Ethics of Public Sector Decision Making
Governments keep getting bigger. The exercise of their powers is more far-reaching than ever before. As powerful as government may be, there is no such thing in Australia as unlimited official power. Governments can only exercise the powers vested in them. Governments exist only to serve the public interest and the courts will hold them […]
ReadmoreFarm Debt Mediation Act 2018 (SA)
3 September 2018 marked the commencement of the Farm Debt Mediation Act 2018 (SA) (Act), to be administered by the South Australian Small Business Commissioner (Commissioner). The Act enshrines in law mandatory farm debt mediation, bringing South Australia into line with its eastern state counterparts – New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The object of […]
ReadmoreProfiles in Privacy | Fiona Anderson, Treasury Wine Estates
In our Profiles in Privacy series, we profile prominent players in privacy and data protection in Australia. Fiona Anderson, Senior Legal Counsel at Treasury Wine Estates, has nearly 18 years experience as a commercial lawyer. She has been in the legal team at Treasury Wine Estates for over 7 years and takes the lead within […]
ReadmoreElectricity regulatory framework under further review – changes ahead for both embedded networks and stand-alone power systems
The Australian Energy Markets Commission has recently announced two separate reviews – one into the regulation of embedded networks and the other into stand-alone power systems. With the national electricity framework having been founded on a centralised electricity supply model, the explosive growth of both embedded networks and large-scale localised generation options has presented challenges […]
ReadmoreRefusing Consent to Assign a Retail Premises Lease
The recent VCAT decision of AVC Operations Pty Ltd v Teley Pty Ltd [2018] VCAT 931 (AVC Operations) serves to remind us of the limited power of landlords to refuse consent to a request to assign a retail premises lease. When can a landlord refuse consent? Section 60 of the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) […]
ReadmoreTrade Incentives
Trade Incentive Promotions run business to business, or business to employee, rather than business to consumer. Here is an overview of those things to consider, when running trade incentive promotions. Click here to view full size image. Authored by: David Smith, Partner Jess Bell, Paralegal Allison Rickard, Paralegal
ReadmoreThe sun sets on developers using Sunset Clauses
Developers are in the firing line again as the Victorian Government seeks to restrict the ability of developers to terminate an “off the plan” contract of sale. The Sale of Land Amendment Bill 2018 (Vic) (Bill) was introduced to the Parliament by the Minister for Consumer Affairs on 21 August 2018. The Bill seeks to […]
ReadmoreRights of a mortgagee dispossessed of land
If you are a mortgagee, or acting for one, you may encounter a situation where you have obtained judgment against a mortgagor for possession of land and, after executing a warrant of possession to gain vacant possession, the mortgagor and/or their associates have unlawfully re-entered the property. In a recent Supreme Court of Victoria case[1] […]
ReadmoreAmerind – insolvent corporate trustees and the Corporations Act 2001 priority regime – still a grey area
The Victorian Court of Appeal in Amerind[1] considered whether the right of indemnity from trust assets held by an insolvent trustee company is ‘property of the company’. If so, the Court considered whether the statutory scheme of priority contained in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) applies to the distribution of the relevant property. […]
ReadmoreVoluntary Administrators – entitlement to an equitable or statutory lien over funds held on trust
A recent case in the Supreme Court of Victoria of In the matter of Specialist Australian Security Group Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) (ACN 094 807 173)[1] considered voluntary administrators’ claim to a statutory and equitable lien in respect of remuneration and expenses incurred by them. The facts Valdii Investments Pty Ltd (Valdii) and Abcit […]
ReadmoreFreezing and ancillary orders – key factors the Court considers
Following our July 2018 refresher article ‘Freezing orders – a refresher’, the recent decision of Parbery & Ors v QNI Metals Pty Ltd & Ors [2018] QSC 107 is a helpful reminder of the factors the Court will take into account and the threshold an applicant must meet when deciding whether to grant freezing and […]
ReadmoreWhen a trading trust goes bust: the aftermath of the Killarnee decision
Many modern businesses are carried on through a “trading trust”, with a private company serving as trustee. However, while this type of arrangement is not uncommon, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about correct protocol when a corporate trustee becomes insolvent. Questions arise such as: What happens with the corporate trustee is wound […]
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