choosing your picnic provider

This picnic business is pretty complex. We have to navigate councils, insurance, and laws and regulations, all designed to protect you, the customer. The business overheads will usually be reflected in the package prices. If they have low package prices, chances are they might not have paid for some of the permits required for us to trade, which puts you at risk of a fine or removal of your picnic from the park mid-celebration.

Here are some things to consider when choosing your picnic provider:

Do they have public liability insurance? This is required to trade in public parks and must be submitted to councils before bookings to protect Third parties and property from injury and damage. The ranger may request this from the provider even during the middle of your picnic and if they are unable to produce this, may move you on.
Has the provider notified the council that they will trade on their parklands? We must let most councils in Perth know we will be trading in one of their locations. Some councils also require the customer to obtain an additional permit to have their event there, and many locations have restrictions on what can be set up. For example, Kings Park requires you to hire a site from them before you can have your event there (they may ask you to pack down and leave if you don’t formally hire a site!), and they also do not allow you to put up any structures such as Arbours & Teepees. South Perth Foreshore requires you to have a permit to put structures up. The last thing you want is a council ranger turning up and asking you to pack up mid-picnic because you don’t have permission to be there. Matilda Bay recently made it a requirement that picnic providers be licensed commercial operators registered with Tourism Australia and WA to set up their reserved sites. This includes submitting the necessary paperwork to the Department of Parks and Wildlife following their specific guidelines. While we are permitted to trade at these locations, any permits to hire zones or obtain liquor licenses are the customer's responsibility. Unfortunately, if you are caught drinking without a permit or in a banned area, you are personally responsible for the fine, even as the customer (which can be thousands of dollars)
If the company is providing you with food, are they registered? Registered food companies must jump through a million hoops for permission to cook from their kitchen, and there's a good reason why! It is illegal to sell and serve food without this approval as it protects customers from food contamination, particularly with the high-risk food often served at these events, such as cheeses and meats.
Does the business have terms and conditions outlining both your and their rights in regard to bookings, changes, refunds, and everything else that comes with it?
Do they have a privacy policy in place? Australia has strict Privacy Principles. If a company is storing your name, email address, payment details, address or other, you want to be comfortable that your information is secure by law.
Are they registered as a business? If they are not, and something goes wrong, you could be out of pocket/inconvenienced and not protected by consumer laws.
If the business is charging you GST, they should be registered for GST. Check this if you are being charged GST.

There is plenty more we have to consider as a registered business, however these are the critical ones you should look out for to ensure your day is seamless, without any hiccups!