ARTICLES
Insurers to no longer cover farms with Coal Seam Gas infrastructure
Australia’s largest insurer has announced that it will no longer provide coverage to farmers whose properties have CSG infrastructure on it. The decision by Insurance Australia Group to no longer provide public liability insurance to farmers whose land hosts CSG...
read moreWHS Insurance Liability Shake-Up
New changes to the Work, Health and Safety Act will now impose a heavier burden on corporate directors as WHS penalties can no longer be covered by an insurance policy. The amendments to the Act now prevent companies and their directors from using their insurance for...
read moreFair Work Changes to Enterprise Bargaining
The COVID-19 pandemic created various challenges for Australian workplaces in 2020. The Federal Government has introduced the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 (‘the Bill’) to address some of the challenges in 2021....
read moreBankruptcy Threshold Permanently Increased From January 2021
As of 1 January 2021, the bankruptcy threshold has been permanently lifted to $10,000. This follows the decision made by the Federal Government in March 2020 to temporarily raise the pre-pandemic rate from $5,000 to $20,000 in order to prevent those hit hardest by the...
read moreCaution Necessary When Terminating an Employee for Poor Performance
A recent decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) makes clear the importance of employers following proper warning procedures before dismissing an employee for poor performance. Michael Kahrilas v Check Point Software (Australia) Pty Limited concerned a long term...
read more2030 Vision for the Wool Industry
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) have recently released a 10-year plan for Australian Woolgrowers, titled ‘Wool 2030 – Australian Wool: the world’s premium sustainable fibre.’ The report is a product of extensive collaboration across the industry. Over 800 woolgrowers...
read moreProposed Fair Work Act Reforms for Casual Employees
The Federal Government have introduced a Bill to amend various aspects of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (‘the Act’), including the classification and treatment of casual employees. The Bill proposes a statutory definition for ‘casual employees’ focusing on the offer...
read moreResults of the ACCC Perishable Goods Inquiry Announced
In December the ACCC released the Perishable Agricultural Goods Inquiry Report (‘the Report’). The Report presents the findings of a three-month investigation into the markets for supply of meat, eggs, seafood, dairy and horticultural products. The inquiry focused on...
read moreEmployer Fined $120,000 for Fair Work Act Infringements
The Federal Court imposed a penalty of almost $120,000 on an employer for contraventions of the Fair Work Act (‘the Act’) relating to underpayment and record keeping failures. The case involved restaurant owners (‘the respondents’) who agreed to sponsor Mr Kurian...
read more