News and resources

Prevalence of AI use in the workplace With the exponential growth in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work, a question which arises is, who is responsible for AI mistakes? More than a third of Australians say they use AI at work several times a week – eight per cent use it many times […]

We hear a lot about legal cases being argued in court and judgments being handed down. But why does a person appear in one court and not another? What do the various courts in NSW actually do? Structure of courts in NSW The court structure in Australia is shaped like a pyramid. At the base […]

Recovering business debt by chasing unpaid invoices is possibly the greatest curse of doing business. No matter how many reminders you send, your bills are ignored. It goes down the line – they say they can’t pay you as they are owed money, or they dispute the work done, and you can’t pay your own […]

Illegal building works create obstacles in property transactions Property prices have soared in recent years, making real estate one of the most significant investments that most Australians will ever make. Whether buying or selling a property, the last thing anyone wants is to encounter unexpected legal or financial hurdles due to illegal building works. Unapproved […]

There is mould creeping up the walls of the property you are renting. The kitchen ceiling is dripping. Loungeroom floorboards are broken. The bedroom window is smashed. The garden fence is falling apart. The toilet won’t flush and the shower is leaking. What are your tenant rights to get things fixed in the property you […]

Every year in Australia about 3,000 babies are born as a result of using sperm donors. But there is a shortage of donors, and fertility clinics and IVF providers have appealed for more sperm and egg donors. Laws concerning sperm donors have changed over the years According to the 2021 Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority […]

A court decision in 2023 serves as a pointed warning to businesses they are open to massive fines if they fail to specify which currency is displayed in their online prices. Airbnb Ireland receives massive fine for tricking customers on currency In 2023 the Federal Court issued a $15 million fine against Airbnb Ireland for […]

The words “cartel conduct” usually bring to mind violent international drug crime gangs. But cartels can also mean you pay more when you renovate, repair or build a home, buy a vehicle or just go shopping. Steep penalties for cartel conduct by two bin operators In February 2024, the Federal Court handed down a sentencing […]

The Federal Court has ruled a major fund management corporation misled investors about its $1 billion ethical fund, which the company claimed was screened to ensure investments went into environmentally and socially beneficial projects. Fund manager accused of misleading investors over ethical fund It was the first major victory for the Australian Securities & Investments […]

With cybersecurity breaches on the rise, people are becoming increasingly worried about data collection by companies and wondering how secure their personal information is. Data collection demands from real estate agents As the nationwide shortage of rental properties continues unabated, prospective tenants are facing increasing demands from landlords and their agents for more and more […]

In November 2023 changes to the law on unfair contract terms came into force, applying to a significantly expanded category of small business. Small business definition changes to include larger businesses The legal definition of a “small” business rose from one with fewer than 20 employees, or annual turnover up to $3 million, to a […]

Many of us have had difficulty trying to cancel online subscriptions that just keep on being charged to our credit cards. Difficulties faced by Australians trying to cancel online subscriptions It’s often a website that offered a free trial and discounts when you joined up, but you don’t use it anymore. However, there it is […]

Tougher penalties for unfair contract terms and consumer law breaches Legislation has passed federal parliament to increase penalties for unfair contract terms and breaches of consumer law. Maximum penalties for breaches of consumer law increase from $10 million to $50 million. (Please see Speech on the Treasury Laws Amendment (More Competition, Better Prices) Bill 2022, […]

ASIC and the courts have shown they are serious about clamping down on companies that breach continuous disclosure laws. This includes companies which do not notify their shareholders of a cyber attack. Record fine for not following market disclosure laws The corporate regulator Australian Securities & Investments Commission recently levied a record $15 million fine […]

Weighing up the pros and cons of a case, discarding irrelevancies, assessing the likelihood of statements being the truth or a lie… it’s all in a day’s work for a judge in a court. But could computers replace judges, if programmed correctly? Could a computer weigh the evidence and decide whether the defendant is guilty […]

In a case that social media influencers should not ignore, US authorities recently fined American celebrity Kim Kardashian $2 million for promoting cryptocurrency on her social media without declaring she was paid $385,000 to do so. Kim K could probably pay that fine with the loose change at the bottom of her Gucci handbag, but […]

A cartel in business operates by independent corporations or market participants who are otherwise rivals colluding with one another to increase their profits, restrict competition and dominate the market. Roofing companies in Sydney set up cartel Wesley College in Sydney University needed to fix an old slate roof. The college approached a couple of roofing […]

Businesses have been warned by corporate and consumer watchdogs about “greenwashing” and told they will have to be ready to substantiate any environmental claims they make when marketing their goods and services, or face severe fines under consumer law. ACCC actively targeting businesses that are greenwashing The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it is […]