The Commission of Inquiry has conducted hearings during the months of September and October which have followed on from the August Commission Enquiry into to 2010/2011 Queensland floods. Its interim report provides 175 recommendations focused on changes to be implemented before the next wet season. More than 660 written public submissions were received and sworn statements...
As many of you would be aware, since 1st August 2011 Queenslanders are no longer able to apply for the ‘principle place of residence’ stamp duty concession after the State Government cancelled the concession for transfer duties. Since 1st August 2011, consumers have had to pay up to 30 percent more in transfer duties, equating to...
The Court has ordered respondents to publish a corrective video on YouTube and other video-streaming websites to counter false and misleading representations. This is the first occurrence of its kind for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The proceedings against Newlife Publishing and Marketing Pty Ltd, Renew You Centre for Wellbeing and Longevity Pty...
The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 calls for equal contributions to the running costs of a building through lot entitlements unless it is ‘just and equitable’. Effectively, if a unit owner does not believe they are being charged body corporate fees fairly they can apply to the Queensland Commercial and Consumer Tribunal for...
Lawyers, academics and journalists raised fresh doubts this week about federal government plans to encourage people to use a statutory privacy tort for lawsuits. The government’s plans to encourage people to sue each other using a statutory privacy tort have been denounced by The Rule of Law Institute as so uncertain as to undermine the...
Promoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Queensland Forensic Disability Bill 2011 was introduced into Queensland Parliament on 7 April 2011 to provide a framework to support Queensland’s Forensic Disability Service. This service is a purpose built therapeutic environment for people with an intellectual or cognitive disability (and no...
In a major drink driving crack down the Government has made major changes to transport and law to catch and penalise offenders. Amendments have been made by the State Government to the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 in response to its Drink Driving in Queensland discussion paper. There are three major reforms which...
There are now tougher controls and strict penalties for weapons-related offences. Currently Queensland laws require the registration of weapons and licensing of persons in possession of them. Weapons covered in the legislation include firearms, laser pointers, possession of bladed weapons such as a ballistic knife or butterfly knife in a public place or school, and...
The Neighbourhood Disputes Resolution Bill 2010 was introduced to Parliament in November 2010. A proposed new law to solve neighbourhood disputes about trees and fences will provide clear and practical ways to resolve neighbourhood disputes informally. If disputes cannot be informally resolved, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) will be able to deal with...
High infrastructure charges that stall new projects, cost jobs and push up the price of housing in Queensland are now a thing of the past following the passing of the Sustainable Planning (Housing Affordability and Infrastructure Charges Reform) Amendment Bill on 25 May 2011. The Bill aims to establish, through State planning regulations, a...
