Articles

Who is the ACCC targeting in 2019?

On 26 February 2019, Rod Sims announced the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement policy for 2019. A summary of the key areas of focus are set out below.

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The emergence of climate change law in New South Wales and beyond

In the recent NSW Land and Environment Court decision of Gloucester Resources Limited v Minister for Planning [2019] NSWLEC 9 Chief Judge Preston, in performing the role of the consent authority of...

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Dispute Resolution Update - February 2019

Our 2019 Half Year Dispute Resolution update details our significant case developments and wins, including our listing as a Band 1 Practice for Dispute Resolution in the Asia Pacific Legal 500 for...

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Guaranteeing payment under an unconditional bank guarantee: Santos v BNP Paribas

The Queensland Court of Appeal last week upheld a decision that a demand for payment under an unconditional bank guarantee was invalid because it failed to state expressly that it had been signed...

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Repeal of IP exception to competition law

If your business is involved in the licensing or assignment of IP rights (such as patents, registered designs or copyrights), you should urgently seek legal advice to ensure that all such...

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Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

With the first week of hearings due to commence on Monday 11 February, we thought it was timely to reflect on the preliminary hearing in mid-January and to give you some insights into what you...

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Update on State Government’s Forrest & Forrest “fix”

The Bill that seeks to amend the Mining Act 1978 (WA) to remove uncertainty around the validity of mining tenements as a result of the High Court decision in Forrest & Forrest, was read in...

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Looming changes – are you ready for the Consumer Data Right?

With the Federal Government announcing its intention to introduce a Consumer Data Right (CDR) from 1 July 2019, how can you be prepared?

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Redundancy pay exception – ordinary and customary turnover of labour

Employers engaged in contracting sectors – such as providing outsourced services to third parties under contracts for specified periods (e.g. catering, cleaning or maintenance contracts) – cannot...

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Is your security still perfected?

Will your security interest expire on 30 January 2019?

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Therapeutic Goods Update

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a number of consultation papers in January 2019. One of those papers seeks feedback on its proposal to introduce a globally harmonised Unique...

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Foreign Bribery Update: December 2018

This Update covers a range of important developments in Australia and overseas in the area of foreign bribery policy, commercial crime, investigations and regulation to 19 December 2018.

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Class actions in Australia’s employment law landscape: 2019 and beyond

Class actions are set to become a prominent feature of the Australian employment law landscape.

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Proposed changes to PRRT system from 1 July 2019

Back in June 2017 we examined the final report of the Government’s review of the design and operation of the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) (the Callaghan Review). Following the Government’s...

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Is your profit margin on the ATO’s radar? Transfer Pricing & Inbound Distributors

On 23 November 2018, the Commissioner issued Draft Practice Compliance Guide 2018/D8 (PCG 2018/D8) outlining his compliance approach to the transfer pricing outcomes associated with inbound...

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Receiver distribution of assets permitted despite objections

The latest decision in the external administration of Mirabela is a reminder of the utility of the section 424 directions process for receivers, and an example of the steps to be taken in the face...

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Embedded royalties in payments under cross-border supply contracts

Australian distributors and manufacturers should review their cross-border supply arrangements to determine the risk of TA 2018/2 applying to their arrangements.

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BOQ caught out on insurance policy clause

A judgment handed down in the Supreme Court of New South Wales this week involving the Bank of Queensland (Bank of Queensland Ltd v AIG Australia Ltd [2018] NSWSC 1689) highlights just how critical...

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Contaminated Land – What constitutes notice to a buyer?

Queensland’s Environmental Protection Act (Section 421) requires a vendor of land recorded on the Environmental Management Register to give notice to a potential purchaser prior to signing any...

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Distribution of trust assets under a DOCA: the latest guidance from the Federal Court

The Federal Court has confirmed that there is no difference between liquidation and deed administration of a corporate trustee in relation to dealings with trust assets and the distribution of...

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Set it off! The West Australian Court of Appeal breathes new life into section 553C

The Court of Appeal - Supreme Court of Western Australia has delivered a decision confirming that a statutory set-off under s 553C of the Corporations Act can still be available to a creditor...

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PMSI refinancing – make sure you protect your interests!

When refinancing inventory, gaining 'super priority' for a purchase money security interest (PMSI) over existing general security interests is paramount to protecting the investment made by the...

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Recalibration of funding commissions to better link risk and reward

Lenthall reaffirms the Federal Court’s preference for common fund orders with funding commission rates struck by the lesser of a multiple of costs or net recoveries to better link risk and reward.

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FIRB releases new guidance notes for foreign purchasers

On 25 September, Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board issued 2 guidance notes, designed to clarify Australia’s foreign investment policy in 2 key areas - acquisition of agricultural land and...

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