Computer Software Solutions:

Argus Connect Software for secure encrypted email communication between health care practitioners.

Bluewave Optometry Networks  Computer hardware and networking specialist for the Optical Industry.

HICAPS - Health Industry Claims and Payment Services Electronic health fund payment processing.

I-Optic Makers of I-Lite practice management software. This basic software will keep track of who owes what, who has paid what, what money has come in,  all details about every job, recalls and more.

Monkey Software Makers of Optomate Practice Management software. Australian company specialising in Practice Management Software for the optical industry.
A-Support  NSW, Qld & NT re-seller for Monkey Software's Optomate Practice Management System.
Optom Help  Provides detailed help files for Optomate Premier Practice Management Software. Optomate instructions.

Planet VA   IT solutions for eyecare including website building and frame try-on software.

Sunix Vision Makers of Sunnix Vision Practice Management software

Thomson Software Solutions   UK site with software downloads including computerised letter chart software.

Opti Pro Ocelot Practice Management Software.

Mozy Secure online backup - encrypted and compliant with US medical privacy laws.

Continuing Professional Development

OAA Continuing Education
OptomCPD
Optom Online
Ski Conferences for Eyecare Professionals

Legislative Compliance

ABR - Australian Business Register Register of every business with an ABN. Useful for checking if a supplier has and ABN and if they are registered for GST. Also useful for checking if a business name is available when starting a practice.
ACCC - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission  regulatory body with the power to impose fines for false or misleading advertising, financial scams, unconsionable conduct by large businesses against small ones, predatory pricing, price fixing, and other anti-competitive practices.
ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission  Regulator and registrar for all Australian companies. The National Names index shows company names and registered business names that are in existence.  Useful when selecting the name for a new business.
ATO - Australian Taxation Office
Australasian Legal Information Institute  Download full text of all Australian Laws and Regulations
Austroads Australian driving standards including vision standards.
Department of Veterans Affairs
IP Australia  Intellectual Property such as Trade Marks and Patents are registered by IP Australia.  Site is also useful for checking if a proposed name is already trademarked.
Medicare Australia
SAI Global  Purchase Australian Standards Here
Standards Australia Home page for Australia's peak standards body.
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)  Australian regulator for medicines and medical devices. Eye testing equipment, spectacle frames and lenses are now classified as medical devices. Importing without compliance with TGA requirements is illegal.  All therapeutic and diagnostic medicines need to be approved by the TGA.
Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents Download all victorian Parliamentary documents including Acts.

Legal and Administrative

Law Central is an Australian publicly listed company offering current and valid Employment Contracts, Trust Deeds, company constitutions, Self managed Superannuation Fund Documents,Salary Packaging a Car Kits and other such documents. Buy directly from where some accountants buy them.

Law Depot US site which offers Australian employment contracts and policy, procedures manuals and other legal documents.

CCH Australia Australian Master Tax Guide, master superannuation guide, master industrial relations guide etc  CCH is a provider of information services, software and workflow tools for tax, accounting, hr, employment, safety, legal and business professionals.

Industrial Relations

Fair Work Australia recommends that employers seek individual advice regarding which awards are applicable to each workplace. Fair Work Australia will provide individual written advice to employers about the relevant award if they apply for it.

General guide is contained below: please note that this may not apply to you.

Victoria:
Victoria does not have its own state awards. In Victoria certain federal awards apply to everyone in the relevant industry who is not named in any federal award or certified agreement. Awards do not apply to employers who have their own certified agreements.

The relevant award for optical dispensing and optical assistants in Victoria (for workplaces not covered by a certified agreement or a specific award) is General Retail Industry Award 2010.

Written employment contracts (such as contracts available from Law Central) allow employers to "set off" award conditions, penalty rates, and leave loading in return for higher pay. 

Some award conditions can be modified with a written contract - for example, the Retail award allows the employee to have two 10 minute rest breaks per day. The award allows the employer and employee to reach agreement about altering such entitlements. A written contract is one way to do this - these alterations are not included in the Law Central contract and have to be entered manually.

Below are listings of state awards for other states. It is recommended to get individual advice from the Fair Work Australia before making any decisions on staff pay rates. Some employers may be covered under state awards, and others may be covered under federal awards. Territories use Federal awards, check with the Fair Work Australia.

NSW:

For Optical Mechanics:  AN120332 Mechanical Opticians (State) Award

QLD:

For Optical Mechanics:  AN140198 Optical Manufacturing Industry Employees Award - State 2003

SA:

For Optical Mechanics: AN150100 Optical Employees Award

Tas:

For optical receptionists, clerical workers and mechanics: AN170074 Optical Industries Award

WA:

For Optical Mechanics: AN160237 Optical Mechanics' Award, 1971




AIRC - Australian Industrial Relations Commission Full text of all awards can be downloaded here.

Eyecare Recruitment optical industry employment agency

Law Central Purchase current and valid employment contracts.

Open Recruitment employment agency.

Fair Work Australia Current award pay rates.

Worksafe Victoria Victorian workers compensation Government authority.

Website Building

Please see the Guide to Making a Website by Yourself.

Notepad++ is an excellent free HTML text editor for working with code.

auDA accredited Registrars  List of accredited domain name registrars

FileZilla. ftp client  for uploading your files from your computer to the server.

Artisteer Software for creating website templates.

Free Layouts  Free HTML layouts for website design.

KompoZer WYSIWYG HTML editor - edit the site without seeing all the HTML coding. Also allows the HTML to be edited directly.

Melbourne IT  Domain Name Registrar

NetRegistry Domain Name Registrar

Paint.NET  Image editor to create and modify images, graphics, and photos.

Computer Equipment

PC Case Gear Purchase computer cases, power supplies, and other computer related equipment.

Road Mogul  Discount Printers. Latest models sourced from Australian wholesalers so comes with full warranty.

Finance

Experien

Medfin

Shopfitting and Optical Shop Merchandizing

All About Shopfitting Shopfitter

Chadwick Plastics Spectacle Frame Displays

Creative Concepts  Optical Window Displays

Froog Shopfit & Design Shopfitter

Gush Retail Merchandizing

Maxim Optical Frame Displays

Preston Displays Spectacle Frame display clips

Shop for Shops Retail Shopfittings and accessories

Shopfitting Solution National Shopfitter specializing in Optical and Optometry fitouts.

Optometric Practice Management:

A J & V J Hanks Practice Management

Eyecare Plus Optometrists Buying Group

EyeSmart Portal for the Australian and NZ Eyecare Industry

Eye Talk Consultants Publishers of the Eye Talk Reference Guide.

Ideology Consulting Business consulting by Mark Overton.

Opti Pro  Buying Group.

ProVision Optometrists Buying Group

QIP - Quality in Practice Optometric Practice accreditation

Industry Consultants:

Brennan Consultants

EM Low Vision

Layton Vision Consulting