Important Changes to the Fair Work Act: changes to the definitions of “employment” and “casual employee”
by Ben Schefe You may be aware that a number of significant changes have recently been made to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (“the Act”) with a number of those changes becoming effective as of Monday 26 August 2024. At a high level, this article focuses on the changes to the definitions of “employment” […]
Case Study: The Inspiration Behind the Legal Service Quote Checker
Background: The CEO of MDL, Shane, was approached by a friend during his weekly tennis fixtures who mentioned he had received a quote ranging from $23k to $33k for a Binding Financial Agreement review. Based on his experience, Shane found these figures to be on the extreme high end and decided to investigate it further. […]
Queensland Measures to Support Modern Home Standards: Enhancing Safety, Sustainability, and Comfort
By Drazen Kozaric In 2024, several key measures have been introduced to support the development of modern homes across the state. These updates reflect Queensland’s commitment to creating sustainable, resilient, and high-quality living environments. Here’s a detailed look at the new measures and their implications: 1. Updated Building Code and Standards Queensland has adopted revised […]
Mastering Deeds: A Guide to Proper Execution Across Australian Jurisdictions
By Drazen Kozaric In the realm of legal transactions in Australia, deeds hold a special place. They are solemn instruments that go beyond the simplicity of ordinary contracts, requiring specific formalities to ensure their validity and enforceability. Whether you’re entering into a property transaction, a financial arrangement, or any other agreement, understanding how to correctly […]
Modern Slavery Statement – is yours compliant?
By Madeleine Harling The Modern Slavery Act 2018 (“Modern Slavery Act”) requires certain entities to report on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains and actions to address those risks, and for related purposes. This obligation exists on entities that are based, or operating, in Australia, which have an annual consolidated […]
UNDERSTANDING DIRECTORS PENALTY NOTICES AND EIGHT (8) STEPS TO AVOID THEM
Directors Penalty Notices (DPNs) issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are serious matters that can have significant implications for company directors in Australia. These notices are used by the ATO to recover unpaid Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding, GST and Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC) liabilities from directors personally. Company directors are responsible to […]
Purchase of Property and the Fair Work Act
By Ben Schefe We are currently assisting a client with the purchase of a building that has led to some unintended consequences relating to the transfer of business provisions in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (“FWA”). Relevant Background A brief summary of the relevant background is as follows: Relevant Provisions of FWA In summary, […]
Chat GPT and the Legal Profession
By Madeleine Harling With the release of CHAT GPT and other versions of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) there has been talk amongst the legal profession about how the use of Artificial Intelligence can be used to enhance legal services to our clients, but also relevantly, the concerns associated with it, including ethical and confidentiality concerns. Advantages […]
Don’t “Jump the Gun” on Land Resumptions
With Ian Neil, written by Jessica Ross | Read the full article on ABC News. Lawyer Ian Neil, who has handled land resumptions for decades, said recent rapid growth in south-east Queensland had meant a “flurry of activity” involving various government departments acquiring land and properties for infrastructure. “The last two or three years the authorities […]
Proposed Rental Law Changes – what you need to know
By Madeleine Harling With more rental law reform incoming, it’s important that both tenants and landlords are familiar with their rights and obligations. Rent increase – once per year Importantly, on 28 March 2023, the Premier announced the Queensland Government is limiting the frequency of rent increases to once every 12 months from 1 July […]
