Legal Updates »

• Government releases new amendments proposed by Building Industry Bill

  05 Feb 2010 | Yesterday, the government released proposed amendments to the Bill that will introduce two changes—increased powers for the Minister for Workplace Relations to direct the Inspectorate in carrying out its duties, and create a new power for the Inspectorate to initiate or intervene in proceedings for contempt of court where court orders are not complied with.

• Men at Work, you better take cover!

  04 Feb 2010 | The Federal Court has found that the 1979 and 1981 recordings of the song ‘Down Under’ infringed Larrikin Music Publishing’s copyright of the traditional Australian bush song, ‘Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree’. The Federal Court found the Qantas advertisements which include a smaller amount of the ‘Kookaburra’ song was not infringement.

• Important High Court decision handed down regarding OHS regulation in NSW

  04 Feb 2010 | Yesterday on 3 February 2010, the High Court of Australia handed down its decision in Kirk v WorkCover NSW (and Ors). In its decision, the High Court strongly criticised the approach to prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) and dismissed the attempted right to prevent appeals from that jurisdiction to the New South Wales Supreme Court.