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Personal Injuries Compensation
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The Queensland Government has introduced personal injury law reforms aimed at limiting the effect of compensation awards on the costs of public liability insurance premiums.

Provisions include:

* capping of claims for economic loss (to three times average weekly earnings);

* no legal costs payable for claims under $30,000 and maximum $2500 in costs for claims between $30,000 and $50,000.

* Minimum thresholds on claims for loss of comfort (this is a claim by a person for the loss of comfort and support as a result of an injury to their spouse) and loss of service (claims by an employer when an employee is injured)

* Minimum thresholds and limits on awards to cover gratuitous care (this is payment for a service provided voluntarily by a friend or relative). Payments for gratuitous care are now only applicable where the service required is directly as result of injury and where the service is provided for a minimum six hours per week over six months.

 
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Privacy Commissioner dispels myths
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According to the Privacy Commissioner, a number of false Privacy Act myths have emerged, including that:


it's no longer possible to pray for people in public;
students can stop their parents looking at their school reports;
sports clubs can't talk about their players' injuries;
the Act stops people accessing joint accounts that they have with their partner;
the details of escaped criminals can't be released; and
organisations need consent for everything they want to do with people's personal information.

"Many of these are simple misunderstandings of the way the Privacy Act works. Others are resolved by taking appropriate steps that most people would expect to be taken anyway.

"My Office is ready and prepared to help organisations find solutions to their privacy problems and to investigate privacy complaints. The Office's hotline number is 1300 363 992," said Mr Crompton.

More

 
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Copyright protection
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Desktop Marketing Systems Pty Ltd v Telstra Corporation Ltd [2002] FCAFC 112

In a recent decision, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia upheld Justice Finkelstein's earlier ruling that information databases such as telephone directories can be the subject of copyright protection.

Desktop Marketing Systems had copied data from the Telstra White Pages and Yellow Pages Telephone Directories without Telstra's permission. Desktop had used the data, and headings similar to those used by Telstra to organise the information, to develop CD-ROM software products that enable users to conduct different searches through the data.

The Full Court unanimously upheld Finkelstein J's decision, finding that 'to deny copyright protection would permit Desktop to appropriate the benefit of Telstra's substantial labour and expense in performing those activities'

Desktop Marketing Systems has sought leave to appeal to the High Court.

Read the Full Court's decision

 
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Useful Sites
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The 2001 Census data is now available

Ideas to market

Australian Institute for Commercialisation

Triton Foundation's online workshop for inventors

Queensland's Office of Fair Trading Good Business Guide

Product Recalls