Oceania: Government, Public Sector

In Abdel-Hady v Commonwealth of Australia [2026] HCA 17, the High Court unanimously rejected a novel defence advanced by the Commonwealth to a claim for false imprisonment arising from immigration detention later...

The second phase of New South Wales' most expansive overhaul of firearms regulation recently took place, marking the biggest leap in firearms and gun licence laws since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The reforms are enshrined in the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (NSW), and were passed in an emergency sitting just days after the Bondi Beach terror attack in December 2025.

The NDIS Integrity and Safeguarding Act 2026 fundamentally transforms the regulatory landscape for disability service providers through dramatically increased civil penalties reaching up to $3.64 million per contravention, new criminal offences for unregistered providers, and expanded enforcement powers for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Applications under the Act can result in significant implications for project delivery and provide an avenue for Traditional Owners to seek protections when state law does not do so.

The NSW Government has begun consulting with native title groups on developing a new policy for how native title claims could be settled in NSW.

Corporate Australia complicit in Australia Day swaps enshrined in EBAs.

Australia's federal government welcomes foreign investment, but the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) regime has become increasingly complex. This comprehensive guide examines critical considerations for foreign investors, including investor profiles, investment types, mandatory filing thresholds, available exemptions, procedural requirements, filing fees, and the Treasurer's enforcement powers.

Singapore and Southeast Asian investors looking to enter the Australian market through M&A face unique regulatory, structural and commercial considerations that differ significantly from their home jurisdictions. This comprehensive guide examines the typical transaction lifecycle, current investment trends between Singapore and Australia, and critical pre-transaction decisions around deal structure, FIRB clearance, and term sheet negotiations that can determine the success of cross-border acquisitions.

The Australian Government has introduced legislation to reform its foreign resident capital gains tax regime, removing the controversial retrospective application of expanded 'real property' definitions while maintaining prospective changes that will significantly broaden the CGT base for foreign investors in Australian land, infrastructure and energy assets.

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

The NSW government has proposed landmark reforms to close a legal loophole in break-and-enter laws that currently prevents prosecution of former partners who forcibly enter homes they have a legal interest in. The Crimes Amendment (Breaking and Entering Offences) Bill 2026 introduces new conditions specifically targeting intimate partner violence, requiring courts to determine whether an accused is an "occupant" based on factors like relationship status and prior agreements, while also mandating that a pers

Omni Bridgeway partners with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre to establish an Adverse Cost Order Guarantee Fund, providing crucial financial support for public interest litigation.