Rapid legal and regulatory responses to COVID-19 continue; ASIC shifts regulatory and enforcement focus; ASX updates temporary COVID-19 class waivers and issues guidance on cancelling dividends; FIRB releases new compliance-related guidance notes; ACCC develops code of conduct for digital platforms and media companies and releases interim Home Loan Pricing Inquiry report; and temporary amendments made to Fair Work Act and modern awards. ...

On 15 April 2020 the NSW Government announced two significant developments – a review by the Productivity Commissioner and some more immediate 'system improvements' to be instituted by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. ...

In this update we summarise the progress of existing rule change requests across April 2020 and take a closer look at the ESB's discussion paper on the benefits and opportunities of moving to a two-sided wholesale market. ...

In this case, the High Court held that a contractor who terminated a domestic building contract by accepting the principal's repudiation ...

In this case, the New South Wales Court of Appeal considered whether a 'waiver of rights' clause was enforceable by all parties to the deed, and whether the appellant, Wollongong Coal Ltd, was entitled to equitable set off. ...

There is a general rule that damages for breach of contract are assessed at the date of breach.1 This rule does not apply, however, if assessing damages at a different date would more appropriately compensate the plaintiff. ...

The Australian Government has flagged that Australia's baseline 'social distancing' restrictions may be eased more quickly if, among other things, at least 40% of Australians download and use a new voluntary digital contact tracing app, 'COVID Trace'. The announcement has sparked significant debate ...

On Sunday, the Australian Government launched its voluntary digital contact tracing app 'COVIDSafe', along with the app's Privacy Policy, an independent Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and the Department of Health's response to that PIA. The Chief Medical Officer has predicted that the application will have been downloaded more than 2 million times by the end of Monday. ...

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 ...