GL Insights
Sharapova Vs Essendon
On 4 October 2016, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), issued a decision reducing the suspension given by an Independent Tribunal of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), to Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova for committing an anti-doping violation. The CAS reduced Sharapova’s suspension from two years down to fifteen months, after finding that she …
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What you need to know about the new “medical research” function for an Enduring Power of Attorney
On 1 September 2016 the Powers of Attorney Act 2006 (the Act) was amended to allow a person (the Principal) to authorise their nominated attorney to make decisions about medical research matters involving ethically approved research when the Principal becomes a person with impaired decision making capacity. This authority is in addition to the existing …
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5 essential probity tasks in government procurement
When the Government spends money, it is spending your money and my money, so we expect that there is a certain level of transparency and accountability. If there is little transparency or accountability, it is easy to throw around allegations of bias, and unfair advantage. Such allegations are not only damaging to the individuals involved, …
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Is it a bird, is it a plane – no it’s a drone! The privacy implications of the increased use of drones
It is now easier to legally operate drones in Australia – not all drones but smaller and lighter commercially operated drones. Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that can be remotely or autonomously controlled. They can include cameras making them capable of taking aerial audio and visual recordings and photos raising a whole host of legal …
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Debt Recovery Challenges
In November 2015 Griffin Legal published a blog outlining the debt recovery processes in the ACT. In this blog, we touch on some of the challenges faced by our clients in the debt recovery area, and what can be done in order to counteract those challenges. Challenge The debtor is disputing the amount owing. Recommendation …
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What is a nominations committee ?
A nomination committee’s role is to guide and advise the board of a company on matters relating to the composition, structure and operation of its board, as well as matters relating to the selection of senior executives. The main function of a nomination’s committee is to weaken the traditional strongholds within an organisation, when it …
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Excessive surchages come at a cost
Following the enactment of the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Payment Surcharges) Act 2016, businesses should be aware of new restrictions in imposing payment surcharges on customers. This amendment to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (CCA) essentially bans ‘excessive’ surcharges on credit and debit card payments in transactions. This is intended to limit surcharges …
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IP Australia fee changes commence October 2016 – What do you need to know?
Earlier this year, IP Australia conducted an extensive review of its fee structure in consultation with various stakeholders. The results of this review are now finalised and IP Australia has announced that new fees will apply from 10 October 2016. The changes to trade mark fees may be significant to current trade mark owners, and …
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Trade Mark Now the Least of Dick Smith’s Issues After Mite-y Long Battle Ends in Federal Court
On 11 February 2016, the Federal Court handed down its judgment in the case of Dick Smith Investments Pty Ltd v Ramsey [2016] FCA 939. The decision marked the end of the latest chapter in the trade mark battle between Dick Smith’s OzEmite and AussieMite. While this dispute has been in the media through its …
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Board Meeting Minutes – Take a Minute to Find Out Your Obligations
Minutes are a physical record of decisions made and actions agreed upon in a meeting, and are often relied upon for future reference. The Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act) states that “a minute that is so recorded and signed is evidence of the proceeding, resolution or declaration to which it relates, unless the contrary …
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