Australia

Oceania
Australia

October 24, 2026

ASIC has published Report 840 Mortgage brokers: Review of best interests duty and complaints handling practices (REP 840) which examined 13 credit licensees that make up eight large mortgage broker groups. It looked at how they ensure their credit representatives

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Bright Law Blog

Deceased estate Banking Act amendments

By David Jacobson

October 24, 2026

Treasury is consulting on amendments to the Banking Act to increase the withdrawal limit without production of probate, of the will, or letters of administration of the estate and to permit payments to include the payment of court filing fees.The

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Bright Law Blog

New ATO garnishee powers proposals

By David Jacobson

October 24, 2026

Treasury has issued a consultation paper Tackling fraud and financial abuse which includes proposals for new Australian Taxation Office (ATO) powers to help the ATO to issue garnishee notices to collect tax debts from jointly-held assets, with safeguards.The Government intends

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Bright Law Blog

Internal Dispute Resolution data reporting

By David Jacobson

October 24, 2026

ASIC has announced that it proposes to extend its “Internal Dispute Resolution data reporting instrument” which specifies the internal dispute resolution (IDR) information that financial firms must report to ASIC, with one change (for small banks).ASIC Corporations (Internal Dispute

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Bright Law Blog

Changes to the Minister Rules under the Financial Accountability Regime Act

By David Jacobson

October 24, 2026

Treasury is consulting on changes to the Minister Rules under the Financial Accountability Regime (FAR) Act.The Financial Accountability Regime (Minister) Amendment (Enhanced Notification Threshold) Rules 2026 will amend the Rules by increasing the enhanced notification threshold for authorised deposit taking

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Bright Law Blog

Banking Regulations revision

By David Jacobson

October 24, 2026

Treasury is consulting on the draft Banking Regulations 2026, which will replace the Banking Regulations 2016.The draft regulations increase the covered bond issuance limit for authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) to 12 per cent of an ADI’s assets. The current

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Bill Madden's Blog

Abuse: Appeal regarding diminution of earning capacity.

By Bill Madden

October 23, 2026

Kawicki v Trustees of the Marist Brothers t/as Marist Brothers Sydney Province [2026] NSWCA 220 (Link to Caselaw).

HEADNOTE

The appellant, Mr Tadeusz Kawicki, alleged that he was the victim of both sexual abuse and physical abuse while he…

HEIRS & SUCCESSES

The Wife Who Never Existed: Romance Fraud, a Forged Marriage and an Unusual Inheritance Dispute

By Heirsandsuccesses

October 23, 2026

Can someone who never existed inherit under a Will? In the Will of Clifford Stanley Perrin [2026] QSC 247 examines the consequences of online romance fraud and a testamentary gift to an imaginary spouse.

Severance of a testamentary gift based…

Australian Emergency Law

Queensland paramedic reprimanded but identity protected

By M. Eburn

October 23, 2026

A Queensland paramedic has been reprimanded over several instances of inappropriate patient care – Paramedicine Board of Australia v BML [2026] QCAT 417. One reason for the light penalty is once again the inordinate delay. The decision of QCAT was delivered…

Family and Fertility Australia Blog

De facto relationship: what counts under family law?

By Bruce Provan

October 23, 2026

Sharing a home does not automatically make two people a de facto couple. Equally, living apart does not necessarily mean that a de facto relationship cannot exist. Under Australian family law, the question involves more than an address.
The central…