Latest publications
Compliance with Children’s Orders
Any orders made by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) should be followed unless an agreement is reached with the other parent to vary or amend the Order. It is important that both parties understand what is required by them under the Orders, which includes taking all…
Swaab 2022 Lawyer Interview Series | Carly Lennan
Why did you become a lawyer? I was one of those annoying kids walking around telling people from a very young age that I would one day be a lawyer, then shouting things like “OBJECTION!” in conversation. As I got older, and became a senior at a rural, public school, I was discouraged from aiming for this due…
Important Workplace Relations Changes Effective 1 July 2022
Employers and employees alike need to be aware of important changes in the workplace relations space, effective 1 July 2022. From that date: the high income threshold for unfair dismissal cases will increase to $162,000 per annum (from the present $158,500 per annum) and the compensation limit will be $81,000 (equivalent to…
Landmark Statement on the Rights of Gig Economy Workers
Uber and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) have signed a joint Statement of Principles that calls for reform of the rights and conditions of workers in the on-demand transport industry who are not engaged as employees. The statement signals support for the Federal Government legislating for an independent body with the capacity…
The evolution of a legal team, introducing Swaab’s team servicing the property industry
The pace of transformation, increased volume and complexity of projects has continued unabated within the property sector. As one of the firm’s fastest growing teams, our team servicing the property industry has seen a growing demand over the past 24-months across the full spectrum of property services. Diversification and the introduction of…
5.2% Increase to National Minimum Wage
As part of its Annual Wage Review for 2021 / 2022, an Expert Panel of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has today announced a 5.2% increase in the national minimum wage. That means it will be $812.60 (or $21.38 per hour) from 1 July 2022. This represents a marked increase from the 2.5%…
Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave To Be a Modern Award Entitlement
In a major decision arising from its Family and Domestic Violence Leave Review 2021 ([2022] FWCFB 2001) a three member Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission (FWCFB) has formed a provisional view that modern awards should be varied to provide an entitlement to 10 days’ paid family and domestic violence (FDV) leave in…
Use of Audio and Video Recordings in Family Law cases
It’s no secret that we are glued to our smartphones. Thanks to technological advancements, we have a ‘one stop shop’ device at our fingertips, which includes access to audio and video recordings. For many years, Family Lawyers have been presented with secret recordings taken by clients in the hopes that the…
Swaab 2022 Lawyer Interview Series | Christian Marchant
Why did you become a lawyer? I grew up around the construction industry (4th generation on my mum’s side and 2nd Generation on my Dad’s) and therefore, always felt comfortable liaising with people in the industry but wasn’t particularly thrilled at the idea of manual labour. Five years as a Trade Assistant…
Pause before you Post – How social media can impact your Family Law matter
Irrespective of your feelings about social media – it is here to stay. In today’s social media world ‚it seems that there is so little that we truly keep private. We’ve never been more connected or had a wider platform to share each of our intimate thoughts however, whilst some of…