Australia: Compliance

The Federal Court's landmark decision in ASIC v Star Entertainment Group reveals critical governance failures that occurred well before matters reached the boardroom, with profound implications for general counsel, company secretaries, and in-house legal teams. This analysis examines how information flow breakdowns, inadequate risk escalation, and the blurring of legal and operational responsibilities created personal liability exposure for senior legal officers.

The Full Federal Court's decision in Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd v Tickle clarifies the framework for establishing gender identity discrimination under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, determining that exclusion based on appearance characteristics that appertain to transgender women constitutes direct rather than indirect discrimination. The ruling has sparked debate about proposed legislative reforms that would define 'man' and 'woman' strictly by biological sex at birth, potentially impacting transgender rig

Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime is expanding to include lawyers, accountants and other professional service providers from July 2026. Piper Alderman is implementing comprehensive compliance systems to meet these new obligations, which will affect client onboarding, transaction monitoring and matter management processes across the firm.

As the end of financial year approaches, businesses face mounting pressure to clear outstanding debts and strengthen cash flow. This practical guide reveals five essential strategies for maximising debt recovery before 30 June, from establishing clear contractual terms to knowing when professional intervention becomes necessary.

The NSW workers compensation scheme has introduced stricter guidelines for high-risk medications including opioids, benzodiazepines, and medicinal cannabis, with proposed reforms set to commence in October 2026...

As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates faster than governance frameworks can keep pace, Australian regulators are issuing urgent warnings about AI risk management.

A recent Administrative Review Tribunal decision has clarified the boundaries of facial recognition technology use in Australian retail, examining Bunnings' controversial trial system that scanned customers to identify repeat offenders.

ASIC can pursue greenwashing enforcement even where investors suffer no direct financial loss, as demonstrated by the $12.9 million penalty in ASIC v Vanguard.

Modern slavery can infiltrate any Australian business's supply chain, yet many organisations remain uncertain about their reporting obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2018. With proposed reforms threatening to lower reporting thresholds and introduce financial penalties for the first time, understanding whether your business must lodge an annual modern slavery statement has become critical for compliance and reputation management.