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	Dividends and other important changes to the Corporations Act
	The Corporations Amendment (Corporate Reporting Reform) Act 2010 (“the Act”) amends the Corporations Act 2001 to improve Australia’s financial reporting framework by reducing unnecessary red tape and regulatory burden on companies, improving disclosure requirements and implementing other refinements to the corporate reporting framework. Author(s): Matthew Smith, Practice Area(s): Banking and Finance Date: July 28, 2010
	New Government fee for transfer of a property
	The New South Wales Government announced the introduction of a new ad valorem transfer fee, which is calculated on the value of a property. Author(s): Kathryn Halyburton, Danusia Emeljanow, Geoff Zietsch, Katherine Ross, Practice Area(s): Property and Development Date: July 26, 2010
	New Paid Parental Leave Scheme to commence 1 Jan 2011
	A new government-funded paid parental leave scheme will commence on 1 January 2011. Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: July 7, 2010
	First adverse action case brought before the Federal Court
	Since 1 January 2010 under the Fair Work Act 2009 (the “Act”), a new type of action has been available to employees who have suffered adverse action as a result of a workplace right. This new type of action will have a significant impact on the way that unfair dismissal claims may be brought in the future. Author(s): Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: June 28, 2010
	New Unfair Consumer Contracts Law to commence 1 July 2010
	Are your standard form contracts compliant with the new unfair contract laws? Author(s): Kate Hamer, Practice Area(s): Contracts Date: June 28, 2010
	Rewarding Innovation and Supporting initiative - Grants available with Commercialisation Australia
	The Commonwealth Government is injecting $196 million over the next four years (with $82 million for the year after that) to support Australian innovation through a new initiative - Commercialisation Australia. Author(s): Kate Hamer, Practice Area(s): Intellectual Property Date: June 28, 2010
	Redundancy: Are you aware of the changes?
	Are you considering making an employee redundant? Do you know about changes to redundancy under the Fair Work Act 2009 (the “Act”)? Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: May 12, 2010
	Changes to Occupational Health & Safety Law
	Occupational Health and Safety Laws differ in each State and Territory in Australia. In a move to nationalise and codify workplace health and safety the Federal Government have expressed their desire to introduce a national “Work Health and Safety Act”. Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: March 16, 2010
	PROTECTING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: A great investment for your business
	Generally speaking, Intellectual Property (“IP”) is a term which refers to various types of “knowledge” based property. The most common types of IP are copyright, designs, patents, trade marks and confidential information/trade secrets. Author(s): Kate Hamer, Practice Area(s): Intellectual Property Date: March 16, 2010
	Shared parental care - your child’s best interest
	During the last week in January, an article by Jennifer McIntosh and Richard Chisholm entitled “Shared Care and Children’s Best Interests in Conflicted Separation” received considerable publicity in the media. It provides a timely opportunity to revisit and summarise the 2006 amendments to the Family Act, 1975, in relation to parenting arrangements. Author(s): Katherine Ross, Practice Area(s): Breakdown of Relationships Date: March 16, 2010
	Fair Work Act 2009 – Are you compliant?
	The final stage of the Fair Work Act 2009 came into effect on 1 January 2010, with the introduction of Modern Awards. We suggest that all Employers take the time to ask themselves the following questions: Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: February 25, 2010
	Borrowers off the hook
	The Supreme Court has recently decided against the lending bank seeking to sell home properties for default of payment. A finance broker was found to be the agent of the bank and had acted fraudulently. Author(s): John Loughnan, Kathryn Halyburton, Skye Morrison, Practice Area(s): Property and Development Date: November 23, 2009
	Fair Work Act 2009 update
	As most people will now be aware the Fair Work Act 2009 came into effect on 1 July 2009. It is important to note that while most of the provisions of the Act came into effect on 1 July 2009, some fairly significant changes are due to commence on 1 January 2010. Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: October 15, 2009
	Fair Work Act 2009 commenced 1 July 2009
	On 1 July 2009 the new Workplace Relations laws came into effect. The new laws have introduced some significant changes in employment law. Author(s): Tony Cardillo, Emilia Cardillo, Practice Area(s): Employment and Industrial Relations Date: September 15, 2009
	Invoice overload: ACCC warns about questionable trade mark renewals
	Many clients have contacted us recently regarding bogus emails they have received which either purport to be a trade mark renewal invoice or inviting domain name registration to prevent cyber squatting of the client's trading name. Author(s): Matthew Smith, Practice Area(s): Commercial Planning and Compliance Date: September 15, 2009
	PRIVACY AND SMALL BUSINESS - What are your obligations under the Privacy Act 1988?
	May 2009 began with National Privacy Awareness Week, an event designed in part to highlight the obligations of certain organisations under the Privacy Act 1988 (“the Act”). Author(s): Matthew Smith, Katrina Reye, Practice Area(s): Commercial Planning and Compliance Date: September 15, 2009
	Significant Stamp Duty Change: ‘Land Rich’ to ‘Landholder’
	Before 1 July 2009, stamp duty for acquisitions of interests in land owning companies and other entities was calculated based on whether the entity was "Land Rich" as defined by the Duties Act. A Land Rich entity was one that: • had land holdings in New South Wales with an unencumbered value of two million dollars or more; and • had land holdings representing at least 60% of its assets. Author(s): Matthew Smith, Practice Area(s): Business Transactions Date: September 15, 2009
	The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill (CPRS) and landfills
	The CPRS was passed through the House of Representatives in June but was stalled in the Senate with a decision anticipated around mid August 2009. Author(s): Brian Glendenning, Samantha Ellis, Practice Area(s): Government, Planning and Environmental Date: September 15, 2009
	LAND TAX RELIEF FOR UNIT TRUSTS
	The NSW Office of State Revenue has determined that where a unit trust owns land, unless certain criteria can be satisfied, the trustee of the unit trust is considered to be the owner of the land. Author(s): Valentina Misevska, Practice Area(s): Commercial Planning and ComplianceBanking and FinanceWills, Probate and Estate Planning Date: March 1, 2007