Expertise
Set-off and Unfair Preference Claims

Set-off and Unfair Preference Claims

The Queensland District Court has recently considered whether set-off is available in respect of unfair preference claims. The decision of the Queensland District Court in Morton & Anor v Rexel Electrical Supplies Pty Ltd [2015] QDC 49(“Rexel”) has re-ignited...

read more
The President’s Award – Strata Community Australia (NSW)

The President’s Award – Strata Community Australia (NSW)

Ian McKnight, a consultant in our Property & Projects team in Sydney, was presented with The President’s Award at the annual convention of Strata Community Australia (NSW) held earlier this month. The Award is regarded as the most prestigious of the awards...

read more
Foreign Investment changes and the effects on Agriculture

Foreign Investment changes and the effects on Agriculture

FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD (“FIRB”) CHANGES EFFECTIVE 1 DECEMBER 2015 1. RURAL LAND At present, foreign persons are required to obtain FIRB approval prior to acquiring an interest in rural land in Australia where the combined value of the rural land and any other...

read more
Foreign Investment changes and the effects on Developers

Foreign Investment changes and the effects on Developers

FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD (“FIRB”) CHANGES EFFECTIVE 1 DECEMBER 2015 Foreign persons are required to apply for FIRB Approval prior to purchasing residential real estate in Australia. Currently, there are no fees payable to FIRB by a buyer for the making of this...

read more
Unfair Contract Provisions and Small Business

Unfair Contract Provisions and Small Business

On 20 October 2015 the Treasury Legislation Amendment (Small Business and Unfair Contract Terms) Bill 2015 passed both houses of Parliament. This means that the unfair contract term provisions set out in the Australian Consumer Law and Australian Securities and...

read more
Increased Protection for Off-the-Plan Purchasers in NSW

Increased Protection for Off-the-Plan Purchasers in NSW

Proposed reforms to the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) On 23 September 2015, Victor Dominello, the NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation announced a public consultation on the use of sunset clauses to terminate off the plan property contracts. NSW has seen an...

read more
Checklist of Legal / Risk Issues for Publishers

Checklist of Legal / Risk Issues for Publishers

Media & Technology lawyer, Peter Karcher, takes a look at some key risk areas for Publishers. MASTHEAD PROTECTION Register your mastheads as trade marks. Domain names, Business and company name registrations don’t give you protection for the name as against other...

read more
Strata Title Schemes: Maintenance, Repairs and Termination

Strata Title Schemes: Maintenance, Repairs and Termination

As published in CK Momentum Issue 8 (Click here to download) Areas of vital concern in Queensland and New South Wales are the issues surrounding maintenance and repairs of strata titled buildings, and the possibility of termination of schemes in circumstances where...

read more
Joint Conference – Australia & Taiwan

Joint Conference – Australia & Taiwan

As published in CK Momentum Issue 8 (Click here to download) CK recently sponsored the 29th Joint Conference of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council and its Taiwan counterpart, the Republic of China-Australia Business Council, held in Darwin on 3 and 4 September...

read more
CK Agribusiness Group at the Ekka

CK Agribusiness Group at the Ekka

As published in CK Momentum Issue 8 (Click here to download)   Following on from the involvement of our Agribusiness Group in the Beef Australia Expo in Rockhampton in May, members of the Group were involved in a number of events during the Brisbane Ekka in...

read more
Due Diligence for Foreign Investors in Rural Assets

Due Diligence for Foreign Investors in Rural Assets

 As published in CK Momentum Issue 8 (Click here to download) To avoid the risk of replicating many of the mistakes the Japanese made in their acquisitions of property in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s,prospective foreign investors in Australian rural assets should...

read more