Yesterday, the ACCC announced its compliance and enforcement priorities for 2023. In this article we discuss why the stakes are higher in 2023, the key areas of focus, what you need to know and...
On 16 February 2023, the Attorney-General’s Department released its much-anticipated Final Report (Report) on the Review of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The Report is the culmination...
The High Court of Australia is currently considering whether Victorian legislation imposing a fee on the use of zero or low-emission vehicles is contrary to s 90 of the Commonwealth Constitution in...
Following the implementation of the recommendations in the Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020) to amend work health and safety (WHS) obligations, WHS regulators are now...
On 9 December 2022, the long-running prosecution of Grafil Pty Limited (Grafil) and its director Mr Mackenzie by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) came to an end with a unanimous...
On Monday 30 January 2023, the Commonwealth government unveiled its plans for the ‘Revive’ National Cultural Policy. As a part of the policy’s fifth pillar, ‘Engaging the Audience’, new...
On 8 February 2023, the High Court of Australia delivered judgment in Bryant v Badenoch Integrated Logging Pty Ltd [2023] HCA 2. JWS acted for PwC, the appellant liquidators of the Gunns group, and...
The Commissioner of Taxation (Commissioner) has been actively pursuing the application of the anti-avoidance provisions to trust structures and trust distributions. In the most recent decision, the...
A class action has been filed in the Federal Court in respect of the Medibank data breach, funded by large domestic litigation funder Omni Bridgeway.
The ATO has issued its decision impact statement (DIS) about a year after the Full Federal Court decision in Shell Energy Holdings Australia v Commissioner of Taxation [2022] FCAFC 2 (Shell Energy).
On 22 December 2022, the Full Federal Court of Australia unanimously decided for the taxpayer in Commissioner of Taxation v Landcom. The decision is a useful reminder of key principles in statutory...
Last week’s Federal Court decision in ACCC v Uber highlights the risks associated with taking a ‘set and forget’ approach to regulatory compliance, particularly when relying on automated processes,...
On 12 December 2022, the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 received royal assent. The Act implements the remaining seven recommendations for...
On 9 December 2022, O’Bryan J handed down judgement in Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v BlueScope Steel Limited (No 5) [2022] FCA 1475 (ACCC v BlueScope).
There were signs of life last week in the Stage 2 Part A Review of Model Defamation Provisions, concerning liability of internet intermediaries for third party content, in the shape of a communique...
On 10 December 2022, the Corporations Amendment (Litigation Funding) Regulations 2022 (Cth) (Regulations) came into effect. In summary, the regulations bring the status of litigation funding...
Our update covers mining, oil and gas, electricity and renewable energy.
On 9 December 2022, the Commonwealth Government released exposure drafts of its proposed Competition and Consumer Amendment (Gas Market) Bill 2022 (Cth) (Exposure Bill) and Competition and Consumer...
Last week, the federal Government announced the most comprehensive set of proposed reforms to Australia’s national environmental laws since the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation...
The Government is moving quickly on its workplace and diversity reform agenda by introducing the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill 2022 (the Bill). The Bill, which significantly amends the Fair Work Act...
On November 10 2022, the maximum financial penalties for breaching Australia’s competition and consumer laws increased significantly - in some cases by five times the previous levels.
The Government has passed legislation amending the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to strengthen the unfair contract term (UCT) regime.
In the wake of the recent Optus and Medibank data breaches, the Government has confirmed its commitment to privacy and data security reform by proposing tougher penalties for serious or repeated...
On 27 October 2022, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission released Report 740 Insights from the reportable situations regime: October 2021 to June 2022.