BUSINESS ONLINE SERVICES 
HEADS OF AGREEMENT

	
		
Council of Australian Governments		

An agreement made among the following parties:

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES
THE STATE OF VICTORIA
THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND
THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
THE STATE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
THE STATE OF TASMANIA
THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA

RECITALS
A.	Through greater collaboration among Commonwealth, State, Territory and local governments, the parties intend for Australia to move closer to a seamless national economy for business and to maximise the capability of governments to deliver world class services to business.
B.	The Business Online Services Project (the BOS Project) is a key element in establishing a seamless national economy.  The parties agree to collaborate to deliver the BOS Project.
C.	This Heads of Agreement sets out the broad principles of the parties' agreement in relation to the BOS Project.  More detailed terms and conditions for the collaboration will be contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed by the Heads of relevant Australian, State and Territory government agencies.

1.	THE BOS PROJECT
1.1.	The parties agree to collaborate in delivering nationally-coordinated online services to business in accordance with the decision of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) of 3 July 2008.
1.2.	In entering this Heads of Agreement, the parties recognise they have a mutual interest in delivering the BOS Project and need to work together to do so.
1.3.	The BOS Project will deliver a nationally-coordinated system by which businesses can access information and services that will assist them in managing their regulatory responsibilities and will allow more effective interaction between businesses and all tiers of government, regardless of the location of the business.
1.4.	The parties' goals in delivering the BOS Project are to:
a.	improve Australia's productivity by reducing the regulatory burden on businesses; 
b.	improve business knowledge and certainty; and 
c.	improve the efficiency of the delivery of governments’ services to businesses.   
2.	ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY 
2.1.	The detail of the terms and conditions of the collaboration among the parties to this agreement will be contained in an MOU to be signed by the Heads of relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory government agencies.  Each party agrees to provide necessary resources for the timely conclusion of the MOU.
2.2.	The following describes the principal role and responsibility of each party:
a.	the Commonwealth will provide the infrastructure for the BOS Project.  This will include the service by which information regarding the federal and each State and Territory jurisdiction is accessed;
b.	each party will be responsible for:-
i.	providing the information and services to be accessed through the BOS system in relation to its own jurisdiction, 
ii.	maintaining the accuracy and quality of the information available to the BOS system in relation to its own jurisdiction, and
iii.	working cooperatively with the other parties to provide high quality customer service for users of the BOS system;
c.	each State and Territory will be responsible for providing such information and assistance to the Commonwealth as is necessary to facilitate the delivery of the BOS Project; and
d.	each party will nominate a primary contact with accountability for carrying out the responsibilities of that party.
3.	GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
3.1.	Any party may give notice of a dispute under this Heads of Agreement.  The relevant primary contacts will attempt to resolve any dispute in the first instance.
3.2.	If the dispute is unable to be resolved by the primary contacts, it may be escalated to the relevant Ministerial Council or COAG Working Group for consideration.  If not resolved there it may be referred to COAG for consideration.
3.3.	The Heads of Agreement will be reviewed in December 2010.  
3.4.	A party may terminate their participation in the Heads of Agreement and therefore the negotiation of the MOU at any time by notifying all the other parties in writing.
3.5.	The Heads of Agreement may be amended at any time by agreement in writing by all the parties.
3.6.	If not terminated earlier, this Heads of Agreement will expire in accordance with the terms and conditions of the MOU as executed by all participating parties.

The Parties have confirmed their commitment to this agreement as follows:
Signed for and on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia by
	
The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia
2 July 2009			
			
Signed for and on behalf of the 
State of New South Wales by
	
The Honourable Nathan Rees MP
Premier of the State of New South Wales
2 July 2009		Signed for and on behalf of the
State of Victoria by
	
The Honourable John Brumby MP
Premier of the State of Victoria
 2 July 2009	
			
Signed for and on behalf of the
State of Queensland by
	
The Honourable Anna Bligh MP
Premier of the State of Queensland
2 July 2009		Signed for and on behalf of the
State of Western Australia by
	
The Honourable Colin Barnett MLA
Premier of the State of Western Australia
2 July 2009	
			
Signed for and on behalf of the
State of South Australia by
	
The Honourable Mike Rann MP
Premier of the State of South Australia
2 July 2009		Signed for and on behalf of the
State of Tasmania by
	
The Honourable David Bartlett MHA
Premier of the State of Tasmania
2 July 2009	
			
Signed for and on behalf of the Australian Capital Territory by
	
Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
2 July 2009		Signed for and on behalf of the Northern Territory by
	
The Honourable Paul Henderson MLA
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia
2 July 2009