This Month
Harsher penalties urged for PwC-style false privilege claims
The changing nature of law firms is making privilege claims more difficult to determine, a federal government discussion paper says.
- Maxim Shanahan
Australian fighter pilot to be extradited over China training claim
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he considered all evidence before him before deciding father of six Daniel Duggan should face court in the United States.
- Luke Costin and Jacob Shteyman
- Exclusive
- Legal profession
Treasury head Steven Kennedy backs ASIC, ACCC on barrister pay
The department’s secretary has personally lobbied to end a 13-year freeze on what barristers can earn for doing government work.
- Ronald Mizen
November
- Exclusive
- Property market
Why buying and selling a home is about to cost $1200 more
Amid Australia’s growing housing crisis, a new crackdown on money laundering is expected to add significant extra costs to property transactions.
- Tom McIlroy
- Exclusive
- Legal profession
Barristers brand anti-money-laundering laws ‘unconstitutional’
Bar associations have leant on advice from a former High Court judge in their latest effort to carve out an exemption to AML/CTF reforms.
- Maxim Shanahan
October
- Exclusive
- Legal profession
Let us pay barristers more, ASIC–ACCC chiefs urge Labor
Junior silks can command up to $9500 a day from commercial clients, but only about $2730 from the government, a situation two watchdogs want to change.
- Ronald Mizen
Labor, Coalition clash over laws for lawyers, accountants, realtors
Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash roundly criticised plans to expand anti-money laundering laws to the three professions.
- Ronald Mizen
September
Australia’s top five powerbrokers in the law for 2024
It was a momentous year for the High Court, the competition regulator and outspoken judges. Here are the people setting the agenda in legal circles.
- Michael Pelly
- Exclusive
- Privacy
Labor’s privacy reforms the ‘tip of the iceberg’
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind is happy with a suite of new powers to hit companies with big fines for privacy breaches, but says she can’t pursue the vast majority of complaints.
- Ronald Mizen
Doxxers face years in prison under new privacy offences
The Albanese government’s new privacy laws make doxxing – maliciously revealing personal information – a crime, punishable by up to seven years in prison.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Probe over safety of Jewish students at Sydney University
The SafeWork NSW investigation follows a warning from Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus that universities have to do more to stop antisemitism.
- Tom Burton
August
Uncover Jewish chat group doxxers or risk violence, Labor elders say
Former Labor MP Mike Kelly says if the people responsible for doxxing Jewish creatives were not held accountable, they would be emboldened to take further action.
- Gus McCubbing
Doxxed Jewish group demands police probe of NYT admission
Members of a group of Jewish creative workers who suffered harassment after details of a private chat group were published believe there’s evidence of a possible crime.
- Gus McCubbing
CFMEU trigger pulled; APRA slaps ANZ; 10 hated ASX ‘darlings’
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Exclusive
- Legal profession
ASIC, ACCC ‘materially weakened’ in court by $5k cap on top silk pay
Former chairmen of ASIC and the ACCC have spoken out against the 13-year freeze on federal government pay rates for barristers, saying it cost them in the courtroom.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Legal profession
Senior silks command up to $25k a day, but ASIC, ACCC pay under $5k
Bar associations are sounding the alarm about the situation, which has left regulators relying on an evaporating pool of experienced barristers.
- Ronald Mizen
July
Law Council calls for anti-money laundering carve-outs
The Law Council of Australia says it supports “balanced” reforms, but will argue for significant carve-outs in relation to client legal privilege.
- Maxim Shanahan
Cattle farmers go to war with Labor over class action
Cattle farmers have accused Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus of launching an appalling, contemptuous and “outrageously misleading” attack on them.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- White collar crime
Why diamond studded Swiss watches and luxury handbags worry AUSTRAC
The financial crimes watchdog’s chief executive Brendan Thomas says luxury goods along with cash and real estate have received its highest risk rating.
- Ronald Mizen
No backward step cutting off money flow to criminals: Dreyfus
The strong words from the attorney-general will come hours after the international body tasked with co-ordinating global AML/CTF efforts slams Australia’s performance.
- Ronald Mizen