GL Insights
First penalties issued under new sexual harassment provisions in the Fair Work Act
21/04/2026 A recent case in the Federal Circuit and Family Court has provided the first decision under the new penalty provisions for sexual harassment under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Fair Work Act). Amendments to the Fair Work Act that commenced on 6 March 2023 introduced a civil penalty for sexual harassment in the …
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How new AUSTRAC anti-money laundering obligations will impact our clients
21/04/2026 Australian law firms, including Grifin Legal, will be subject to mandatory anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) obligations from 1 July 2026, marking a significant expansion of the country’s financial crime prevention regime. The new laws bring legal practitioners into line with banks and financial institutions that have long operated under similar requirements. …
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When is a dismissal not a dismissal?
13/04/2026 A recent case in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has highlighted when a worker is not eligible to claim a dismissal remedy in the FWC. In the case of Ms Izabela Dembowska v Abergeldie Personnel Pty Ltd [2026] FWC 801, the Applicant had signed an employment contract but had not yet commenced employment when …
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Clash of the Perrys: High Court rules in favour of fashion designer “Katie Perry”
26/03/2026 The trade mark “Katie Perry” is officially the one that got away for American singer Katy Perry (“Popstar Katy”). Well, at least in relation to clothing. On 11 March 2026, in the matter of Taylor v Killer Queen LLC [2026] HCA 5 the High Court of Australia made orders setting aside the decision of …
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The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) report into Robodebt Scheme
25/03/2026 The NACC has released its report into Operation Myrtleford, which investigated six individuals that were referred to the NACC by the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The NACC’s investigation was confined to specific events in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and determining whether the conduct of any of the six referred people constituted serious …
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Lessons from Star City case for Management and Boards
25/03/2026 In March 2026, the Federal Court of Australia handed down a well written judgment in a well publicised case involving directors of The Star Entertainment Group Ltd in Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Bekier [2026] FCA 196. The Federal Court found that The Star’s former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director as well …
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Changes to Superannuation onboarding for new employees
25/03/2026 On 23 March 2026, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025 was passed by both houses (The Bill). Once enacted, the Bill will amend the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth). The Bill aims to: Employers will therefore be required to check with ATO to determine the employee’s …
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Changes to the CPR’s
25/02/2026 The November 2025 amendment to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs) has seen significant changes to the way in which contractors interact with the Government. While much of the discussion surrounding the new CPRs has focused on the preference for Australian business and SME (which you can read about here: Updates to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules …
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Administrative Review Tribunal decision on Bunnings use of facial recognition technology
25/02/2026 A recent Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) decision on Bunnings Group Limited’s (Bunnings) use of facial recognition technology (FRT) has overturned some of the Privacy Commissioner’s findings in relation to the contravention of the Australian Privacy Principles (APP). Departing from the Commissioner’s findings, the ART found that Bunnings lawfully collected the sensitive information of individuals entering its stores via FRT in accordance with APP 3.3 as …
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The new Legal Services Directions 2025
25/02/2026 The Legal Services Directions 2025 (LSDs) apply to Commonwealth legal work and are issued by the Attorney-General under the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth). The LSDs are binding on those undertaking Commonwealth legal work and serve as a critical framework to manage legal, financial, and reputational risks to the Commonwealth. On 2 March 2026, the …
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