by a panel of two brokers selected by Consult Australia.

PI Pathway is a member-only service.

MEMBER ACCESS - PI PATHWAY

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Help and Advocacy on Contracts, Insurance and Law Reform

Kristy Eulenstein, our Head of Policy and Government Relations is your go to for assistance on contracts, insurance and law reform issues.

Consult Australia advocates for:

  • fairer contracting throughout Australia, engaging with both private and public sector clients
  • government action to de-risk the insurance market
  • law reform to improve the operating environment for our member businesses.

If you are struggling with unfair contract terms and conditions and unreasonable insurance limits in tenders and contracts or have concerns about current regulatory requirements or proposed law reforms, contact Kristy to discuss how we can help.

COMING SOON - Terms of concern checklist. Complete this checklist and forward to Kristy for consideration of your contract.

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Business Guides and Client Briefings on Law and Ethics

Consult Australia produces Business Guides on a range of law and ethics matters for members-only. All staff within member businesses can use these guides to increase their understanding.

Topics currently covered include:

  • Consult Australia Activities and Avoiding Restrictive Trade Practices
  • Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act
  • Enterprise Agreements and the Code for Tendering and Performance of Building Work 2016
  • Negligence and Duty of Care
  • NSW OC Building Audits

If you would like a guide on another legal or ethical subject, please contact Kristy.

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS GUIDES & CLIENT BRIEFINGS

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Business Guides on COVID-19

Consult Australia produced range of resources to assist members during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these resources are less relevant now as we work in the 'new normal' situation but others remain relevant and we provide updated information where relevant, for example on the vaccine roll-out. These resources are for members-only.

Topics covered include:

  • COVID-19 vaccine
  • Mental health information:
    • COVID-19 and mental health
    • Domestic and family abuse
    • Remote working tips
    • Identifying colleagues who may be struggling in a remote work environment
  • Contracts:
    • Continuing contracts during COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the Consult Australia Contract
    • COVID-19 and the AS4122 general conditions of contracts for consultants
    • COVID-19 risks in new contracts
    • Transparency during COVID-19

MEMBER ACCESS - BUSINESS GUIDES & CLIENT BRIEFINGS

Safety in Design Toolkit

Safety in design is about encompassing safe design principles in the conceptual and design phase of a design project that apply over the entire life cycle of that project. The opportunities to address WHS in the design and planning of construction works are considerable. In this early phase it is often possible to design out hazards or incorporate risk control measures that are compatible with the original design concept and with the engineering and functional requirements of a project.

The Safety in Design Toolkit is available free for members (via the link below). Non-members can purchase print copies through the Consult Australia Store.

MEMBERS - ACCESS TOOLKIT

Consult Australia Members are entitled to use the Consult Australia logos.

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More information

For more information about our business services, please contact Consult Australia on 02 8252 6700 or at: info@consultaustralia.com.au.