Sexual Harassment and Risk Assessment in Schools
Recently, Safework Australia, the statutory body established to develop national policy relating to Workplace Health…
Summer is over – the new framework for statutory trust accounts starts 1 March 2021
The first transition date from the Project Bank Account to Statutory Trust regime commenced on…
Summer is over – the new framework for statutory trust accounts starts 1 March 2021Read More
Streamlined Unpaid Wages and Entitlements Recovery System
From Monday, 1 March 2021, the Palaszczuk Government introduced a streamlined unpaid wages recovery procedure…
Streamlined Unpaid Wages and Entitlements Recovery SystemRead More
Stand Downs in Schools During Covid-19
A recent Full Bench decision of the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) has provided some…
CGLaw welcomes education sector lawyer Ben Foley
Clifford Gouldson is pleased to announce that Ben Foley has rejoined our firm as Special…
Stage three of minimum wage increase
In June 2020 the Fair Work Commission announced a 1.75% increase to minimum wages. This…
Employee’s vaccine refusal may set important precedent for coronavirus vaccinations
The Fair Work Commission has recently allowed an aged care worker to proceed with her…
Employee’s vaccine refusal may set important precedent for coronavirus vaccinationsRead More
Leading Australian IP Lawyer Joins CGLaw
Clifford Gouldson is proud to announce that one of Australia’s most experienced intellectual property lawyers,…
Court ruling sparks action against insurers for COVID-affected businesses
The outcome of a recent test case relating to business interruption insurance for COVID-19 losses…
Court ruling sparks action against insurers for COVID-affected businessesRead More
Extra peace of mind when your child heads off into the world
If you are about to send a child off to university or to a gap-year,…
Extra peace of mind when your child heads off into the worldRead More
BREAKING: Bankruptcy Notice Threshold Increase
Further to our recent alert on A New Era of Insolvency Law, the Commonwealth Attorney-General,…
A New Era of Insolvency Law
In March and September 2020, we wrote about the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act 2020 (Cth) (COVID…
Changes to the Pastoral Award 2020
On 30 November 2020, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) made a new significant decision to…
What does an Executor actually do?
Whether you’re an executor yourself or you’re advising an executor or estate, it’s valuable to…
Fair Work Commission rules on overtime for casuals
In August 2020 the Fair Work Commission (Commission) determined that the way casual employees are…
Stage two of minimum wage increase
In June 2020 the Fair Work Commission announced a 1.75% increase to minimum wages. This applies to…
Ensuring you’re insuring horses for courses
Federal Court finds insurance brokers liable for failing to offer clients the right additional insurances.On…
How is debt recovery in your business?
No doubt as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis Australian credit agency, CreditorWatch, reports that…
Who is Australia’s 5th largest home lender?
If you were asked to name the 5th largest lender in Australia, no one would…
Does a pandemic trigger business interruption insurance?
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant levels of State and Federal government intervention, including…
Does a pandemic trigger business interruption insurance?Read More
$50,000 grant to supercharge Aussie startups
Clifford Gouldson Lawyers would like to announce the launch of a $50,000 grant designed to…
Increased fees from IP Australia
As we outlined in our previous alert, Act now to avoid IP Australia fee increases, from…
Battle of the Burger Giants : Big Mac vs Big Jack
The ‘Big Mac’ is an iconic staple of the McDonalds brand, and one they are…
Qld Government Enacts Retail Shop Leases Changes
On 29 September 2020 the Queensland Government enacted changes to the Retail Shop Leases and Other…
CGLaw Expands to the Sunshine Coast
Our team is pleased to announce that Clifford Gouldson Lawyers is expanding it’s business to…
Do I really need a Will?
At our recent Advisor Day event we received plenty of questions about estate planning and…
Mediating leasing disputes during COVID-19: We can help!
We recently made you aware of the extension to the period during which certain landlords…
Mediating leasing disputes during COVID-19: We can help!Read More
The risks of director’s guarantees
With the challenges many businesses are facing in a COVID impacted business environment we are…
Extension to lease moratorium announced
The Queensland Government has announced an extension to the moratorium period in relation to retail and…
JobKeeper is extended and tweaked
As you are no doubt aware, the Federal Government recently modified the JobKeeper subsidy scheme.…
Payroll Tax and COVID-19 – potential reprieve for business
Given the economic challenges facing many businesses at the moment due to COVID-19, the Office…
Payroll Tax and COVID-19 – potential reprieve for businessRead More
Dirt fights – when co-owners of land disagree
Buying land together with family, friends or business partners is common when people want to get…
COVID-19 Debt Relief Extended
Over the last six months, the Federal Government’s Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus Act 2020…
Building industry amendments commence on 1 October 2020
On 22 July 2020 we published an email alert advising about changes to laws impacting…
Building industry amendments commence on 1 October 2020Read More
Act now to avoid IP Australia fee increases
IP Australia will implement a new fee structure from 1 October 2020, including increases in…
Mondelez Decision: High Court Confirms Leave Entitlements
Yesterday, the majority of the High Court of Australia (HCA) found that ‘a day’, for…
Mondelez Decision: High Court Confirms Leave EntitlementsRead More
COVID-19 UPDATE: Changes to the Real Estate Industry Award
On 6 August 2020, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) made a variation to the Real…
COVID-19 UPDATE: Changes to the Real Estate Industry AwardRead More
Shh…. It’s Secret… COVID Style…
Have you been busy creating new products, business ideas, concepts, processes, and inventions? Many people are…
Announcing CGLaw Staff Promotions
Clifford Gouldson Lawyers is proud to announce the promotion of five members of our team…
Personal liability for officers of incorporated associations is coming!
BackgroundMany community sport organisations and clubs, charitable organisations, arts and craft organisations and other bodies…
Personal liability for officers of incorporated associations is coming!Read More
Reminder: Works for Tradies Program Registrations Close Today
The Works for Tradies Program was introduced as part of the Queensland Government’s economic recovery strategy…
Reminder: Works for Tradies Program Registrations Close TodayRead More
More legal changes for building industry
Key points New laws have been passed by the Queensland Government to make further changes…
Queensland sees its first conviction under new industrial manslaughter laws
On 11 June 2020, the State of Queensland recorded its first conviction under the new…
Queensland sees its first conviction under new industrial manslaughter lawsRead More
No App, No work, No Lunch: Enforcing a COVIDSafe App Download
The COVID-19 pandemic has countries around the world taking extraordinary measures to protect the safety…
No App, No work, No Lunch: Enforcing a COVIDSafe App DownloadRead More
Minimum wage increase from 1 July 2020
The Fair Work Commission has announced an increase to the national minimum wage of 1.75 per…
$10k grant is back: Don’t miss this one!
With the first round fully subscribed in just 4 days, the Qld Government has today…
Secret recording – is it illegal?
We are often asked whether it is legal to record conversations, whether consent is required…
Clarity for Landlords and Tenants finally arrives!
Summary: New Qld law based on the Federal Mandatory Code of Conduct has been made.There…
How secure are your goods on account?
COVID-19 has brought difficult times for many businesses, and few have been unaffected by either…
The Celeste Barber decision – time to check your objectives?
This week’s Supreme Court decision in relation to the $51 million that Celeste Barber raised…
The Celeste Barber decision – time to check your objectives?Read More
Casual employees and WorkPac Pty Ltd – not again!
The recent Federal Court case of Workpac v Rossato has further strengthened the position of…
The $55 million mistake! Decision highlights need for strict drafting compliance
In the case of Santos Limited v BNP Paribas, the failure to print the words “authorised…
The $55 million mistake! Decision highlights need for strict drafting complianceRead More
Adaption grant offers wide range of options to spend $10k
The Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant was announced yesterday and offers small businesses up to $10,000…
Adaption grant offers wide range of options to spend $10kRead More
Logging off for good? – Your social media after you die
Some believe there may now be three certainties in life; death, taxes and…social media. Social…
Logging off for good? – Your social media after you dieRead More
Temporary measure for electronic signing under the Corporations Act
In a world where almost everything occurs online, it has been a source of frustration…
Temporary measure for electronic signing under the Corporations ActRead More
COVID-19: Working from home, WH&S & privacy
The rush to move entire businesses to a work from home model was frantic. Some…
Relaxed restrictions & improved business – What happens to JobKeeper?
There is no doubt that the release of the JobKeeper program is helping many Australian…
Relaxed restrictions & improved business – What happens to JobKeeper?Read More
Safety measures for a return to work
With the prospect of businesses re-opening and employees returning to the office it’s critical that…
Nine principals from National Cabinet to impact business
National Cabinet today agreed nine principles which are likely to impact business throughout the COVID-19…
Nine principals from National Cabinet to impact businessRead More
Witnessing Wills in isolation issue addressed
A key issue with preparing Wills during the current COVID-19 situation is the difficulty in…
Commercial tenancies mandatory code of conduct
The Prime Minister held a further press conference on 7 April 2020 to, amongst other…
Latest federal government information for commercial landlords and tenants
While the final details are still to be enacted in law by the State and…
Latest federal government information for commercial landlords and tenantsRead More
FWC announces COVID-19 changes to clerks’ award
The Fair Work Commission has granted a variation to the clerks’ award to provide more…
Commercial rent and COVID-19
Landlords and tenants alike have been anxiously waiting for any indication from the Government as…
New measures to ensure wills are in place
With a lot of fear and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus we are experiencing a…
Changes to creditor, bankruptcy and insolvency rules for COVID-19 crisis
The economic impacts of Covid-19 and the health measures required to prevent its spread will…
Changes to creditor, bankruptcy and insolvency rules for COVID-19 crisisRead More
COVID-19 – questions answered for employers
We are receiving plenty of questions as employers come to grips with the current and…
COVID-19 – CGLaw Operations Update
Dear Clients, Colleagues and Associates, With the current concerns within the community about the COVID-19…
Coronavirus, contracts & force majeure!
Coronavirus is having a profound impact on the world’s economy. With Oxford Economics estimating the…
Commercial rent and COVID-19 – update
Distressed landlords and tenants were watching yesterday’s Government announcement with much anticipation, for details of…
Critical issues for landlords to consider when a commercial tenant is moving out
Summary Understanding what you should be doing at the end of a commercial lease is…
Critical issues for landlords to consider when a commercial tenant is moving outRead More
Changes to employer obligations for annualised salaries commence 1 March 2020
Following the decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in February of 2019, the obligations of employers…
Changes to employer obligations for annualised salaries commence 1 March 2020Read More
Franchisor hit with $4.2 million penalty
A recent $4.2 million example stands out as a strong reminder that franchisors must ensure…
White card changes coming 1 February
A recent update from Master Builders Qld provided a useful reminder about the changes that…
Trivago tricks travellers
Chances are that you’ve heard or may have even booked your holiday through the hotel…
Are your customers really accepting your website terms and conditions?
Did you know that how you present your terms and conditions to your clients and…
Are your customers really accepting your website terms and conditions?Read More
Significant changes to annual salaries
Following the decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in February of 2019, the obligations…
31 December deadline looms large for QBCC licence holders
Are you a contractor who holds a QBCC Licence in categories SC1, SC2, 1, 2…
31 December deadline looms large for QBCC licence holdersRead More
High Court agrees to hear personal/carer’s leave case
The High Court has today granted Mondalez International the right to appeal the meaning of…
High Court agrees to hear personal/carer’s leave caseRead More
The harsh light that litigation shines on your estate
A recent, long running estate litigation highlights exactly why ‘DIY’ or homemade Wills are best…
The harsh light that litigation shines on your estateRead More
Version control protocol: safeguard your business from a costly mistake
Documents, whether it’s simple policy documents or complex sales agreements, are the bread and butter…
Version control protocol: safeguard your business from a costly mistakeRead More
“Going guarantor” – the misunderstood risks
Because of the personal relationships that are often involved, many people will provide a guarantee…
Liability for an independent contractor’s superannuation
A recent decision of the Federal Court of Australia[1] has found that in some circumstances,…
Liability for an independent contractor’s superannuationRead More
Harrison Humphries elected Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce President
Clifford Gouldson is proud to announce that our own Harrison Humphries was elected unopposed as…
Harrison Humphries elected Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce PresidentRead More
Jury duty obligations for employees & employers
What do you do if you or your employee are called up for jury duty? …
CGLaw Named Employer of Choice
Clifford Gouldson was proud and very humbled to be named the inaugural Employer of Choice…
National safe work month – a ‘healthy’ reminder for employers
As we progress through the year and transition to Summer, October presents a good opportunity…
National safe work month – a ‘healthy’ reminder for employersRead More
A sweet update for QLD “lemon laws”
Do you remember our legal alert in January 2019? It was about upcoming changes to how…
Anti-bullying jurisdiction increased after foster carer found to be a worker
A recent Fair Work Commission (FWC) decision has found that a Barnardos foster carer can…
Anti-bullying jurisdiction increased after foster carer found to be a workerRead More
Name registration does not protect your brand
It’s a common misconception that registration of a business, company or domain name grants ownership…
CGLaw welcomes property development lawyer Carly Brailak
We are pleased to announce that Carly Brailak has joined Clifford Gouldson Lawyers in the…
CGLaw welcomes property development lawyer Carly BrailakRead More
10 days personal leave for all employees
A Federal Court decision last week has confirmed that employers are required to provide all…
Mindy gets a fresh coat of paint!
Mindy has had a makeover by local artist Bronte Naylor! Keep an eye out for…
Cyber criminals – a wolf in other business’s clothing
As we all know, cyber crime is on the rise. It has been reported in the…
Cyber criminals – a wolf in other business’s clothingRead More
Our Team sleeps rough for Homeless Week
Many of you will have seen the media coverage recently around Homeless Week and Base…
Sydney football stadium – NSW government let contract before design
It has been reported that the Sydney Football Stadium project is a debacle, with news…
Sydney football stadium – NSW government let contract before designRead More
Ignore close scrutiny of contractor arrangements at your peril
From 1 July 2019 the Fair Work Ombudsman began ramping up its investigations to identify…
Ignore close scrutiny of contractor arrangements at your perilRead More
Kraft v Bega – never oily, never dry
Kraft Peanut Butter is a family favourite across Australia. Many of us have it in…
An historic day for Queensland – human rights act 2019 (QLD)
If you blinked, then you may have missed it, but on 1 July 2019 an…
An historic day for Queensland – human rights act 2019 (QLD)Read More
Social Highlights
Featured: Selina’s 10 year work anniversary, Simon Future Community Leader announcement and Harrison’s delegate trip…
CGLaw team to go homeless for a night
Impacted by the level of the homelessness problem in Toowoomba, and the passion of those…
Faceapp – but it was all in the terms of use
No doubt by now, you are aware of the recent social trend involving an App…
Licensing: profiting from your assets without selling them
Is your business thinking about selling off assets to boost the cash flow? Are you…
Licensing: profiting from your assets without selling themRead More
Ready for 1 July? We summarise the critical legal changes for businesses
Do you want to hit the ground running in the new financial year? We have…
Ready for 1 July? We summarise the critical legal changes for businessesRead More
Minimum wage increase from 1 July
The Fair Work Commission has announced an increase to the national minimum wage of 3…
Combustible cladding – extension of deadlines
The State Government has extended the deadlines for compliance with Stages 2 and 3a of…
Government reforms to clean up ABNs
In recent announcements by the Federal Government, from 1 July 2021, ABN holders in Australia…
What rate of tax does my private company pay?
From 1 July 2018, the rules for determining the rate of tax paid by a…
Domestic and family violence leave – what do you need to know?
As a result of the unfortunate increases in the instances of Domestic Violence within Australia,…
Domestic and family violence leave – what do you need to know?Read More
Construction news: NCC changes live & govt calls for submissions
2019 National Construction Code (NCC) The NCC has been amended. Taking effect from 1 May…
Construction news: NCC changes live & govt calls for submissionsRead More
Cyber attack in your business: legal obligations, options and liability
Cyber attacks are on the rise in Australia, particularly those which target businesses – often…
Cyber attack in your business: legal obligations, options and liabilityRead More
Ashes to ashes: whose dust?
The age old saying, “Where there’s a Will, there’s relatives” rings true, but notwithstanding the…
New proposal on the table – director identification numbers
As part of it’s efforts to combat illegal “phoenix” activity, the Federal Government has proposed…
New proposal on the table – director identification numbersRead More
Flexible working requests: you can’t say no!
Due to recent changes to the Fair Work legislation, it is no longer possible for…
Combustible cladding – first deadline approaching
Do you know if you are required to undertake a cladding audit for your property?…
But the doctor told me so!
Where an employee is suffering from an injury or illness, it is not uncommon for…
$700 saved costs family $50,000
In a troubling example of the dangers of cutting costs in estate planning we’ve recently…
Dismissal because of domestic violence deemed not discrimination
In January last year, in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Deputy President Swan dismissed a…
Dismissal because of domestic violence deemed not discriminationRead More
Sushi case confirms employer record-keeping requirements
An underpaying sushi business is the first to be charged by the Fair Work Ombudsman…
Sushi case confirms employer record-keeping requirementsRead More
New “Lemon Laws”: when car deals turn sour…
Changes are coming for how motor dealers and buyers resolve disputes thanks to new legislation…
Regulations amended to prevent employee ‘double dipping’
In 2018, the Full Federal Court ordered an employer to payout an employee’s accrued entitlement…
Regulations amended to prevent employee ‘double dipping’Read More
‘Reining in staff behaviour at your office Christmas party’
With Christmas only weeks away, it’s common for businesses to celebrate the end of the…
‘Reining in staff behaviour at your office Christmas party’Read More
Building industry changes – the countdown is on!!!
There have been some major changes to laws governing the Building & Construction Industry in…
Cybersecurity – Is this business’ current greatest threat?
Cybersecurity is the protection of internet-connected systems, including hardware, software and data, from digital attack. …
Cybersecurity – Is this business’ current greatest threat?Read More
What to consider when your tenant has to go!
The decision to terminate a commercial lease because of a tenant’s breach is one not…
When “claim denied” is not the final word
Unfortunately for those of us who dutifully pay our insurance premiums (insurance companies call us…
What happens to my super when I die?
It is a simple question with a complicated answer. Most people are surprised to learn…
Have you met Mindy? Local Law Firm gives back to the community
Mindy the van has long been providing liquid gold (coffee) to our coffee-obsessed community here…
Have you met Mindy? Local Law Firm gives back to the communityRead More
Does your building require a cladding audit?
he Queensland Government is seeking to determine the extent of the use of potentially combustible…
Digital grants: not just free money
The Queensland Government has just released the latest round of the Small Business Digital Grants…
Casual employees & annual leave – sorting fact from fiction
There has been a stir recently in the world of industrial relations. On Thursday 16…
Casual employees & annual leave – sorting fact from fictionRead More
Defamation online: but i didn’t post the comment, your honour!
In January 2016, we wrote about four cases involving allegedly defamatory online statements. A recent…
Defamation online: but i didn’t post the comment, your honour!Read More
Development approval decision means extra caution for buyers
Buyers of land over which a development approval has previously been granted are required to…
Development approval decision means extra caution for buyersRead More
Panadol causes headache for nurofen
A recent court case saw the makers of Panadol take on Nurofen in a dispute…
Ready for 1 July? We summarise the critical legal changes for businesses
Do you want to hit the ground running in the new financial year? We have…
Ready for 1 July? We summarise the critical legal changes for businessesRead More
“Ipso facto” changes to impact business contracts post 1 July 2018
SUMMARY An ipso facto clause is a common clause found within contracts and agreements that…
“Ipso facto” changes to impact business contracts post 1 July 2018Read More
Building Industry Payments Changes Delayed
The Queensland Government has announced a delay to the commencement of the changes to payment…
Communication crucial in disciplinary matters
Managing disciplinary matters with employees can be a tough process. Proper communication between employer and…
Will I or won’t I have a will?
It is an unfortunate fact that every year our firm has to deal with the…
New EU data rules may impact Australian businesses
Have you noticed your inbox filling up recently with emails regarding updates to privacy policies?…
Sushi shop penalised for worker’s raw deal
Last month the Federal Circuit Court handed down a $200,000 penalty to a Sydney sushi…
New Labour Hire Laws Commence 16 April 2018 – What you need to know
n September 2017, the Queensland Government passed and assented to a new piece of legislation…
New Labour Hire Laws Commence 16 April 2018 – What you need to knowRead More
Compensation for cricket injury – howzat!
A worker’s knee injury suffered during a cricket match between shifts of work was found…
GST changes coming 1 July 2018
Are you aware of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) changes coming this July? If…
Reminder for clubs, societies and small non-profits – governance matters!
An incorporated association in New South Wales recently found itself in the Supreme Court* –…
Reminder for clubs, societies and small non-profits – governance matters!Read More
Project bank accounts commence 1 march 2018
The commencement date for Project Bank Accounts for government projects under the Building Industry Fairness…
Only 10 day until major privacy law changes – are you ready and compliant?
On Thursday, 22 February 2018, new provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) will come…
Only 10 day until major privacy law changes – are you ready and compliant?Read More
When Christmas parties go VERY wrong
It’s not called the silly season because your children ask for unicorns from a mystical…
What can we learn from the ghosts of Christmas functions past?
Tis the season to be merry and join your colleagues for a much deserved Christmas…
What can we learn from the ghosts of Christmas functions past?Read More