The business of “going green” has numerous benefits for law firms beyond reducing its environmental footprint. Growing awareness amongst the Australian legal sector to create a sustainable future has law firms across the country improving their energy practices and focusing on clean and renewable resources. But jumping on the sustainability bandwagon is not just an...
On 1 January 2011, a single, national consumer protection and fair-trading law commenced across Australia. The Competition and Consumer Act 2010 replaces the Trade Practices Act 1974 and large sections of Queensland’s Fair Trading Act 1989. The new legislation aims to give businesses a fair and competitive operating environment. The Act creates the Australian Consumer...
Surrogacy laws have been repealed after a heated debate in State Parliament. After almost 20 hours of bitter, divisive and emotional debate, with parties accusing each other of “social engineering”, the laws were passed in State Parliament on 11 February 2010. The new Surrogacy Act 2010 takes Queensland laws from the most conservative – it...
CSR was given a green light to proceed with the demerger of its sugar business on 23 April in a successful full bench appeal of a February decision that had refused the demerger. The Court of Appeal allowed CSR to present the demerger proposal to its shareholders. The shareholders’ decision then must still go before...
The Queensland Ombudsman, together with the Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Public Service Commission, has produced a brochure which explains the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1994 (Qld). The Act was introduced to provide protection for those who speak out about any wrongdoing in the public sector, commonly known as ‘blowing the whistle’. This whistleblowing is...
CSR was given a green light to proceed with the demerger of its sugar business on 23 April in a successful full bench appeal of a February decision that had refused the demerger. The Court of Appeal allowed CSR to present the demerger proposal to its shareholders. The shareholders’ decision then must still go before...
Adoption is an important issue for the people in our society desperate, but unable, to become parents, but to many the adoption process remains clouded in mystery. Recently, the State Government passed the long-anticipated Adoption Act 2009. This new Act repeals the Adoption of Children Act 1964, and brings Queensland into line with other Australian...
