Policy and Regulation

The Greens have struck a deal with the Albanese government to legislate a right to disconnect, which could see employers fined if they make unreasonable contact with employees outside of work hours. 

Maurice Blackburn’s head of employment law in Queensland, Giri Sivaraman, has been appointed as the next race discrimination commissioner, commencing his five year stint in March. 

Australia’s merger review regime is “outdated” and in need of an overhaul, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which says companies must explain why their acquisitions should get the all-clear.

The Business Council of Australia has advised the government that civil penalties are not necessary to ensure compliance with the Modern Slavery Act, saying a proposed Anti-Slavery Commissioner should not impose “additional bureaucratic burdens” on businesses. 

The Australian Law Reform Commission has recommended extensive reforms to the “confusing maze” that is the Corporations Act, including the creation of a standalone financial services law.

The Albanese government will focus the country’s AI regulation on high-risk settings such as healthcare, opting for voluntary codes for less risky uses to allow the game-changing technology to flourish.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has hit teleco Medion Australia with a $259,440 penalty for allegedly failing to verify customer identity, claiming it caused several people to fall victim to SIM-swap scams. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has renewed its calls for the government to adopt its proposed reforms to the merger regime, warning that consumers and businesses will pay the price for continuing anti-competitive mergers which enable parties to engage in “legal brinkmanship” with the regulator.

The Albanese Government has floated a new regulatory framework under which businesses would face steep penalties for failing to do their part to prevent scams.

A retiring Federal Court judge who served on the bench for almost two decades has railed against court fees “that no ordinary person can afford” and overly complex legislation, including the Corporations Act, which he called a “blight on our community”.