Recent News
The Dangers of Sham Contracting
The Fair Work Ombudsman has delivered a timely reminder for businesses to avoid dodgy sham contracting practices and of the risk of personal liability for directors and HR managers. The Federal Circuit Court has handed a Gold Coast tour bus operator a fine of $164,475...
Reverse Mortgage – Is it right for you?
Borrowing against your home A reverse mortgage can help older Australians unlock the wealth in their homes after retirement. However, there can be long-term financial risks. What is a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that allows you to borrow...
Is not paying a worker legal?
Generally all workers must be paid for their work. However under the Fair Work Act certain unpaid work arrangements can be lawful. These arrangements can be valuable for both employees and employers for a number of reasons, including assessing a potential employee’s...
Flexible work arrangements – what happens to the employment contract?
While the benefits of flexible work arrangements are now well known, the prescriptive requirements of employees and employers when it comes to requesting these arrangements can be daunting. Employees who have worked continuously with the same employer for more than 12...
New Apps and Software available for business owners
As the world turns, so does technology. We are constantly reminded of the new apps and software available when running your own business, keeping everything all in one place and convenient for you. Here are a few apps and software to check out:- ServiceM8 – Is a cloud...
The Taxman Commeth
The sale or purchase of a property can have tax implications. Where a property is not a person’s principal place of residence capital gains tax (CGT) is payable on any increase in the value of the property (if purchased on or after 20 September 1985) and the sale...
Can liquidators recover payments from a secured creditor?
The Corporations Act gives powers to liquidators to recover unfair preference payments to a creditor. An unfair preference payment is where a creditor receives a payment before other creditors in circumstances where they knew, or ought to have known, that the company...
GST Withholding Scheme – Defective Notices and Buyer’s Liability
By now property law practitioners across Australia are starting to get used to their new role as tax collectors courtesy of the Federal Government’s new GST withholding scheme. Purchasers who are the recipient of a taxable supply of new or potential residential land...
New Unpaid Family & Domestic Violence Leave
From 1 August 2018, all employees on modern awards will be entitled to access 5 days' unpaid family and domestic violence leave each year. The change follows a recent decision of the Fair Work Commission in March 2018 in which Vice President Watson said 'There can...
The Fine Print – Building Contracts
So you have just bought a vacant block of land in a new estate and are eagerly planning to construct your first home. Or maybe you have reached the stage in your life where you will finally be designing and building your dream home. Either way, you are now looking at...
Will your last Will be your final word?
Will your last will be your final word on who gets your property and possessions? The answer is “not necessarily”. The validity of a will can be affected by such things as a person’s mental state at the time they made the will . More commonly family and dependants...
Non Paying Tenant? An Old remedy for a complex problem
A recent landlord and tenant issue that our office dealt with raises a few important issues for landlords. The landlord rented an industrial shed to a company that conducted a paper and cardboard recycling business. After a few months of non payment of rent the...
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