Housing affordability climate change and energy efficiency are key focuses of the discussion paper recently released by the Victorian Planning Minster which aims to refresh the current Melbourne Metropolitan Planning strategy Plan Melbourne The paper draws upon the detailed report prepared by the ...

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 ...

Over the weekend in Paris two weeks of negotiations culminated in the adoption by all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of a conference decision and Paris Agreement to address climate change The combined Paris Outcome commits parties to limit global temperature ...

In an eagerly awaited appeal decision in emRPL Central v The Commissioner of Patentsem the Full Federal Court has decided that the evidence-gathering method the subject of RPL Centrals innovation patent was a mere scheme abstract idea or business method that did not constitute patentable subject ...

Mongolia has revised its Law on Petroleum which will operated in tandem with its 2005 Law on Petroleum Products Partner Igor Bogdanich and Consultant Manduul Altangerel look at the new law and what it will mean for companies prospecting and extracting petroleum products in Mongolia ...

Following public consultation on proposed examination guidelines issued on 16 October 2015 the Commissioner of Patents has established a revised examination practice taking into account the High Courts decision in emDArcy v Myriad Genetics Incem Dr Trevor Davies Partner at Allens Patent amp Trade ...

The High Court today held that parties and regulators are permitted to put before the court an agreed position as to the value of a penalty reached as part of a settlement agreement Our Regulatory team reports ...

The release of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement has renewed the debate about the ability of foreign investors to sue governments under investor-State dispute settlement mechanisms which are commonly part of international trade agreements or investment treaties between States ...

In a recent decision of the Victorian Supreme Court a Melbourne municipal council was held liable to compensate a landowner for the costs that were incurred by the landowner in the course of complying with a clean-up notice issued under the Environment Protection Act 1970 Vic despite the pollution ...

The Government has finally begun the process of implementing its policy on crowd-sourced equity funding CSEF by introducing a Bill and releasing draft exposure regulations late last year which envisage the establishment of a CSEF regime in Australia The Bill has been referred to the Senate Economics ...