A parliamentary inquiry has been announced into whether Australia should introduce a legislation authorising the government to impose sanctions against gross human right abusers. ...

The Draft South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2019-2024 has been released for public consultation. The Strategy is supported by new koala habitat mapping. The Strategy and mapping have serious implications for landowners in koala habitat areas within a Koala Priority Area, who will be prevented from clearing their land except in very limited circumstances. We discuss these implications below and suggest that, at a minimum, landowners should review the mapping to ascertain whether their land is within a Koala Priority Area. ...

Companies should seek to make the most of their intangible assets. One way to do this is to use intellectual property assets as collateral to access funding. IP-rich businesses, SMEs and start-ups should keep this potential avenue in mind. ...

The Productivity Commission is examining resources sector regulation, with a focus on identifying opportunities to simplify approval processes without compromising environmental standards or community expectations. ...

The fund financing market in Australia continued to be buoyant in 2019. Private equity, infrastructure and real estate funds remain the main drivers of volume, with an increasing number of newly raised as well as existing private debt funds also capitalising on the market's additional liquidity and ...

This latest guide looks at developments at the end of last year and the beginning of 2020. It covers: Brexit and the transition, final-form recommendations for audit and auditor reform, new stewardship obligations for investors, tougher new anti-money laundering rules, FRC guidance for this year's annual reports and Section 172 statements, the extension of the FCA's Senior Manager regime, market abuse, ESG and climate, private equity reporting, transparency of ownership of UK real estate and late payment. ...

The real estate industry continues to evolve in a technology focused world, unlocking new REITs (real estate investment trusts) and investment opportunities. Against a backdrop of low bond yields, easing monetary policy and global volatility, our real estate sector M&A experts share insights and consider what opportunities lay ahead for the real estate Mergers and Acquisitions sector. ...

The Federal Government has released second exposure drafts of its proposed legislation on religious discrimination, as part of another round of public consultation. ...

The Federal Court has decided that, from the commencement of her employment, a casual employee was engaged on a 'regular and systematic' basis and had a reasonable expectation of continued employment. ...

Upcoming changes to Vietnam's labour law include such significant steps as more flexibility in the renewal and termination of labour contracts; and for the first time, the right of employees to establish and join independent labour unions. Although the Labour Code 2019 will not take effect until 1 January 2021, employers should start looking ahead and consider how the upcoming changes will impact their businesses and management of their workforce. ...