As your mum used to say, ‘sticks and stones may break your bones, but negative customer reviews might break your business’ (or something along those lines, anyway). The ACCC recently announced that Wisdom Properties Group Pty Ltd received a firm slap on the wrist – and a court-enforceable undertaking – requiring it to remove certain … Read more
On 25 May 2018, changes to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) came into effect requiring organisations all over the world (including businesses in Australia) to provide a high level of protection to the personal data of individuals in the EU, and allow those individuals to maintain better control over their personal data. … Read more
Today we have seen splashed across all news media outlets the announcement of an “overhaul” of the family court system to deal with the substantial delays of having matters finally determined in our court system. Background Since 2000 we have had two separate courts, with two separate sets of rules, forms and court procedures to … Read more
My earlier post concerning the Federal Court decision in Rowntree v FCT highlighted the vital evidence required to prove monies transferred from a private company group to its controlling director and shareholder was in fact a non-taxable loan advance. In the recent Full Federal Court decision in Hart v FCT [2018] FCAFC 61 (reported at … Read more
By Naomi Stephens (Paralegal) and Amelia Edwards (Lawyer) The headlines are screaming, the politicians are pontificating: the Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal has turned the spotlight on Big Bad Data, and through all the huffing and puffing that has followed the unshaken public consensus seems to be that Facebook has, by negligence or design, thrown … Read more
Recent court decisions regarding serious safety incidents involving companies in the food industry are an important reminder of the safety risks and serious injuries that can result from unguarded food machinery and equipment during use, cleaning and maintenance. In these cases, the companies involved were found to be in breach of their duties under the Occupational … Read more
By Stephanie Koumbarakos (Trainee Lawyer) and Amelia Edwards (Lawyer) Whether or not to conduct a food recall is a nightmare most food producers and manufacturers don’t want to contemplate. As at 3 April 2018, a rockmelon-related listeria outbreak has resulted in six confirmed deaths and caused serious illness in at least 13 others. The incident, … Read more
On 29 March 2018, the remaining provisions of the Family Violence Protection Amendment Act 2017 (the Amending Act) commenced. These amendments implement the recommendations of the Family Violence Royal Commission (Royal Commission) and now form part of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) (the Act). The amendments provide for: better explanations of interim and … Read more
By Josephine Mammone (Trainee Lawyer) and Amelia Edwards (Lawyer) A significant decision of the Federal Court, handed-down on 19 March 2018, has found that Heinz misled consumers as to the nutrition and health benefits of its SHREDZ products, aimed at children aged 1-3 years of age. Heinz marketed its SHREDZ ‘Little Kids’ range to parents … Read more
