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Every day in Australia there are literally hundreds of useful articles written by Australian lawyers published on the internet.
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LegalWatch has curated over 30,000 articles written by Australian lawyers, available via a simple search.
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The Latest Articles
Forum: Changing our tune over noise complaints
Sometimes we feel like we are being led up the garden path by you lovely people, especially on the Forum. A poster in the past week was worried about neighbours’ complaints about noise from their new flat and for some reason we all assumed it seemed to have something to do with noise transmission...
Pets the latest props in property pictures
Hot on the heels of our comments that PR companies are using less-than-authoritative surveys to promote their clients’ wares comes news of a “new trend” where real estate agents are including animals in in their “staging” pictures. “Staging” is where your real estate agent hires someone who rents furnishings to style the home you...
Strata Trapped: Manager lashes out at ABC
Michael Lee, a strata manager and committee chair highlighted in the ABC TV Four Corners report The Strata Trap, has lashed out at the controversial documentary’s allegations, saying they contain “numerous false and misleading allegations” which he alleges are defamatory, were illegally obtained and that the outcome has been damaging to his standing in...
Podcast: The other strata trap, post Chandler
We start this week’s podcast by looking back at theprevious episodewhich has broken all our records for regular downloads. It’s not surprising really, given that it was a chat with ABC TV Four Corners investigative reporter Linton Besser about how and why he pulled together the Strata Trap report. At more than 450 downloads...
Can I Force My Ex-Partner to Sell the House?
When a relationship breaks down, disputes over the family home often arise, especially when one party wants to sell the property, and the other wants to keep it. In Australia, if negotiations fail, you may have the option to petition the Family Court to force the sale of the house as part of the...
What Are Future Needs in a Property Settlement?
When a marriage or de facto relationship ends, determining how to divide the property can be complex. One of the key factors the Family Court in Australia considers is the future needs of each party. This involves assessing the likely financial and personal circumstances each party will face after the separation and adjusting the...
Cyclone reinsurance pool begins delivering some savings
19 September 2024 The Australian Government’s cyclone reinsurance pool has begun delivering lower premiums for some consumers in some regions facing higher risk of cyclones, the ACCC’s third insurance monitoring report has found. However, the savings generated by the reinsurance pool have been offset to varying extents by other cost increases affecting insurance markets. These costs...
How To Protect Personal Assets When Starting A Business
Starting a business comes with risk. No matter how great you are at business, unexpected circumstances can get the best of anyone. Instead of diving headfirst with fingers crossed hoping it all works out, business owners need to be smart and carefully manage the risks – especially when it comes to their personal assets....
How To Start A Photography Business
Transforming your love for photography into a successful, stable business requires more than just creativity – it demands a solid plan and a well-thought-out strategy. Photography is a pretty competitive business to make a name in however, success is not out of the realm of possibility.To give your talent the best chance at business...
Sexual Harassment in the Work Health and Safety Act – Updates
Sexual Harassment in the Work Health and Safety Act – Updates Described as a “national-leading regulatory reform”, the Work Health and Safety (Sexual Harassment) Amendment Regulation 2024 (Amendment Regulation) amends the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) (WHS Regulation) to introduce specific requirements for persons conducting a business or undertaking to manage the risk...
How To Start A Makeup Artists Business
Makeup artists are often overlooked – their contribution to special events, photoshoots, films and more tend to be overshadowed by the final outcome. However, this hasn’t stopped the makeup industry from thriving.The demand for professional makeup services is on a steady rise – proving that people recognise the true value of skilled artistry. So,...
Australians on fixed wireless services enjoy broadband speed boost
17 September 2024 Some consumers on NBN Co’s Fixed Wireless Plus plan have experienced a significant improvement to their broadband speeds in the past six months following recent speed changes introduced by NBN Co, the ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia reporthas found. The average download speed for uplifted NBN Fixed Wireless Plus services was 96.7 Mbps...
Dads are rarely given shared custody – fact or fiction?
A common misconception about parenting arrangements post-divorce, is that fathers are never given primary care of their children. This is not the case – there is absolutely no law, or even presumption in Australia, that mothers get greater access to their children than fathers. As of May 2024, the court’s first duty is to “regard the...
National Electricity and Gas rules update: August 2024
Key changes to energy rules In our latest update, we examine the progress of new and existing rule change requests to the AEMC across the month of August, as well as take a closer look at the AER's final decision on retail performance reporting procedures and guidelines. Key takeaways National electricity rules Two new rule change requests: Inter-regional settlement...
(WIP) Evolving litigation landscape: recent ESG disputes trends
Climate change, biodiversity and First Nations rights in focus 10 min read Australian businesses continue to face a rapidly evolving litigation landscape in relation to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. In this Insight, we spotlight emerging trends, reflect on potential implications for future ESG-related disputes and provide practical guidance on both managing stakeholder expectations and mitigating...
Honda pays penalty for alleged breach of car service and repair information sharing scheme
16 September 2024 Honda Australia has paid a penalty of $18,780 after the ACCC issued it with an infringement notice for an alleged breach of Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme (MVIS scheme) information sharing requirements. The MVIS scheme is designed to give independent repairers equitable access to the necessary diagnostic software and technical...
Client Feature: Bopple’s Impact on the Hospitality Industry
We chatted with Sprintlaw client and co-founder of Bopple, Angus McLachlan, about his business journey, the role of technology in the hospitality industry, and the legal services they’ve utilised.Tim Dart (L) (Bopple head of operations), Angus McLachlan (Bopple CEO) and Marina Ghobrial (Pawpaw manager). Brisbane, 29 Jan 2020. Photo: Attila CsaszarThe Birth of BopplePicture...
Protecting “Bank of Mum and Dad” Contributions to Help Children Buy Property
These parents are typically in a phase of their life where they are downsizing. They have an adult child in the first 18-24 months of their relationship, who don’t have children yet and are talking about purchasing property together.These parents’ main concerns are:“What if it doesn’t last? “Will my child only get half the...
(WIP) First tranche of privacy reforms bring progress but no long-term clarity
The Bill amends Australian Privacy Principle (APP) 1 to require that organisations using automated decision-making (ADM) disclose this in their privacy policy. This obligation applies where ADM substantially or directly utilises the personal information of individuals to make decisions that could 'reasonably be expected to significantly affect the rights or interests…' of an individual....
Understanding AVO for Online Harassment in NSW
In the digital age, online harassment has become a pressing issue, affecting many individuals across NSW. Fortunately, legal protections such as Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) offer a robust mechanism to safeguard victims against further abuse. This article explores how AVOs can be specifically applied to cases of online harassment, providing essential information on obtaining...