GL Insights
The Planning Act 2022 (ACT)
The Planning Act 2022 (ACT) (The Planning Act) came into effect on 20 June 2023, and will replace the Planning and Development Act 2007 (ACT). Provisions with respect to planning strategy, district strategy, technical specifications and transitions have commenced with the remaining provisions to commence in Quarter 4 of 2023. With a goal to deliver …
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Purchasing a property in the ACT – what you need to know about conveyance duty
Conveyance duty or stamp duty is tax that is payable when you purchase a property in the ACT. Conveyance duty is assessed on the dutiable value of the property and the obligation to pay duty is subject to the type of transaction and the circumstances of each buyer. The Duties Act 1999 (ACT) exempts certain …
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New Charity disclosure requirements for related party transactions
Charities often work with other organisations and individuals to help achieve their charitable purposes. These relationships, while important, can give rise to actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interests and therefore must be managed appropriately, transparently and in the best interest of the charity. To help achieve this, the ACNC has introduced new obligations for …
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Thinking of using AI in your organisation: read this first – the legal issues associated with the use of AI Programs
Similar to the advent of the personal computers and the internet, ChatGPT is on the path to revolutionise the way we work, and the speed in which work can be done. With this change comes impacts to a whole raft of current practices in business, which although disruptive, will, in the long term, see an …
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Full steam ahead – upcoming amendments to the Privacy Act
On 16 February 2023, the Attorney-General’s Department released its highly anticipated Privacy Act Review Report 2022 (Report). The Report considers whether the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) remains fit for purpose in this digital economy where the personal information of individuals is collected and used for a myriad of purposes. Change to ‘personal information’ A major expected change …
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Keep ahead of data breaches
It seems like every other day we see another media release about an organisation affected by a data breach, compromising the personal information of Australians. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s (OAIC) Notifiable Data Breaches Report: July to December 2022 shows that during this period, data breaches resulting from malicious or criminal attacks accounted …
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Privacy by design: A call to action
Griffin Legal endorses the ‘privacy by design’ approach, whereby agencies proactively embed good privacy practices into the design of new technology, practices and infrastructure. It remains important that evolving and adapting agencies keep privacy at the forefront of their minds. A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is a good way to build up privacy. What is …
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Privacy in the digital age: Tips for protecting your personal information
Whether it’s the mobile glued to our pockets or the smart lighting installed in our homes, our digital landscape has the potential to erode our personal privacy and security. Here are five basic steps you can take to protect your personal information online: 1. Enable MFA Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that adds …
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Respect@Work – Positive Duty on Employers
The Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022(Cth) places a positive duty on employers, including agencies to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate hostile workplace environments, sexual harassment, harassment on the grounds of sex, gender-based discrimination in the workplace and related acts of victimisation. Under the Work Health and Safety …
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Should the Pension Age be reduced for First Nations people?
The full Federal Court will shortly consider whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be able to access the aged pension early following a recent legal proceeding that argues that the gap in life expectancy means holding them to the retirement age is discrimination and a contravention of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. The …
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