Insights

Two significant reforms have been introduced to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (Act) by the 2025 Amendment Bill (Bill), relating to orphan works and remote learning

In the recent decision of ASIC v Open4Sale Global Ltd (No 2) [2025] FCA 1038, the Federal Court ordered civil penalties totalling $2.8 million and disqualification orders against two company directors for making offers of shares on 101 occasions without complying with the disclosure obligations under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Australian Clinical Labs ordered to pay $5.8 million in relation to a data breach suffered by its Medilab Pathology business.

The Fair Work Commission has ruled in favour of a Westpac employee’s request to work remotely on a full-time basis.

Australia’s Privacy Commissioner recently determined that Kmart Australia Limited’s (Kmart) use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in 28 stores between June 2020 and July 2022 unlawfully interfered with individuals’ privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Treasury’s proposed reforms will make cancelling subscriptions as simple as sign-up, reshaping how businesses engage with consumers. Read on to understand what your business can do to prepare.

In Habermann v Cook Shire Council, Justice Henry of the Supreme Court of Queensland found that an employer’s duty of care to its employees extends to the conduct of third parties where that conduct poses a foreseeable risk of psychiatric injury to an employee. This includes the publication of defamatory statements about the employee.

With most startups looking to manage cash flow while still offering competitive remuneration, an employee share option plan (ESOP) offers startups a method for attracting and retaining employees and other personnel by providing them with equity.

On 5 September 2025, the Federal Court of Australia handed down its long-awaited decision in Fair Work Ombudsman v Woolworths Group Limited; Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2025] FCA 1092. The decision primarily considers whether contractual set off clauses for salaried employees can be used to offset above-award payments in one period against any shortfall arising in another period.

If leave is granted for the application to proceed, and particularly if a judgment is awarded in the company’s favour, the potential effects on gambling industry participants (including directors and officers of those participants) are significant. This potential dual exposure arising from both regulatory enforcement and shareholder-led recovery actions materially elevates the risk environment for directors and senior officers of gambling organisations.