Those recruiters we spoke to said that when it comes to legal and accounting matters, companies shouldn't find the systems too alien compared to UK systems. Digby reckons that because Australian law is based on British law it is relatively straightforward to get your head round. Although Burns stresses that if you want to run a temporary desk and hire workers out to clients, employment law can be complex. Burns adds that employment laws are also being reviewed over the next few months by the new Labour government and new layers of regulation may be added, notably a tightening of its WorkChoices legislation which was watered down by the previous Liberal (Conservative) government.

In short, there is no substitute for seeking specialist legal and financial help and support to ensure you stay on the right side of the law and there are plenty of business advisory companies specialising in the sector which can help. As is the case in the UK, accreditation is voluntary and the sector is, largely, unregulated. But given that you are operating in unfamiliar territory, membership of a professional body could be a smart move. There are two professional recruitment bodies in Australia: the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) and the ITCRA (Information Technology Contract & Recruitment Association). Both have a code of conduct to which members must adhere. Some states have different licensing requirements and again a professional body could help.