PNG Parliament convened urgent session and passed K5.6 billion stimulus package; 14-day state of emergency extended by another two months, to June 2020; new emergency laws enacted; Bank of PNG announced new monetary and fiscal measures; IRC granted tax exemptions; IPA waived certain company statutory obligations; superannuation funds announced proposed amendments to superannuation law; PNG Government refused extension of Barrick special mining lease; and proposed plan for freight subsidies for air and sea transport. ...

Infrastructure will play a vital role in Australia's economic recovery, presenting new opportunities for collaboration between industry and government to develop a pipeline of projects to stimulate the economy. ...

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. ...

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 National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has commenced its first prosecution into duty holders under the new chain of responsibility (CoR) provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), which has been adopted in all states and territories (other than Western Australian and the Northern Territory). ...

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. ...

The newly introduced superannuation guarantee (SG) amnesty scheme provides a one-off amnesty to encourage employers to self-correct historical SG non-compliance. This is done by allowing employers to claim tax deductions for contributions made during the amnesty period, as well as waiving certain penalties and fees that may otherwise apply in relation to historical SG non-compliance. ...

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

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. ...

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 ...