Partners Ben Farnsworth and Michael Ryan outline the main trends and significant developments in Australian project finance Among other factors they discuss restrictions on foreign investment bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings tax and political risk in relation to changes in law ...

The hearings in the Financial Services Royal Commission have been compulsory viewing not only for financial services industry participants and their regulators and professional service providers The hearings have exposed wide-ranging actual or alleged wrongful conduct that has captured the attention ...

The High Court's first decision on the financial assistance prohibition in section 260A of the Corporations Act supports a conservative approach to the prohibition, and in particular highlights the danger of 'taking a view' on the no material prejudice exception. ...

The Equator Principles Association unveiled the finalised fourth version of the Equator Principles (EP4) on 18 November 2019. Set for an effective date of 1 July 2020, EP4 heightens requirements for designated OECD countries and tightens due diligence assessments with a greater focus on human rights, climate change and biodiversity. While there are many improvements and refinements from the draft we reviewed in June, the only potentially material change is a compromise on the 'free prior and informed consent' requirement for affected Indigenous communities. ...

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority AFCA the new one-stop-shop for resolving financial complaints has had a very busy first six months of operation ...

The Australian impact investing market has grown considerably in recent years and growth is largely attributed to a surge of impact investment with focus on environmental rather than social outcomes. ...

A recent High Court case has brought very welcome clarity to questions that have long bedevilled the insolvency of corporate trustees. We explain the decision and its ramifications. ...

On 13 June 2018 the Federal Government released the first tranche of the revised exposure draft legislation for the new corporate collective investment vehicle one of the two forms of collective investment vehicle which it pledged to develop as part of the 2016-2017 budget We are undertaking a ...

The VLRC has completed its review of Victoria's class action regime, with a particular focus on the effect of litigation funding. The report calls for national regulation of litigation funding, lifting the ban on contingency fees and a greater supervisory role for the Victorian Supreme Court. ...

Welcome to our monthly snapshot of regulatory updates and other developments in corporate law We know you are busy so our focus is on capturing key issues ...