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 industry
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 industry
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
- Exclusive
- Insolvency
Labor reveals personal bankruptcy overhaul
The threshold for involuntary bankruptcy will rise to $20,000 and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will also launch consultations for a mini-bankruptcy regime.
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Cattle farmers trying to boost profits at taxpayers’ expense: Labor
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says the government was not budging on its $215 million offer to settle a decade-old class action.
- Ronald Mizen
Small firms fight push to force data-breach reporting
Before critical cabinet considerations of major privacy reforms, small business groups say now is not the right time to add further compliance costs.
- Tom Burton
June
AAT plagiarist survives administrative cull
The body that decides on immigration appeals is getting a revamp. Though some familiar faces remain.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
Tough jail terms for deepfake porn peddlers under new laws
The creators and sharers of non-consensual sexually explicit material will face up to seven years’ jail under the new rules, which also put pressure on tech firms.
- Paul Smith
Labor launches review into native title ‘inequality and unfairness’
The review will look into the limitations on native title land being used for economic development and how to support consensus among traditional owner groups.
- Ronald Mizen
May
New hate speech laws in focus as social cohesion frays
Anti-Semitic graffiti scrawled on the fence of a Melbourne Jewish school has been condemned by the prime minister as the government considers tougher penalties for hate speech.
- Poppy Johnston