Articles

The Federal Government has now has passed legislation to implement JobKeeper post-27 September 2020 when the scheme was originally scheduled to expire. There have been a number of important changes to Jobkeeper 2.0 since it was first announced in July. In particular, there is now a less stringent turnover test and the scheme can also cover employees employed as of 1 July 2020, not just those employed as of 1 March 2020. We shall call this JobKeeper 2.1.

To what extent can an employer use workplace policies to regulate what their employees say outside work? The question has become very topical, with the high profile court cases of Israel Folau and Michaela Banerji both making headlines last year. The question has arisen again, this time in a recent decision by the Full Federal Court in a case involving Dr Gary Rumble, a constitutional lawyer, and his former employer, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers.

In response to the current coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government recently introduced a number of financial measures in its Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act 2020 (Vic)(“the Act’). Much of the Act deals with economic stimulus measures, such as stimulus payments and superannuation draw-downs, however Schedule 12 is entitled “Temporary relief for financially distressed individuals and businesses” and deals with three key areas of temporary reform.

The social distancing restrictions that have been introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic have raised issues regarding the signing of legal documents that require a witness, including affidavits and statutory declarations.

Engaging a builder to build your home can be daunting – you are committing a significant amount of time and money into developing a valuable asset. In such circumstances, the last thing you want is a dispute with your builder that will take significant time to resolve and extensive legal costs. We provide a guide of steps that can be taken to avoid domestic building disputes with your builder.

Victoria’s Courts and Tribunals have adopted varying approaches to respond to coronavirus (COVID-19). Each Court has provided detailed statements regarding their approach which can be found on their respective websites. This article seeks to provide a brief overview of the measures that have been taken at this stage, and will focus solely on the response of the Courts and VCAT in relation to civil matters. For information regarding criminal matters or intervention orders, follow the links provided to the relevant court websites.

A common question we often hear when advising charities is “do we need a fundraising licence?” In this article we will answer this question and also provide an update on important changes affecting fundraising in Victoria and Western Australia.

On 20 August 2020, the Victorian Treasurer has announced an extension to the existing rent relief scheme and some further measures to assist Landlords and Tenants. The actual Regulations are yet to be released and more detail will invariably follow. In the meantime, we have summarised what has been announced with more information to follow as these changes occur.

For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced and increased a range of psychological issues, including feelings of isolation, loneliness, and anxiety, as they are unable to rely on their usual support networks, including the ability to visit friends and family. As many businesses have now shifted to a working from home and online environment, the already fine line between professional and personal life has proven even more difficult to draw.

There are various steps that are required to be completed by your lawyer prior to completing your transaction electronically. These include but are not limited to the formal verification of your identity in addition to completing a client authorisation form.

Any simple steps that can be taken to avoid domestic building disputes are worthwhile – ideally to avoid a dispute or prevent it from escalating, but otherwise at least to provide you with some protection in the event of a dispute arising. In this article we list some key steps you can take to achieve these goals.

With the COVID-19 pandemic far from over, it is not a surprise that the Government is continuing to provide support to businesses and workers through JobKeeper. However, the Government has been clear that the scheme is temporary, and we are seeing a gradual winding back of the payments and a tightening of eligibility criteria.