Queensland e-conveyancing update
Queensland’s shift towards a fully digital land registry has taken further steps forward with enabling legislation passed by the Queensland parliament in recent months. The Revenue and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2018 expands the scope of transfers which can be carried out within an e-conveyancing network to all freehold land types (vacant, residential, commercial and industrial) with […]
ReadmoreI didn’t mean to sign that –when can a party escape from a contract because they didn’t understand it?
You are negotiating a deal and it becomes clear the other party has misread or misunderstood the effect of a clause in the document. Do you point this out to the other party or stay silent and hope they don’t notice? The risk of staying silent is highlighted by the recent decision of the Victorian […]
ReadmoreGoing digital – When is an electronic land contract ‘signed’?
When the concept of electronic contracting was first conceived, there was some uncertainty about whether they would be suitable for land sale contracts. This was due to the requirement in the Property Law Act 1974 that, to be enforceable, a contact for the sale of land has to be: in writing; and signed by the relevant party […]
ReadmoreDeveloping Resilient Future Cities
The 2019 Asia Pacific Cities Summit (APCS) and Mayors’ Forum provided a platform for connection and conversations on cities’ innovation, mobility, liveability and sustainability. A powerful contingent of some 1480+ delegates, spanning 140 cities, close to 90 Mayors and Deputy Mayors, and entrepreneurs came together to solve complex problems to develop resilient future cities. What does this […]
ReadmoreRavenhall Landfill decision confirms the scope of VCAT’s powers to review EPA approvals
In June this year, VCAT made the decision to approve a Works Approval to allow for the expansion of the Ravenhall Landfill, the largest landfill in Victoria in the decision of Melton CC v Landfill Operations Pty Ltd (Red Dot) [2019] VCAT 882. Originally approved by the EPA in 2016, the Works Approval was appealed […]
ReadmoreDigital platforms inquiry final report released – potentially far reaching privacy impacts for Australian businesses
Key privacy related points The ACCC supports the introduction of much tougher penalties for privacy law breaches. A direct right of action (and class action) could be introduced for breach of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The definition of consent could be amended to require express, opt-in consent. There are recommendations to bolster consumers’ […]
ReadmoreBusinesses pay high price for environmental non-compliance
In Queensland, businesses that fail to comply with environmental obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) risk enforcement and prosecution action by the Department of Environment and Science (Department), including the imposition of significant fines and recording of convictions, as illustrated by the following cases. Waste Transfer Business A company operating a waste transfer […]
ReadmoreLandowner wins appeal against Council enforcement notice
The Planning and Environment Court in Benfer v Sunshine Coast Regional Council[2019] QPEC 6 has held that an enforcement notice given to a landowner in relation to an alleged development offence should be set aside due to deficiencies in the content of the notice, including a lack of detail as to the nature and timing of […]
ReadmoreDevelopment refused due to inconsistency with Centres Strategy
The Planning and Environment Court in Hotel Property Investments Ltd v Council of the City of Gold Coast [2019] QPEC 5, refused a change application (other) lodged in accordance with sections 78 and 82 of the Planning Act 2016 (Planning Act) for an existing approval from showrooms and a café to offices on a site located in […]
ReadmoreStrengthening Employee Entitlement Protections in the Corporations Act Amendment in focus – disqualification from managing corporations
Earlier this year, the Corporations Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Employee Entitlements) Act (Cth) commenced. This article will focus on the provisions introduced to disqualify wrongdoers from managing corporations. Please refer to our article summarising the other critical changes and key concepts for more information. The amendments introduce provisions empowering ASIC and the Court to disqualify company directors or officers […]
ReadmoreStrengthening Employee Entitlement Protections in the Corporations Act Amendment in focus – offences and civil penalty provisions
Earlier this year, the Corporations Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Employee Entitlements) Act (Cth) (the Act) commenced. This article will focus on the key changes made to the employee entitlements provisions. The purpose of the Act The objective of the Act is to stop sharp corporate practices which improperly burden the Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) scheme under the Fair […]
ReadmoreStrengthening Employee Entitlement Protections in the Corporations Act Amendment in focus – employee entitlement contribution orders
Earlier this year, the Corporations Amendment (Strengthening Protections for Employee Entitlements) Act (Cth) (the Act) commenced. This article will focus on the provisions introducing employee entitlement contribution orders. Please refer to our article summarising the critical changes and key concepts introduced by the Act. The amendments aim to deter corporate groups from adopting structures where the insolvency of a corporate […]
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