News
Latest Changes to Strata Law
Numerous changes to strata title legislation came into effect on 11 December 2023. A recent report found that more than 25% of people may now reside in strata-titled properties such as units and townhouses. So, changes to strata law will affect more and more people...
Important Changes to Unfair Contract Terms Regime
As you may be aware, many large businesses employ a standard form contract when engaging with their customers so that the same terms and conditions apply to every transaction involving the supply of goods or services. The purpose of such a contract is to prevent any...
New Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets
On 1 July 2023 a new Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets will come into effect. Its purpose is to record foreign interests in a broad range of Australian assets, to support compliance with Australian foreign investment laws and to increase visibility of...
Update on Statutory Duty of Care for Defective Construction Work
Following some well publicised cases of major defects in fairly new high-rise residential apartment buildings in Sydney, the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) came into effect. It provided that any person who carries out "construction work" (including...
A Legal Victory for the Keeping of Pets in Retirement Villages
Last year I was approached by a resident of a local retirement village about the management's refusal of his request to allow him to keep two budgerigars in a cage in his unit for some company. This was on the basis that a Village Rule prohibited the keeping of pets....
Substantial New Penalties and Reforms to Unfair Contract Terms Laws
For some time now under the Australian Consumer Law, where a term of a standard form consumer contract (i.e. one where an individual is acquiring a financial product or service under the contract wholly or predominantly for personal, domestic or household use or...