Getting Started
Setting Up as a Freelancer in Australia: The First-Week Checklist
Everything you need to do in your first week as a freelancer in Australia. ABN, bank accounts, insurance, software, and what can wait.
2 min read·
Most of the essential setup takes an afternoon. Here's what actually matters in week one.
1 day
To handle the essentials
$0
Cost to register your ABN
~30%
Of income to set aside for tax
Do this now
Register your ABN
Free, 10 min at abr.gov.au. Without one, clients withhold 47%.
Separate bank account
Business transactions in one place. Saves hours at tax time.
Tax savings account
~30% of every payment goes here. The tax bill is already covered.
Insurance
Professional indemnity ($300–800/yr). Many contracts require it.
Do this later
Company structure
Pty Ltd benefits don't kick in until well over $150k.
Website
LinkedIn is enough. First clients come from your network.
GST registration
Optional under $75k turnover. Skip it for now.
ABN, bank account, and a way to track income. That's it. Everything else is iteration.
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The complete guide to freelancing in Australia. Tax, super, BAS, contracts, and pricing, explained step by step.