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Superannuation
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Changes to superannuation law means that from 1 July 2003 employers will have to make Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions at least quarterly rather than annually.

From that date, employers will have to make SG contributions on behalf of eligible employees on or by 28 October, 28 January, 28 April and 28 July each year.

The new laws also require employers to report in writing to their employees the details of the contributions they have made and the name of the fund, at least once every quarter by email, letter or on the employee's pay slip.

Employers will also be required to keep records of how and when this was done and what was reported.

 
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Copyright update
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The latest edition of the copyright newsletter of the Copyright Law Branch of the Attorney-General's Department has summaries of interesting copyright cases.

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Weblogs and Employers
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Discussion has now started about legal issues surrounding weblogs.

Here is a sample weblog policy from Groove.

 
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ACCC - advertising actions
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ACCC has been active reminding businesses of the need to take care when advertising goods and services. Recent actions include:

• a Federal Court decision that a service provider who had advertised a GST-exclusive price with a statement, in some case in fine print, that it was "plus GST" had acted in breach of sections 52, 53(e) and 53(d) of the Trade Practices Act;
• a Federal Court decision that a tour promoter had breached section 52 of the Trade Practices Act by promoting tours to an Aboriginal site near Uluru when they had no permission from the relevant Aboriginal governing body to enter the land or conduct the tours;
• an admission in Federal Court proceedings that an advertisement for a "15% Off Everything" sale was misleading because not all products had been reduced by 15%;
• a Federal court decision that a retailer had misled customers about their rights to refunds under the Trade Practices Act by telling consumers that they were not entitled to refunds on new, sale or seconds items; and
• the ACCC instituting proceedings against a rental company about its 'Rent Two, Get One Rent Free' advertising campaign because it failed to sufficiently disclose the terms and conditions to which the offer was subject.

See Media Releases 88/03, 89/03, 90/03,104/03 and 107/03

 
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GST and Residential Property
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The ATO has issued a new ruling about the liability to pay GST on the sale of residential property. It also considers the impact of renovations.

Download our report (PDF)

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Independent Contractors
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When is an independent contractor really an employee? What are the tax, workers compensation and other implications?

Download our report (PDF)

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Discrimination Update
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Queensland Discrimination laws have been amended.

Download our report (PDF)

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Privacy and publicly available information
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When can your information be accessed by strangers and for what purposes?

Download our report (PDF)

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Commonwealth Criminal Code and corporate culture
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"Corporate culture" is now a legal term which is relevant to deciding company directors' responsibilities for the acts of their company and employees.

Download our report (PDF)