Workplace Relations 19 May 2017 Court finds payroll accountant liable for client’s underpayments

Last week in a precedent-setting decision the Federal Circuit Court decided that an accountancy firm engaged to process a client’s payroll was itself liable...
Conveyancing 3 May 2017 Property tax reforms: how will they affect you?

The Victorian Government has recently announced a number of proposed legislative reforms affecting property owners, first home buyers, builders and developers. These proposed reforms...
Conveyancing 3 May 2017 Property Alert – proposed reforms

The Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas MP, recently announced a number of proposed reforms affecting duty and tax relating to property, which will be contained...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution 28 April 2017 Amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth): ‘Safe harbour’ legislation

Directors attempting to turn around failing companies will be protected from insolvent trading provisions, and given ‘breathing room’, under proposed legislation introduced into federal...
Litigation & Dispute Resolution 28 April 2017 Amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth): ‘Ipso facto’ clauses

In an attempt to foster a more entrepreneurial culture in Australian business, amendments to the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act) to provide “safe harbour” to directors...
Wills, Estates & Succession Planning 12 April 2017 Snapshot: What is a Binding Death Benefit Nomination and why should I have one?

Young people I speak to often scoff at the thought that they need a Will, and when I tell them that their largest asset...
Wills, Estates & Succession Planning 29 March 2017 Snapshot: What do the new superannuation changes mean for me?

Do you have a Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF)? Do you have more than $1.6 million in your SMSF? If you answered yes to either...
Workplace Relations 24 March 2017 The dangers of characterising permanent employees as casuals

Many employers may presume that if they employ a worker as a ‘casual,’ specify in the employee’s contract that they are a ‘casual’ and...
Workplace Relations 24 February 2017 Unfair dismissal – does the punishment fit the crime?

A number of recent decisions of the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) have highlighted that employers must be careful not to over-react to a situation,...
Workplace Relations 24 February 2017 Fair Work Commission reduces retail and hospitality penalty rates

After hearings spanning over 38 days, evidence from 143 lay and expert witnesses, and over 5,900 submissions from unions, government, charitable organisations, political organisations,...
Wills, Estates & Succession Planning 17 February 2017 Five reasons why you need a Will

Have you ever wondered what will happen to your estate after you die? Have your parents or friends ever mentioned their Will, followed by...
Corporate & Commercial 14 February 2017 When is a lease for premises deemed to be a ‘retail premises’ under the Retail Lease Act 2003?

On 8 February 2017, Justice Croft of the Supreme Court of Victoria overturned a previous decision of VCAT in CB Cold Storage Pty Ltd v...