First case of Covid-19 and state of emergency announced in PNG; significant proposed changes to Income Tax Act; Phase 2 of Kumul submarine cable network project initiated; and new tariffs and service standards for ports. ...

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. ...

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. ...

In this case, the New South Wales Court of Appeal considered the terms of a conditional contract for the sale of land, and whether the purchaser's 'step-in' right qualified the vendor's right to rescind ...

This case affirms the principle that the question of whether personal performance of a contract is required is one of construction of the contract, and that personal performance may be required even in circumstances where performance of the contract requires no specific personal skill. ...

'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. ...

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 case, the NSWCA considered the nature and extent of the doctrine that a government or public authority may not fetter the future exercise of discretionary powers reposed in the executive or a public authority. ...

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 ...

Data analysis, and the technology that facilitates it, is currently playing a critical role in the global and national efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside the front-line health response, it has become a core part of the daily calculations made by governments and health organisations. ...