In March 2020, the New South Wales Government enacted the COVID-19 Legislation Amendment (Emergency Measures) Act 2020 to prepare New South Wales for the impacts of COVID-19 in line with health advice, and to take immediate steps to address existing barriers in our laws that were incompatible with social distancing policies.  This included amending the Electronic Transactions Act 2000 ('the Act') to create a regulation-making power that would allow for regulations to provide for alternative mechanisms for signing and witnessing documents.

Pursuant to these powers, the New South Wales Attorney-General introduced the Electronic Transactions Amendment (COVID-19 Witnessing of Documents) Regulation 2020, which allows for documents to be signed by one person in one place, and witnessed by another person in another place using facilities such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or FaceTime.

Jumping castles, otherwise known as bouncy castles or inflatable trampolines, are a firm favourite at fetes, birthday parties, beer gardens – and even in pools.  

Of course, like any form of fun, they have their hazards.

From 1 January 2021 new insolvency regimes will be introduced which will involve:

1. a new insolvency process for small businesses whereby financially distressed but viable companies can restructure their existing debts and continue to trade; and
2. a simplified liquidation process which will allow for faster and lower-cost liquidation.

We are delighted to launch SERIES 2: Legal Lockdown. In this first episode of the season, Adriana Giometti speaks with Amanda J. Scott, internationally recognised stress management expert and author of the New York Times reviewed ‘Create Success From Stress’. Amanda discusses her signature methods of managing and maintaining inner-strength.

Recently, an employer's non-delegable duty to take reasonable steps to protect an employee from psychiatric harm was re-examined in Zagi Kozarov v State of Victoria [2020] VSC 78. 

The temporary measures put in place by the Government in March this year which:

1. increased the monetary threshold at which creditors can issue a Bankruptcy Notice to $20,000; and
2. increased the time period in which a recipient of a Bankruptcy Notice has to respond to a Statutory Demand from 21 days to 6 months,

have now been extended until 31 December 2020.

As property lawyers, we are often asked about what is happening in the property market.  We are currently living in time of great uncertainty, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting not only how we go about our daily lives, but also the economy – in a significant way.  With this said, and despite what you may hear, the Eastern Suburbs’ housing market continues to strengthen – much of which stems from a chronic shortage of listings, combined with low interest rates.

Two new laws have been passed to restore public confidence in the NSW building industry and to stop 'dodgy' builders and developers:

• Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020
• Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020

The laws are part of the reforms promised by the NSW government in order to improve the quality of construction and provide better protections for consumers against non-compliance within the building sector. 

On 27 August 2020, in what seems to be the first Australian decision of its kind, Her Honour Judge Gibson considered the meaning of the “zipper face” emoji in the context of defamation.

Recent reports that former NRL player Benny Elias was scammed out of $860,000 when hackers impersonated his lawyer during a property transaction come as an important reminder to be extra careful when transferring money online.