Insights

Watch this space: James Hardie and FMG in the High Court

The High Court will soon rule on two key corporate and securities law decisions. In each case, Acumen has reported on the lower Court decisions...

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2010 JWS AGM season survey results

At the conclusion of the 2010 "AGM Season" we conducted a survey of the business of

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ASIC CP 143 - Experts reports and independence of experts

ASIC has issued Consultation Paper 143: Expert reports and independence of experts: Update to RG111 and RG112. In CP143 ASIC proposes changes to its two regulatory guides dealing with content of...

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Handling confidential, price sensitive information: principles of good practice

Chartered Secretaries Australia and the Australasian Investor Relations Association have issued guidance on handling confidential, price-sensitive information. This is in response to ASIC's...

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Overview of the Short Term Trading Market

The Short Term Trading Market (STTM) is a mandatory wholesale gas market which operates at various hubs,1 initially at the Sydney Hub and the Adelaide...

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High Court says 'no' to mutual trust and confidence

In the highly anticipated decision of Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Barker [2014] HCA 32 (10 September 2014), all five members of the High Court of Australia have held that there is no term of...

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Repair, replace or refund? The costly consequences of getting it wrong: the HP case

It is standard practice for a company to have clearly articulated policies about consumer refunds including the circumstances in which the company may seek to repair or replace defective products...

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Conflicted remuneration - final FOFA Regulations released

Regulations made on 28 June 2013 under the Corporations Amendment Regulation 2013 (No.5) (Regulations) have clarified or confirmed significant matters relating to conflicted remuneration under the...

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Exemption from duty for Queensland exploration authorities

Administrative treatment, and transfers under farm-in transactions -- This article summarises Duties Act Public Ruling DA000.12.1, "Transfer duty - exemption for farm-in transactions in the resource

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National access regime - proposals for change

On 25 October 2012, the Productivity Commission (PC) was asked to review the National Access Regime in Part IIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to assess its role and efficacy and propose...

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Registered scheme constitutions - ASIC's revised policy

On 5 June 2013 ASIC released its revised policy about the content of registered managed investment scheme (scheme) constitutions: Regulatory Guide 134 Managed Investments: Constitutions...

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James Hardie in the High Court

The decision of the High Court in the James Hardie litigation has important implications for non-executive directors (and those who advise them), for general counsel, company secretaries and others...

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Sweating the small stuff - big penalties for misleading consumers

Recent cases demonstrate that companies should immediately perform a comprehensive audit of trade practices compliance programs to ensure they are up to date, effectively implemented and well...

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The Centro decision - ASIC v Healey & Ors [2011] FCA 717

While there has been much press that the Centro decision has lifted the bar in relation to directors actively examining and questioning information contained in financial statements rather than...

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The Personal Property Securities Act (PPSA) - key implications for manufacturers and wholesalers

The PPSA is a fundamental overhaul of the existing regime for taking and granting security over personal property (excluding land). The changes will affect nearly all businesses, particularly...

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Panel case on deal protection - Ross Human Directions

The decision in Ross Human Directions [2010] ATP 8 is not a "game changer" when it comes to deal protection in M&A transactions, but it does provide some fairly clear guidance to advisers

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Proposed amendments to UK Takeover Code - December 2010

The UK Takeover Panel has recently issued a response statement in relation to consultation on proposed amendments to the UK Takeover...

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Takeovers Panel issues guidance on 'recommendations and undervalue statements'

On 21 September the Takeovers Panel issued Guidance Note 22: "Recommendations and Undervalue Statements". This followed consultation on a draft guidance note in April this year, and response...

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Corporations (Sons of Gwalia) Bill 2010

The Corporations (Sons of Gwalia) Bill was passed by Parliament on 26 November 2010, an awaits Royal assent. The Bill will reverse the effect of the Sons of Gwalia Case by subordinating the claims...

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Corporations Amendment (No. 1) Act 2010

The Corporations Amendment (No. 1) Act received the Royal assent on 24 November 2010, and is awaiting...

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Greater transparency in the ACCC's merger review process

The ACCC has recently refined its merger review practice to increase the transparency of the informal review process. ACCC staff will now provide merger parties with detailed guidance, in writing...

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