The Supreme Court of Queensland recently considered whether liquidated damages in a standard form construction contract were a penalty In a decision that traversed long-held doctrines on penalties and recent developments in emAndrewsem and Paciocco the court ruled that the obligation to pay ...

This insight explores the key findings and recommendations of the long-anticipated Energy White Paper released by the Federal Government outlining its policy on strategic issues facing the energy sector in Australia. ...

ASIC has outlined its expectations for financial advice where the client is advised to set up a self-managed superannuation fund ASIC has done so in two publications released yesterday - one deals with the risks associated with SMSFs information sheet 205 and the other with the costs information ...

The Vietnamese Government has issued a new decree that lays the foundations for the trading of derivatives and for the establishment of the first derivative market in Vietnam This development is expected to diversify securities products in Vietnam and help enhance liquidity on the Vietnam securities ...

The Government has announced as part of the Budget that it will introduce a new multinational anti-avoidance law into Part IVA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 The new law will apply to tax benefits obtained on or after 1 January 2016 It is aimed at 30 identified multinationals with Australian ...

Two recent trade mark cases have widened the field of marks that are potentially registerable in Australia on the basis that those marks are inherently adapted to distinguish. ...

Ecstasy cocaine and industrial action at a construction site are unlikely subjects for an article on financial services regulation They are however the things that have led to what could be a significant change to the way in which financial services regulators like ASIC and APRA can resolve civil ...

There is a contest underway between two heavyweights In one corner of the ring we have Big Data In the other corner we have the definition of personal advice in section 766B3 of the Corporations Act ...

The Federal Governments electronic health records system may have a new lease on life following the introduction of a new Bill that attempts to improve the systems effectiveness with key changes such as the transition to an opt-out approach Partner Ian McGill Senior Associate Phil OSullivan and ...

In this issue we look at the unusual role social media can play in bullying at work valid dismissals that can be procedurally unfair consultants reports and unfair dismissal proceedings requirements for notices of entry obtaining permission to appeal in the Fair Work Commission vague job security ...