News: legal alerts
2019: a new year for copyright protection
With the New Year, amendments to the Copyright Act 1968 commenced. As of 1 January 2019, copyright duration has become standardised across all types of works in Australia regardless of whether they were in the public domain or not.
Commencement of Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme
The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme introduces a new registration requirement for anyone acting on behalf of a foreign entity where the intended purpose is to influence political outcomes. The Scheme commences on Monday, 10 December 2018.
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ICAC hones in on private email accounts - again
Editor’s Note: SA integrity laws were amended in October 2021, which has changed reporting obligations for Public Officers. Further information
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Notifiable Event reporting - on time, every time
Editor’s Note: This article was updated in October 2021
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Solving the legal compliance puzzle – we can help
One of the most challenging aspects of compliance can be figuring out what and how legal obligations apply to your role. You might be familiar with Acts that apply specifically to your disciplinary area or research expertise, but less familiar with the broad range of State or Commonwealth Acts that apply to the whole of the University.
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From undue influence to foreign interference - some integrity obligations you should know not to ignore
In the day to day pursuit of University objectives, there are some obligations that may be more difficult to recognise and will require additional vigilance before the right decision can be made. This is because the right decision requires due consideration of broader legal and ethical contexts and awareness of the various (maybe competing) interests of those involved.
New process for contractor management
Employers have many legal obligations associated with their workers such as Pay As You Go instalments, payroll tax, WorkCover and superannuation payments. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) imposes penalties for employers who engage workers as contractors when they are really functioning as employees.
Students have a lot to learn, but they are always right under Australian Consumer Law
Good service is often summed up by the phrase “the customer is always right”. The idea being that if you look after your customer, they will look after you - or at least, not give you a bad review.
See a drone in your future? Future-proofing University RPAS operations
Futurists like to predict the many and varied uses of drones: drone taxis, first responder drones and drones that deliver are just a few anticipated applications. Drones, or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), provide an agile and relatively cheap way to get clever technology into the air and to where we need it quickly. For this reason, some characterise them as 'flying smartphones'.
[Read more about See a drone in your future? Future-proofing University RPAS operations]
