In the media – National

$31.5 million to further improve on-farm irrigation efficiency
The Australian Government has renewed its commitment to the Murray-Darling Basin in South Australia by funding a further 122 projects to modernise on-farm irrigation infrastructure and return water to the environment (29 January 2015). More...

In the media – New South Wales

Oil price slump to benefit most
Families, shop owners and businesses will benefit from the dramatic and unexpected slump in oil prices in the second half of 2014 - but a NSW parliamentary researcher has found mining investment and government revenue will both take a hit (28 January 2015). More...

In the media – Queensland

PCA: Increased land supply to lower housing costs in Qld
Changes are needed to Queensland's regional planning system to provide for our inevitable population growth, according to the Property Council of Australia. While the South East Queensland Regional Plan has been in place since 2005, it has failed to deliver a reliable blueprint for development in the south-east corner (21 January 2015). More...

Published – articles, papers, reports - National

Consumer Price Index, Australia, December 2014
Australian Bureau of Statistics: 27 January 2015
Movements in retail prices of goods and services commonly purchased by metropolitan households. The goods and services are divided into the following groups: food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcohol and tobacco; clothing and footwear; housing; furnishings, household equipment and services; health; transport; communication; recreation and culture; education; and insurance and financial services. More...

In Practice and Courts - National

National Electronic Conveyancing System fact sheet
The Law Council of Australia has published a fact sheet to update practitioners on recent developments on the National Electronic Conveyancing System (NECS). More...

Report on Government Services
Published January 2015. The annual Report on Government Services (RoGS) provides information on the equity, effectiveness and efficiency of government services in Australia. This report will be progressively released between 28 January - 6 February 2015. More...

Cases - Victoria

McOrmond v Bass Valley Constructions Pty Ltd (Civil Claims) [2015] VCAT 18
Rent to buy scheme – grantor of Option to purchase property breaches the Option and fails to convey the property to the grantee – grantee entitled to specific performance, to purchase the property at the exercise price. More...

Cases - Queensland

Ecobikes Australasia Limited v ABC Pty Ltd [2014] QCAT 679
RETAIL SHOP LEASES – Application for interim injunction – whether arguable case – where notice to exercise option not given under s 46 of Retail Shop Leases Act 1994 – where written notice of exercise of option not given as required under lease. Duncan Properties Pty Ltd v Hunter [1991] 1 Qd R 101 JV Tub Group Pty Ltd v Red Carpet Real Estate Pty Ltd & Ors [2014] QSC 232 Topbeach Pty Ltd v Seafarer Investments Pty Ltd [2010] QSC 459. More...

Rawlings & Ors v Commissioner of State Revenue [2015] QCAT 010
DUTY – where duty assessed on transfer of land by trustees to beneficiaries – whether transfer of two lots, one to one set of beneficiaries and the other to another set of beneficiaries constituted substantially one arrangement requiring the transactions to be aggregated- where one agreement entered by all of the parties evidencing the transactions – where lots were used separately for residential purposes. Attorney-General v Cohen (1937) 1 K.B. 478 Jeffrey v Commissioner of State Revenue [1980] 23 SAR 398 Old Reynella Village Pty ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue (SA) (1989) 51 SASR 378 Chief Commissioner of State revenue v pacific General Securities and Finimore Holdings Pty Ltd (No. 2)(RD) [2005] NSWADTAP 54 Brianco Nominees Pty ltd v CSR [2008] VCAT 999 Camp Seabee Properties Pty Ltd v Commissioner of State Revenue [2014] QCAT 258. More...

Chief Executive, Department of Justice and Attorney-General v Grimsey [2015] QCAT 001
REAL ESTATE AGENT – DISCIPLINARY – where a person was acting as a real estate agent without a licence – where the son of a real estate agent carried on the business whilst not holding a licence or certificate of registration – where the person went on to act as a real estate agent in his own right without holding a licence or certificate of registration, and a receiver was appointed. Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 366 Re Seidler [1986] 1 Qd R 486 Chief Executive, Department of Tourism, Racing and Fair Trading v Winn K.J. [2003] QCCCTPAMD 8 (13 November 2003) Chief Executive Department of Justice and Attorney General v Keyte [2012] QCAT 244 Chief Executive Department of Justice and Attorney-General v Hoppner [2014] QCAT 296. More...

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