'fetter doctrine' is the ability to enter into enforce, contracts with governments is complicated by the principle that governments cannot fetter the future exercise of their discretionary powers. ...

A recent WA Court of Appeal decision illustrates the difficulties for a party in avoiding the literal meaning of a contract in the absence of ambiguity or absurdity ...

In Donau Pty Ltd v ASC AWD Shipbuilder Pty Ltd, the New South Wales Court of Appeal considered the circumstances in which a party, which has a right to terminate a contract, might lose that right. In particular, the court considered when the right might be lost due to an election to affirm a contra ...

In this update we summarise the progress of existing rule change requests across December 2019 and January 2020 and take a closer look at the Federal Government's proposed offshore clean energy infrastructure regulatory framework. ...

The ACCC releases its enforcement priorities for 2020; the Federal Court clears a merger between Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom; ACCC starts an inquiry into the supply of digital advertising technology and agency services; ACCC consults on divestment undertaking in CUB / Asahi deal; Weldclass' RPM notification raises ACCC concerns; and two proposed mergers in the paper industries receive the regulator's blessing. ...

2020年3月29日，澳大利亚联邦政府财政部长宣布对澳大利亚的外国投资审查批准（FIRB）体制进行重大修改，以应对由新型冠状病毒（COVID-19）爆发引起的风险。这些修改虽然是暂时的，但大幅度地扩展了需要获得FIRB批准的交易范围，并大大延长了FIRB申请的审查期限。 ...

In its latest compliance update, ASX reiterated that entities in financial difficulty (including with respect to their debt arrangements) will receive no special treatment. On earnings guidance, it was acknowledged that many listed entities have taken the opportunity to withdraw guidance issued before the outbreak of COVID-19. ASX also strongly encouraged entities to review their published guidance in light of COVID-19 and to either update it if it was not current or withdraw it in this highly uncertain climate. ...

In contrast to a previous decision, the Federal Court has refused to order the disclosure of the respondent's insurance policies to the applicant in a class action. We explore this decision and also highlight the way in which the court's reasoning differed from a prior decision that found in favour of disclosure. ...

Further ACCC authorisations letting businesses work together during the pandemic; ACCC releases interim report in Home Loans Price Inquiry and fuel industry report; and mandatory Code of Conduct for relationships between digital platforms and media companies forthcoming. ...

The latest package of Australian IP law reform became law on 26 February 2020, when the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 2 and Other Measures) Act 2020 – part of the Federal Government's response to the Productivity Commission's 2016 report on IP arrangemen ...