Publications
Latest News
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Attention Employers! Super Guarantee Rates are Changing
14-Jun-2021
From 1 July 2021, the super guarantee rate will rise from 9.5% to 10%. All employers will need to ensure they have updated their payroll systems ready for 1 July to reflect this increase. Employers can be subject to interest and penalties for underpayments of super contributions to th..
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Selling property? How to make a binding contract and not be sued! – Part 4
14-May-2021
In the last three newsletters we discussed what information a Seller should disclose to a Buyer when selling a property and the potential consequences of failing to do so. In addition to the points already discussed in the last three newsletters, Sellers and Buyers should take note of the follow..
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Selling your property? How to make a binding contract and not be sued! – Part 2
13-May-2021
In our previous newsletter, we started discussing some of the common issues that Sellers must disclose to Buyers and what happens to the sale when they are missed. This article, we will continue the discussion on disclosures that need to be made to Buyers when selling property. Advers..
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Selling your property? How to make a binding contract and not be sued!
12-May-2021
When selling property, there are a few disclosures that you may need to make to a Buyer before you enter into a Contract. Failure to provide these disclosures could mean that the Buyer can walk away from the Contract at any time up to the settlement date or worse – they could have rights to sue ..
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At last! The new laws regarding casual workers
12-Apr-2021
On 22 March, the long-awaited changes to the Fair Work Act (FW Act) in relation to casual employees were passed. Since the recent Federal Court decisions of Workpac Pty Ltd v Skene* and Workpac v Rossato**,employers have been exposed to “double dipping” claims by casuals for permanent entitl..
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New smoke alarm laws – things that you should know
16-Feb-2021
Whether you: are buying or selling a house, already own a house that you live in, are building or substantially renovating a house, or own investment properties, you should make sure you are aware of the current and upcoming Smoke Alarm Laws. From 1 January 2017, ..
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Employer liability for intentional harm by a manager
11-Jan-2021
Highlighting the breadth of an employer’s responsibility for bullying at work, Allianz has been held liable by a NSW court for the deliberate actions of a senior manager who verbally and physically bullied a claimant for over 14 months, even though the court found that Allianz was not negligent[..
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Proposed new laws to affect employers of casual workers
10-Dec-2020
The Federal Government has announced a new Bill with significant changes to industrial law including: changes to casual employment: a definition of casual employment; criteria for when employers must offer permanent employment; and anti-double dipping provisions by which employers can..
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McDonalds franchisee fined $82,000 for threatening workers with no drink and toilet breaks
04-Dec-2020
In a novel general protections dispute the Federal Court has affirmed the rights of workers to have a toilet break! A McDonald’s franchisee, Tantex Holdings Pty Ltd, has been fined $82,000 in total by the Federal Court of Australia for multiple breaches of the Fair Work Act (“the Act”) in fa..
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New Enduring Power of Attorney forms - effective 30 November 2020
02-Dec-2020
Important new changes to Queensland’s guardianship laws took place on 30 November, 2020. Among various other reforms to the laws, the Queensland Government have issued new Enduring Power of Attorney and Advance Health Directive forms. The new forms will replace the existing forms w..
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Having a risk-managed and happy Christmas party
13-Nov-2020
It’s time again to unwind and thank employees at the long-awaited Christmas Party! But at risk of being the Grinch, a Christmas party is still a work function. Employers still owe a duty of care to their employees and employees can still be expected to behave appropriately to each other. ..
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Internet troll pays the toll as Court awards $875,000 damages in social media defamation claim
11-Nov-2020
Recently the Federal Court of Australia awarded damages in the sum of $875,000 against Karen Brewer, a New Zealand based online conspiracy theorist, for publishing a series of defamatory posts and videos on Facebook earlier this year. The posts published by Brewer claimed that the applic..