Policy and Regulation

The federal government plans to significantly increase penalties for companies that contravene environment laws as it moves forward with a suite of changes described by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young as “not worth the paper they’re printed on”.

The Queensland government has introduced defamation reforms to bring it in line with other jurisdictions and prevent “forum shopping,” adding a new defence for social media platforms and increasing powers for courts.

After departing the ACCC 25 years ago for private practice, the national head of King & Wood Mallesons' competition law group has won a five-year appointment as commissioner.

Looking to continue its hot streak of successful anti-greenwashing cases, the corporate regulator has taken Fiducian Investment Management to court over allegedly misleading representations about its ESG fund.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has accepted court-enforceable undertakings from Hall Chadwick NSW and three of its auditors after finding the firm’s systems failed to detect breaches of auditor rotation requirements. 

Cryptocurrency exchanges will be required to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence under proposed legislation announced by assistant treasurer Dr Daniel Mulino.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission chair Joe Longo will hang up his badge after his term as head of the corporate cop ends in eight months.

The federal government is slashing costs and red tape for offshore wind developers, in a bid to attract investment to the burgeoning industry. 

The eSafety commissioner has said it will take a “principles-based approach” to the government's plan to ban social media ban for children under 16, saying platforms will not be required to verify the ages of all users. 

The judge overseeing the Robodebt class action, which settled this month for a record $548.5 million, may put the settlement administration role out to tender, saying the sum earmarked for the job was "staggeringly large".